As China's largest tea category, green tea maintains consumer vitality with its outstanding functional advantages. Research from the Tea Home platform shows that due to its unfermented nature, green tea retains rich catechins and other tea polyphenol components, and its antioxidant capacity is particularly prominent among the six major tea categories, which can effectively scavenge free radicals and help delay aging. On-site data from the Shanghai Tea Expo shows that in the first half of 2025, the sales volume of green tea gift boxes featuring the "antioxidant and skin-care" concept increased by 28% year-on-year, and the proportion of young female consumers rose to 35%.

Experts point out that the key to the youthful transformation of green tea lies in scenario innovation. A researcher from the Chinese Academy of Tea Sciences stated that in 2024, green tea output accounted for 62% of the country's total tea output, but the traditional brewing method restricts its acceptance among young consumer groups. Nowadays, brands such as Heytea have launched Longjing Milk Green and Biluochun Sparkling Tea, integrating green tea into modern consumption scenarios. Last year, these related products drove a 15% increase in the procurement volume of green tea raw materials. Data confirms that traditional tea categories can still maintain core competitiveness in the trillion-yuan market through category innovation.

3. Has the White Tea Collection Boom Cooled Down? Expert: Quality is the Core Value

White tea, once popular for the concept of "one-year tea, three-year medicine, seven-year treasure", showed a trend of rational return in the market in 2025. Data from an e-commerce platform shows that in the first half of this year, the sales volume of white tea aged less than three years decreased by 12% year-on-year, while the price of high-quality white tea aged more than ten years still maintained an average annual increase of 8%. This differentiation is interpreted by the industry as healthy development after "de-bubbling".

The core value of white tea stems from its unique effects. Research shows that white tea is rich in flavonoids, which have significant effects of reducing internal heat, clearing heat, and protecting the cardiovascular system. Moreover, the longer the aging time, the more fully the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory components are transformed. Experts from the National Tea Quality Supervision and Inspection Center remind that when collecting white tea, attention should be paid to core indicators: high-quality white tea with a flavonoid content of not less than 12% and a moisture content controlled within 8% is eligible for long-term aging value. As the main producing area, Fuding, Fujian, produced 68,000 tons of standardized processed white tea in 2024, of which only 15% met the collection standards, and its scarcity still supports the high-end market.

4. Oolong Tea Leverages New Tea Beverages: Its Strong Aroma Advantage Becomes the Key to Breaking Through

Semi-fermented oolong tea is making a name for itself in the new tea beverage track with its unique aroma. According to supply chain data from Guming Tea, the procurement volume of oolong tea raw materials increased by 42% year-on-year in 2024. Among them, Tieguanyin and Fenghuang Dancong have become popular choices for "tea base innovation" due to their rich aroma levels. The Dancong Lemon Tea launched by Bawangchaji ranked among the top 3 in sales within three months of its launch, driving a 30% increase in terminal consumption of Dancong tea.

The functional advantages of oolong tea also meet modern health needs. Research shows that it contains more than 450 organic chemical components and has a significant effect on promoting fat decomposition. Foreign tests have further found that oolong tea can increase the human metabolic rate by 9 calories per hour, far exceeding the 4 calories per hour of green tea. Experts from the China Tea Marketing Association analyze that oolong tea needs to focus on two directions: first, stabilize the aroma quality through standardized processing to meet the needs of tea beverage enterprises; second, explore the dual selling points of "strong aroma + fat reduction" and develop special products for fitness groups. The scale of this niche market has exceeded 5 billion yuan.