Mixue Ice Cream & Tea

Corporate brand

Unclaimed Request correction

Mixue's tea product line

Last updated October 9, 2026

AI crawler reads

No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.

Overview

Mixue Ice Cream & Tea is a Chinese quick-service beverage and dessert chain founded in Zhengzhou in 1997 by Zhang Hongchao. It began with a small shaved-ice business and developed into a large franchised network built around inexpensive ice cream, lemonade, fruit drinks, tea beverages and milk tea. The brand’s central proposition is broad accessibility: products are priced for frequent, everyday consumption rather than premium tea-house occasions, with students, young workers and consumers in lower-tier cities forming important customer groups. The company’s growth model combines standardized stores, franchise expansion, centralized procurement and an increasingly integrated supply chain. In contrast with beverage chains that rely heavily on high-priced drinks and a limited number of directly operated stores, Mixue has historically generated most of its business by supplying franchisees with ingredients, packaging, equipment and operating support. This structure allows the brand to spread rapidly while using network scale to improve purchasing, manufacturing, logistics and store economics. Its stores are deliberately standardized and visually prominent, making the network itself a recurring advertising channel. The company is especially associated with its low-price strategy and a small group of highly recognizable products. The ice-cream cone and lemon drink are signature offerings, while the broader menu includes fruit teas, milk teas, black tea-based drinks and seasonal products. The brand generally emphasizes familiar flavors, simple ordering and value instead of elaborate customization or luxury positioning. Its supply-chain investments cover areas such as agricultural inputs, beverage ingredients, syrups, frozen fruit, packaging, warehousing and distribution, supporting consistency across a very large franchise system. A major turning point in brand communication came in 2018, when Mixue introduced the Snow King mascot and refreshed its visual identity and store presentation. Snow King evolved from a logo character into a social-media personality used in short videos, merchandise, store appearances and collaborations. In 2021, the song “You Love Me, I Love You, Mixue Is Sweet” became widely circulated on Chinese social platforms. User remixes, parody versions and offline store playback helped make the mascot and slogan recognizable well beyond the chain’s immediate customer base. The campaign illustrated the company’s broader approach: combine a low-cost, high-frequency product with memorable symbols, repeated physical exposure and participatory online content. Mixue also expanded outside mainland China. Its first overseas store opened in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2018, followed by wider development in Southeast Asia and selected markets including South Korea and Australia. Overseas stores generally retain the red-and-white visual system, Snow King character and value-oriented menu, while adapting operations and communications to local markets. The international network has become an important component of the company’s expansion strategy. After several earlier attempts to pursue a public listing, Mixue completed its Hong Kong IPO in March 2025 under the stock code 2097, a reference to the brand’s 1997 founding year. The listing highlighted the scale of its franchise and supply-chain model and provided capital for manufacturing, warehousing, cold-chain and international infrastructure. As a listed company, Mixue faces the continuing challenge of balancing rapid store growth with franchisee economics, food-safety controls, product consistency, labor standards and responsible overseas expansion. Its present identity is therefore broader than that of a milk-tea shop: it is a consumer brand, franchise platform and supply-chain operator centered on affordable freshly prepared drinks and desserts.

History

Mixue traces its origin to Zhengzhou in 1997, when founder Zhang Hongchao began selling shaved ice using a small self-developed machine. The business gradually moved from a single dessert concept toward a broader affordable beverage format. Ice cream, lemonade and tea-based drinks became central to the proposition, and the company developed a model designed to make standardized products available in locations where consumers were highly price-sensitive. The most important structural feature of Mixue’s expansion was its franchise system. Rather than treating each outlet as an isolated retail business, the company built a platform that supplied franchisees with ingredients, packaging, equipment and operating standards. Centralized purchasing and manufacturing helped reduce unit costs, while standardized visual materials and store layouts made the brand easy to reproduce. This approach supported penetration into county towns, smaller cities and other under-served locations, where a low-ticket beverage could generate frequent purchases. The company also invested in upstream and downstream capabilities. Its operating model came to encompass procurement of agricultural and food ingredients, production of syrups and other materials, packaging, logistics, warehousing and distribution. The resulting supply chain became an important source of consistency and cost control. It also changed the way the company was understood: Mixue was not only a chain of tea shops, but also a franchisor and supplier whose economics were closely linked to the activity of its store network. In 2018, Mixue refreshed its identity and introduced Snow King, a snowman-like mascot that became the brand’s most recognizable asset. Initially used mainly in logos, shopfronts and promotional materials, Snow King later acquired a deliberately playful and socially active personality. The company used the character in costumes, short-form videos, merchandise, event appearances and collaborations. The mascot’s informal tone helped the brand connect with younger consumers without abandoning its mass-market positioning. The 2021 release and circulation of the song “You Love Me, I Love You, Mixue Is Sweet” marked a major communications breakthrough. The short, repetitive melody was shared widely on Douyin, Bilibili, Weibo and other platforms. Consumers created foreign-language, dialect, electronic, theatrical and parody versions, turning an ordinary advertising device into participatory internet culture. Stores reinforced the effect by playing the song and displaying or animating Snow King figures. Mixue subsequently developed a broad social-media presence, with separate brand and Snow King-oriented content, and continued to use seasonal promotions, new-product launches, merchandise and cross-brand collaborations. Internationalization began with the opening of a Hanoi store in Vietnam in 2018. The company then expanded in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and additional markets, later reaching countries such as South Korea and Australia. The overseas format retained the core visual identity and value proposition while adapting products, store operations and communications to local conditions. Snow King also functioned as a portable cultural symbol, allowing the company to use recognizable character-based content in markets where the Chinese-language slogan itself was less directly transferable. Mixue’s path to public markets was not immediate. It completed an external financing round in 2020 and made earlier attempts to pursue a mainland or Hong Kong listing, but those efforts did not reach completion. The company submitted an updated Hong Kong application in early 2025 and listed on 3 March 2025 under the code 2097.HK. The offering drew intense attention because it combined a large franchise network, strong domestic penetration, overseas growth and a supply-chain-heavy business model. Post-listing priorities included expanding production, storage, cold-chain and overseas supply infrastructure. The current phase of Mixue’s history is defined by the tension between scale and control. Continued store growth can strengthen purchasing power and brand visibility, but it also increases the difficulty of supervising franchisees, maintaining food safety and ensuring consistent customer experience. International expansion adds regulatory, cultural and logistics complexity. Mixue’s long-term development will therefore depend not only on low prices and high store density, but also on governance, quality assurance, franchise relations, supply-chain resilience and the ability to keep Snow King commercially useful without allowing the character to overshadow product and operating fundamentals.

2025
Hong Kong listing
[4]Mixue Hong Kong IPO coveragefinance.sina.com.cn
Mixue lists on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under 2097.HK, with the offering positioned as a financing platform for supply-chain and overseas growth.
2021
Theme song becomes a viral marketing phenomenon
[9]Theme song becomes a viral marketing phenomenonjiemian.com
The Snow King-led theme song spreads through social platforms, remixes and offline store activations, substantially increasing brand recognition.
2020
First reported external financing round
[8]First reported external financing roundm.lejucaijing.com
Mixue accepts investment from institutions including Hillhouse, Meituan Long-Z and CPE-related investors, according to IPO coverage.
2018
Snow King identity introduced
[2]How Mixue uses the Snow King IP to build its brandwoshipm.com
Mixue refreshes its brand image and introduces Snow King, later developed into the company’s central mascot and intellectual-property asset.
2018
International expansion begins in Vietnam
[7]Business founded in Zhengzhouhstong.com
The company opens its first overseas store in Hanoi and begins building a Southeast Asian network.
1997
Business founded in Zhengzhou
[7]Business founded in Zhengzhouhstong.com
Zhang Hongchao starts the business with a shaved-ice venture, establishing the origin of the Mixue brand.

Products and positioning

Affordable, high-frequency, mass-market ice cream and tea beverages distributed through a highly standardized franchise network.

Ice cream
Ice-cream cone
A low-priced soft-serve ice cream product and one of Mixue’s most recognizable menu items. Its simple format supports rapid preparation, broad consumer appeal and the brand’s everyday-value positioning.
Lemonade and fruit drinks
Fresh lemon drink
A refreshing lemon-based drink that functions as a signature value product. It fits Mixue’s emphasis on familiar flavors, high purchase frequency and accessible pricing.
Milk tea
Pearl milk tea
A conventional milk-tea offering with tapioca pearls, positioned as an affordable, familiar alternative to higher-priced premium tea beverages. It forms part of the chain’s broad everyday menu.
Fruit tea
Fruit tea range
Fruit-based tea beverages and seasonal variants extend the menu beyond milk tea. The range allows Mixue to respond to weather, local preferences and promotional calendars while retaining standardized preparation.
Branded merchandise
Snow King merchandise
Mascot-related products have included plush toys, cups, bags, luggage, tea products, stickers and other accessories. These items extend Snow King into consumers’ daily lives and turn the character into a mobile brand reminder.

Controversies

2025
Yichang franchise store exposed and investigated for using overnight fresh fruit slices
In March 2025, an undercover investigation by Hubei Economic Television exposed the Mixue store at Ningju Xintiandi in Yichang for using overnight lemon and orange slices and hygiene issues. Media subsequently reported that the store involved was placed under investigation. Other stores interviewed said headquarters rules that slices cannot be used overnight; the report is limited to this franchise store and does not infer that all stores in the network engage in the same behavior.
Source
2021
Multiple franchise stores exposed for tampering with ingredient opening dates and using overnight materials
In May 2021, a media undercover investigation exposed food safety issues such as tampering with ingredient opening dates and using overnight materials at some Mixue franchise stores in Zhengzhou, Jinan, and Wuhan. The company apologized and said it had investigated and verified the actions of the relevant stores. Zhengzhou regulators required some stores to suspend business or rectify within a time limit. This entry relates only to the franchise stores identified in the report.
Source

2023Snow King Mount Tai event
China
Mixue used Snow King content and a Mount Tai appearance to connect the mascot with a popular travel destination and online discussion. The activity incorporated the brand’s humorous, attention-seeking style and value-oriented language.
Outcome. The event generated user photography, short-video discussion and social-media visibility.
Source
2023Snow King animation promotion
China
The company promoted its Snow King animated property through social content and character-based storytelling, extending the mascot beyond store advertising.
Outcome. The initiative supported the transformation of Snow King from a logo into a broader entertainment and brand-IP asset.
Source
2023Overseas Snow King localization
Southeast Asia · Australia · South Korea
Mixue carried Snow King’s singing, dancing and humorous short-video format into overseas markets while retaining the core value proposition and visual identity.
Outcome. Snow King became a shareable meme-like character in several overseas markets and helped make the Chinese-origin brand more approachable.
Source
2022Cross-platform Snow King social content
China
Mixue operated brand and Snow King accounts across platforms including Douyin, Bilibili, Weibo, Xiaohongshu and Kuaishou. Content emphasized humor, short stories, costumes, dance and interaction rather than conventional product advertising alone.
Outcome. The campaign created a continuing user-participation loop and gave Snow King a recognizable informal personality.
Source
2021Mixue theme song viral campaign
China · Online international audiences
The brand released a simple Snow King-themed song built around a repetitive expression of affection for Mixue. Official distribution combined with user-made remixes, dialect versions, parody videos and in-store playback.
Outcome. The song and mascot achieved broad cultural visibility, substantially strengthening unaided brand recognition and online discussion.
Source
2018Snow King brand identity launch
China
Mixue introduced a refreshed visual identity centered on Snow King. The character appeared across shopfronts, menus, promotional materials and later merchandise, creating a consistent physical and digital symbol.
Outcome. Snow King became the brand’s principal recognition device and a platform for later social-media and collaboration campaigns.
Source

Brand decisions

2025
List in Hong Kong and invest in supply-chain capacityStrategy
Background
The company sought capital to strengthen production, warehousing, cold-chain logistics and international operations after repeated earlier listing attempts.
Action taken
Mixue completed its Hong Kong IPO and stated that a significant portion of proceeds would support supply-chain and overseas infrastructure.
Aftermath
The listing gave Mixue a public-market funding platform and increased scrutiny of franchise governance, food safety and sustainable expansion.
IPO gross proceeds. Approximately HK$3.455 billion (3 March 2025 IPO)
Source
2020
Accept institutional investment to support expansionStrategy
Background
After years of largely internally driven growth, Mixue opened an external financing round.
Action taken
Institutional investors including Hillhouse, Meituan Long-Z and CPE-related capital invested in the company.
Aftermath
The financing preceded later capital-market preparations and provided external validation of the franchise and supply-chain model.
Hillhouse investment. RMB 933 million (2020 financing round)
Source
2018
Adopt Snow King as the core brand symbolStrategy
Background
Mixue needed a distinctive identity that could work consistently across a rapidly expanding franchise network and digital channels.
Action taken
The company refreshed its visual system and placed Snow King at the center of stores, packaging, content and merchandise.
Aftermath
Snow King became a major recognition and engagement asset, supporting later campaigns and overseas communication.
Source

Sources14 sources

Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/蜜雪冰城茶饮 · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled