SINGAPORE – Chinese tea brand Chagee is targeting families with kids with its latest store in Pasir Ris, one of three stores launched on Aug 21.
Visitors to the store, located in Pasir Ris Mall beside the MRT Station, will be greeted with a miniature barista counter where young children can role-play as Chagee baristas.
Besides a children’s play area with a slide, the store features interactive games aimed at teenagers. A 6m mural of old Pasir Ris village, hand-painted by Rebecca Liu Xibei, celebrates the coastal town’s history, from its mangrove swamps to nostalgic landmarks such as its mosaic elephant playground.
Children under 12 enjoy milk on the house when families dine in. Most drinks on Chagee’s menu are rated Nutri-Grade A or B, making them healthier choices for families.
Speaking at the store opening, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah noted the important role the food and beverage industry plays in families’ social life.
“How can we have a whole-of-nation effort to be family-friendly? Given that families go out, they eat out, dine out and have activities outside, having a food and beverage outlet that is family-friendly makes a big difference to families with young children,” she said.
“Chagee has actually been very thoughtful and innovative in this, and I really hope that this will mark the start of more food and beverage outlets adopting a family-friendly approach,” added the minister, who chairs the Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup. The first set of measures to better support young families, stemming from the workgroup’s interim policy recommendations, will be announced at the upcoming National Day Rally on Aug 30.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah (centre) posing for a photo with (from left) Chagee APAC chief marketing officer Eugene Lee; Chagee Singapore CEO Lawrence Wen; ITE CEO Peter Lam; ITE College West Principal Alice Seow at the official launch of Chagee?s store at Pasir Ris Mall on Aug 21.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Chagee’s Pasir Ris store is the Yunnan-founded Chinese milk tea chain’s second family-friendly outlet in Singapore, after the one in Suntec City.
Two other stores also launched at Punggol Coast Mall and Paya Lebar Quarter on Aug 21, bringing Chagee’s total number of stores in Singapore to 46, which have opened in the span of two years.
At the launch event, Chagee also inked a memorandum of understanding with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) to develop a recognised tea beverage qualification and career pathway for young Singaporeans.
Under the partnership, Chagee Singapore will contribute to eight core competencies, ranging from tea barista skills to operations management, which will be incorporated into the barista service module of the Higher Nitec in Hospitality Operations course for Year 1 students.
The partnership will also create a structured career pathway, including job opportunities and priority progression at Chagee for students taking the course. The industry certification they receive can also be used across other areas of the hospitality industry, Chagee said.
Chagee Singapore CEO Lawrence Wen at Chagee’s Pasir Ris Mall store on Aug 21.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Chagee, which has over 200 employees in Singapore, plans to open more stores in the island’s heartland areas, said Wen.
The company looks out for bigger spaces that can incorporate seating areas, he added.
“The Singapore market is a high-density one, and we realised that in a high-density environment, customers prefer an environment where they can sit down,” he said.
“So we want to build stores that are comfortable for our customers.”
