Heytea Opens First US Gelato Lab+ in NY

The Union Square space is Heytea’s fourth lab-format store outside China, following locations in New York’s Times Square, Toronto and Bangkok. Such sites reflect a product-development approach that heytea has refined over the years that involves translating its signature tea bases and drinks into other forms—this time, as gelato and sorbet.

Building on the idea of a store space as laboratory, the Gelato+ interior features an “unfinished” look, with exposed brick, structures and select mechanical systems. “The result is an open space where old and new, structure and creativity, and process and outcome find a shared rhythm,” the company said in its news release on the space.

“New York has always rewarded curiosity, and it continues to be where we try new ideas,” said Jelynn Jiang, Heytea’s Senior Brand Manager for International Markets. “We hope the Gelato Lab+ becomes the kind of neighborhood spot people return to for a favorite, while still checking the menu to see what we’re releasing next.”

Overall, Heytea is a huge enterprise, with more than 3500 stores across more than 330 cities worldwide, including Shanghai, Hong Kong, London, Toronto, Sydney, and Seoul. Its U.S. presence consists of 45-plus stores across New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Seattle, Boston and elsewhere.