Teakoo: The New Force in Chinese Tea – Disrupting the Teabag Market

Teakoo: A Modern Take on Chinese Tea Culture

Chinese tea culture has a long history, almost a thousand years. Tea is part of daily life for many from West Lake to Wuyi Mountain and from Longjing to Da Hong Pao. However, traditional ways of brewing tea with special tools and boiling water no longer fit the fast lifestyle of young people today.

Now, tea is changing.

Let me introduce you to Teakoo—a new tea brand that started in July 2020.

Brand Introduction

Since tea bags were invented in the early 20th century, hundreds of brands have joined the market. But Teakoo is different.

Founded by Zhao Haibai and backed by early investment from Alibaba co-founders, Teakoo raised millions in March 2021 from top investors like 5Y Capital and DST. It is the first DTC (direct-to-consumer) brand in China that DST has invested in.

Innovation & Technology

Teakoo uses a special brewing technology called “Super Extraction”. This method allows tea to brew quickly at any water temperature without losing flavor.

The brand works with tea experts from top universities in China, including professors from Zhejiang University and Anhui Agricultural University. It is also the only modern tea bag brand partnered with China’s National Key Laboratory of Tea Science.

The Founder’s Story

Zhao Haibai grew up loving Chinese culture—from classic novels to martial arts stories. After studying abroad, he returned to China with a dream:

• How can China share its culture with the world?
• How can Chinese brands inspire global audiences?

After working in investing, he decided to create something meaningful. He started Teakoo to share Chinese tea culture in a modern way.

Teakoo aims to become a global lifestyle brand offering health, beauty, and calm through tea.

The Products

Teakoo offers two types of tea:

1. Super Extraction Tea Bags
2. The most popular product is a gift set recommended by singer Mao Buyi. It sells over 50,000 boxes per month.
3. Wellness Tea

Market Response

Teakoo sells mainly online—on Tmall and through their WeChat mini-program.

Since launching in August 2020, it quickly became a top-selling tea brand on Tmall.

Customers love the taste and packaging. Some mention that the tea leaves don’t fully dissolve, which is normal for high-quality tea.