Thailand’s leading tea chain, ChaTraMue is celebrating its 80th anniversary with an ambitious strategy to establish itself as a global brand, with plans to expand into 4 new countries this year, amidst domestic market challenges.
The company, which claims 70% market share in Thailand’s tea sector, announced its plan for market expansion, product innovation, and brand collaboration to strengthen its international footprint.
Managing Director Praonarin Ruangritthidech said that the firm currently exports to 21 countries and operates 114 international branches across 11 markets, including the US, Singapore, South Korea, China, and several Southeast Asian nations.
The company aims to add Canada, Laos, Mexico and Indonesia to its international portfolio this year, targeting 130 overseas outlets by year-end. This expansion plan comes as ChaTraMue grapples with domestic challenges due to dwindling tourist arrivals. Nevertheless, despite poor domestic sales, ChaTraMue is optimistic of achieving 20% growth this year.
For overseas expansion, ChaTraMue relies mainly on franchising partnerships whereas its domestic stores are mainly company-owned.
In terms of new product development, ChaTraMue is launching what it calls ‘colourless Thai tea’ in July, ‘natural-coloured Thai tea’ in the upcoming 3rd quarter, and a sparkling Thai tea kombucha targeting health-conscious consumers. The company is known for being one of the pioneers in developing Thailand’s signature iced milk tea, adapted for the country’s hot tropical climate.
ChaTraMue has built a vertically integrated operation spanning tea cultivation in northern Thailand, its own production facility in Chiang Rai’s Wiang Pa Pao district, and retail distribution through 220 domestic outlets—which it plans to expand to 250 by year-end.
The company offers 50 different products across modern trade, traditional retail, e-commerce, and its branded shops.
