CHAGEE is stepping beyond beverages into cultural publishing with the launch of a limited-edition magazine, Roots of Tea, unveiled in conjunction with International Tea Day.
Positioned as more than a brand brochure, the publication frames tea as a cultural artefact shaped by centuries of trade, tradition and shifting lifestyles. Released on 21 May, it traces tea’s journey from the Ancient Tea Horse Road to modern-day rituals across Asia and beyond, blending heritage storytelling with contemporary consumption.
Simeng Li, director of branding and marketing at CHAGEE APAC, said the magazine was designed to bring people closer to tea in a more meaningful way.
“More than a brand publication, it is an invitation to see tea not just as a drink, but as something woven into land, culture, livelihood, and everyday life across different parts of the world,” she said.
She added that the intent was to deepen appreciation for the origins and people behind every cup. “Every cup of tea carries thousands of years of heritage and the journeys of countless people across mountains, trade routes, and generations. We wanted readers to walk away with a deeper appreciation of where tea comes from, and what it means to the people who grow, craft, and share it.”
Don’t miss: Content360: How CHAGEE replaces traditional media with content ecosystems
For CHAGEE, the idea emerged organically from its broader brand philosophy. As the brand expands beyond China, Li said there is a growing responsibility to carry tea culture with it.
“Tea has travelled across mountains and borders for thousands of years, connecting people and cultures along the way, and we see ourselves as part of that continuing story,” she said. “We wanted to tell it properly, to trace how tea travels from ancient forests and trade routes all the way into the cup you hold in your hand. International Tea Day felt like the right moment to do that.”
Rather than adopting a product-led approach, Roots of Tea is structured as a curated editorial experience, moving through tea-growing regions across Asia, from the ancient forests of Jingmai and the Tea Horse Road to landscapes in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea and China.
It also breaks down the six major tea types and explores how tea culture manifests differently across markets, from Malaysia’s teh tarik to British afternoon tea and China’s Pu’er traditions.
A more reflective section, titled ‘Harmony’, features conversations with artists and creatives on how tea informs their practice and daily lives, while another highlights the story behind CHAGEE’s BO-YA Jasmine Green Milk Tea and its traditional scenting process.
The magazine was released on 21 May via the CHAGEE app, redeemable using 1,000 Tea Leaves points, with a digital version also available through the platform. Physical copies are being distributed across selected experiential touchpoints including CHAGEE Orchardgateway, VivoCity, Pagoda House, and the Asian Civilisations Museum, where it anchors part of the brand’s wider International Tea Day activation.
Beyond Singapore, copies are also available at partner bookstores across Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea and China, while select editions were showcased at the LA Art Book Fair, signalling the brand’s ambition to position tea within global cultural and creative spaces.
The launch is supported by a multi-layered campaign that extends the magazine into a wider ecosystem of engagement, including merchandise bundles, digital quizzes and experiential workshops.
CHAGEE also introduced limited-edition bundles such as the Tea Icons Keychain Bundle and Tea Roots Mini Tumbler Bundle, pairing beverages with collectible items as part of its push into lifestyle-led consumption.
A daily quiz running from 15 to 21 May on the CHAGEE app allowed users to unlock vouchers by answering tea-related cultural questions, adding a gamified layer to the campaign.
At the experiential level, CHA masters hosted immersive workshops at the Asian Civilisations Museum pop-up store, where participants took part in guided tastings and blending sessions, creating personalised tea sachets to take home alongside exclusive merchandise. Entry was redeemable via 5,000 Tea Leaves points, with limited slots across multiple sessions from 21 to 23 May.
CHAGEE’s magazine launch and experiential activations form part of a broader shift towards participatory brand building, where consumers are invited to move between content, culture and creation. From editorial storytelling through Roots of tea to hands-on workshops and product co-creation, the brand is increasingly treating tea culture as something to be read, experienced and shaped with its community rather than simply consumed.
This approach is also reflected in its “First harvest matcha series” rollout in Malaysia, where consumers were invited to influence product development through social media feedback and in-store QR code voting, ultimately shaping the relaunch of “Matcha 2.0” with a more intense flavour profile tailored to local preferences.
Related articles:
Digital-native CHAGEE bets on localisation to crack the Philippines’ experience economy
Ex-foodpanda MY marketing director joins CHAGEE to lead user ops
CHAGEE’s Indonesia playbook: scaling tea culture across Jakarta and Bali
