Macao Imperial Tea

Macao Imperial Tea is a milk-tea and specialty beverage chain that originated in Macau and developed an international presence through franchising. Its menu combines Taiwanese-style tea drinks, Japanese matcha, milk tea, fruit beverages, sodas, and coffee. A recurring feature of the brand’s drinks is the use of cream-cheese toppings, while other menu families have included chestnut cream and fruit-based beverages. The brand’s Philippine expansion was driven by Filipino entrepreneur Avin Ong, who encountered Macao Imperial Tea while traveling in Macau in 2014. Ong obtained the master franchise rights for the Philippines and opened the first Philippine location in Banawe, Quezon City, in mid-2017. Under Philippine management, the concept was adapted from a primarily grab-and-go stall format into a café-style store model. The revised format provided seating and electrical outlets, making stores suitable for customers who wanted to stay longer rather than simply collect a drink. Macao Imperial Tea’s Philippine business is managed by the Fredley Group of Companies, led by Avin Ong. The company has expanded mainly through franchising and has operated stores in several Asian and Western markets. By 2020, the wider chain was reported to have more than 350 branches globally, with locations including Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Canada, and the United States. In August 2022, the Philippine network reached its 235th store with an opening in Boracay. By 2025, the chain was reported to have more than 500 branches worldwide. Product development has been an important part of the brand’s growth. The menu includes milk tea, fruit tea, sparkling or soda-style drinks, coffee, and specialty series built around cream cheese and chestnut cream. In June 2020, Macao Imperial Tea introduced a fruit-drink series. Later that year, it launched the Partea Gallon, an eight-liter milk-tea format designed for sharing. In April 2021, the brand introduced Cheesecake Halo-Halo, a beverage inspired by the Filipino dessert halo-halo and containing 14 ingredients. The brand has also used distinctive packaging and cross-brand collaborations to generate attention. Its For You and For Me tumbler formats became recognizable packaging concepts. In May 2023, Macao Imperial Tea collaborated with Twinings on six tea-infused drinks. In March 2025, it partnered with Heinz for the ReMix campaign, presenting drinks in Heinz ketchup-bottle packaging and using ingredients associated with the condiment brand, including tomato, mayonnaise, and apple cider vinegar. During the COVID-19 pandemic, selected Philippine branches reopened in April 2020 under safety procedures that included temperature checks and contactless delivery. The Philippine operation has also included employment initiatives for persons with disabilities. In 2019, a branch at SM City Pampanga hired deaf and mute employees as part of an effort to create employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Overall, Macao Imperial Tea is positioned as an accessible, innovation-oriented tea café brand whose identity combines Macau origins, Asian tea influences, highly visual specialty drinks, and localized franchise execution.

Macao Imperial Tea originated in Macau as a tea-shop concept serving milk tea and related specialty beverages. The brand’s early identity was associated with Asian tea styles, including Taiwanese tea and Japanese matcha, as well as milk-tea drinks finished with cream-cheese toppings. Its international development subsequently relied on franchise arrangements rather than a single centrally operated store network. Filipino entrepreneur Avin Ong encountered the brand during a trip to Macau in 2014. He later secured the master franchise rights for the Philippines. The first Philippine branch opened in Banawe, Quezon City, in mid-2017. The Philippine team modified the format used in other markets: instead of relying mainly on compact grab-and-go stalls, it adopted a café-style layout with seating and electrical outlets. This change enabled the stores to function as places where customers could spend more time while consuming their drinks. Expansion continued through franchising in the Philippines and abroad. By 2020, the chain was reported to have more than 350 locations worldwide, including stores in Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Canada, and the United States. The Philippine business is managed by the Fredley Group of Companies, led by Ong. In August 2022, the Philippine network reached 235 stores with an outlet in Boracay. By 2025, reported global branch count had exceeded 500. The brand’s product history shows a strategy of extending the core milk-tea proposition into seasonal, dessert-inspired, fruit-based, and shareable formats. Its menu has included milk tea, fruit tea, sodas, coffee, matcha drinks, cream-cheese beverages, and chestnut-cream beverages. The For You and For Me tumbler packaging gave the brand a recognizable retail presentation. A fruit drink series launched in June 2020, followed by the eight-liter Partea Gallon in December of the same year. In April 2021, Cheesecake Halo-Halo adapted the Filipino halo-halo dessert into a beverage containing 14 ingredients. The Philippine operation faced the COVID-19 environment by reopening selected branches in April 2020 with measures such as temperature checks and contactless delivery. The business has also been associated with inclusion-oriented hiring. In 2019, a store at SM City Pampanga hired deaf and mute employees as part of an effort to provide employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. Collaborative marketing has been another feature of the chain’s development. In May 2023, Macao Imperial Tea and Twinings released six tea-infused drinks. In March 2025, the brand worked with Heinz on ReMix, a deliberately unconventional campaign involving Heinz ketchup-bottle presentation and flavors incorporating tomato, mayonnaise, and apple cider vinegar. These initiatives illustrate the brand’s use of limited or novelty products to broaden its appeal beyond conventional milk tea while retaining a tea-café identity.

1. 2025Reported global network exceeds 500 branches

   By 2025, the chain was reported to have more than 500 branches worldwide.

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2. 2023Twinings collaboration

   Macao Imperial Tea and Twinings released six tea-infused drinks.

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3. 2022235th Philippine store opens in Boracay

   The Philippine network reached its 235th location with a Boracay branch in August.

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4. 2021Cheesecake Halo-Halo launches

   A 14-ingredient beverage inspired by halo-halo was introduced in April.

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5. 2020Global network surpasses 350 branches

   The chain was reported to operate more than 350 locations globally, including stores in several Asian and Western markets.

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6. 2020Fruit series and Partea Gallon launch

   The brand added a fruit-drink series in June and introduced the eight-liter Partea Gallon in December.

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7. 2019Disability-employment initiative at SM City Pampanga

   A Philippine branch hired deaf and mute employees as part of an employment initiative for persons with disabilities.

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8. 2017First Philippine branch opens

   The first Philippine location opened in Banawe, Quezon City, in mid-2017.

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9. 2014Avin Ong discovers the brand in Macau

   Filipino entrepreneur Avin Ong encountered Macao Imperial Tea while traveling in Macau and later pursued the Philippine master franchise rights.

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A Macau-origin tea café and milk-tea chain positioned around Asian tea influences, indulgent toppings, visually distinctive packaging, frequent product innovation, and franchise-led international expansion.

• Milk teaTea beverage

  Milk tea is the core beverage category associated with Macao Imperial Tea. The range is built around brewed tea combined with milk or other creamy components and is offered in both conventional and specialty formats. The brand has extended this base with toppings, dessert-inspired flavors, large sharing formats, and limited collaborations.

• Cream Cheese seriesSpecialty tea beverage

  The Cream Cheese series is one of the brand’s signature menu families. These drinks combine tea or milk-tea bases with a rich cream-cheese topping, creating a layered beverage positioned between a conventional tea drink and a dessert-style item.

• Chestnut Cream seriesSpecialty tea beverage

  The Chestnut Cream series extends the brand’s dessert-oriented approach through chestnut-flavored cream components. It forms part of Macao Imperial Tea’s broader effort to differentiate its beverages through indulgent toppings and flavor combinations beyond standard milk tea.

• Fruit drink seriesFruit beverage2020

  Introduced in June 2020, the fruit drink series broadened the chain’s menu beyond milk tea and tea-based creamy drinks. The line emphasized fruit-forward flavors and gave the brand a lighter alternative within its specialty beverage portfolio.

• Partea GallonLarge-format milk tea2020

  The Partea Gallon, released in December 2020, was an eight-liter milk-tea format designed for sharing. Its unusually large volume made it a novelty and group-consumption product rather than a standard individual serving.

• Cheesecake Halo-HaloDessert-inspired beverage2021

  Cheesecake Halo-Halo was introduced in April 2021 as a beverage interpretation of the Filipino halo-halo dessert. The drink incorporated 14 ingredients and used cheesecake-inspired elements to connect a familiar local dessert with the brand’s specialty tea format.

• For You and For Me tumblersBranded packaging

  The For You and For Me formats are distinctive tumbler-based packaging concepts associated with the brand. They support gifting or paired consumption and make the product presentation more recognizable in stores and social-media imagery.

• 2025ReMix with Heinz

  Philippines

  In March 2025, Macao Imperial Tea and Heinz created ReMix, a novelty beverage collaboration presented in Heinz ketchup-bottle packaging. The drinks incorporated ingredients linked to Heinz products and included Sparkling Mango Tomato, Mayo Mousse, and Peach Raspberry.

  Outcome. The campaign positioned the brand around experimentation and unusual cross-category flavor combinations.

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• 2023Macao Imperial Tea x Twinings

  Philippines

  Macao Imperial Tea partnered with Twinings in May 2023 to create and release six tea-infused drinks, combining the café chain’s beverage platform with Twinings’ tea identity.

  Outcome. The collaboration expanded the brand’s premium tea association and added a limited collaborative range.

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• 2021Launch of Cheesecake Halo-HaloProduct launch

  The brand used Filipino dessert references to localize its specialty beverage range.

  What changed. It launched a cheesecake-inspired halo-halo beverage containing 14 ingredients in April 2021.

  Aftermath. The launch connected the brand’s dessert-style drinks with a familiar Filipino flavor concept.

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• 2020Pandemic reopening and contactless serviceStrategy

  The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted food-service operations in the Philippines.

  What changed. Selected branches reopened in April 2020 with measures including temperature checks and contactless delivery.

  Aftermath. The measures enabled selected stores to resume service under pandemic safety protocols.

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• 2020Launch of the Partea GallonProduct launch

  The chain sought to extend its milk-tea offering into shareable and novelty formats.

  What changed. Macao Imperial Tea introduced an eight-liter milk-tea container in December 2020.

  Aftermath. The product added a large-format option to the brand’s menu and reinforced its group-consumption positioning.

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• 2017Philippine master-franchise expansionStrategy

  After encountering the brand in Macau, Avin Ong secured the master franchise rights for the Philippines.

  What changed. The Philippine operation opened its first branch in Banawe, Quezon City, and began expanding through franchising.

  Aftermath. The Philippine network became a major part of the brand’s international footprint and reached 235 stores by August 2022.

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• 2017Shift from grab-and-go stalls to café-style stores in the PhilippinesStrategy

  The format used in other markets was described as a grab-and-go stall concept.

  What changed. Philippine management adapted the concept by adding seating and electrical outlets.

  Aftermath. The revised format supported a more extended café visit and became part of the Philippine operating model.

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• 2025Macao Imperial Tea and Heinz launch ReMix

  The ReMix collaboration used Heinz-themed ketchup-bottle packaging and experimental ingredients such as tomato, mayonnaise, and apple cider vinegar.

  CampaignProduct launch
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• 2023Macao Imperial Tea collaborates with Twinings

  The two brands released six tea-infused drinks in a collaboration announced in May 2023.

  CampaignProduct launch
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• 2022Macao Imperial Tea opens its 235th Philippine store in Boracay

  The Philippine operation marked the opening of its 235th store in August 2022 with a location in Boracay.

  Other
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• 2021Cheesecake Halo-Halo joins the beverage menu

  Macao Imperial Tea introduced a halo-halo-inspired drink containing 14 ingredients and a cheesecake element in April 2021.

  Product launch
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• 2020Macao Imperial Tea launches fruit-drink series

  The chain expanded its beverage range with a fruit-focused drink series in June 2020.

  Product launch
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• 2020Macao Imperial Tea introduces the Partea Gallon

  The brand released an eight-liter milk-tea format intended for group consumption in December 2020.

  Product launch
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1. Macao Imperial Tea