Molly Tea: Pioneering Floral Tea Standards via Supply Chain Revolution.

1. 1,400 Stores and the Secret Strength of a Powerful Supply Chain

Many people in the industry talk about the growth of 10,000 stores. Molly Tea has already proven that floral tea can be a huge success, with 1,400 locations and counting. But behind this success is a revolution in its supply chain.

Most tea brands rely on others for their supplies. Molly Tea, however, built its own system from the start. Today, it has 17 smart warehouses across China. This allows for next-day delivery, meaning stores get their fresh ingredients within 24 hours of ordering.

This “heavy-asset” model solves the biggest challenge for floral tea: freshness—for example, the gardenia flower, a key ingredient, only blooms from May to July. Molly Tea works directly with over 200 farms and uses special flash-freezing and cold-chain shipping to provide gardenia flowers all year long. The company also developed its own digital system to monitor the complex, traditional “seven-step scenting process,” making sure every batch of tea is perfect.

2. The “Molly Brain”: A Digital Hub for 17 Warehouses

Inside Molly Tea’s supply chain center is a giant screen showing real-time data from all stores. It tracks sales, inventory levels, and logistics. This digital system, which cost over 30 million RMB to build, allows the company to trace every product from the farm to the customer.

Here is how this “smart supply chain” works. If the system detects that a certain store is suddenly selling a lot of "Longjing Jasmine" tea, it will automatically:

1. Adjust the supply plan for nearby warehouses.

2. Send a "Buy One, Get One Free" promotion to that store's app.

3. Notify the R&D team to consider making it a permanent menu item.

This smart system is not just efficient; it’s a huge business advantage. When Molly Tea expanded to New York in 2024, it used this experience to set up a local system. This kept its ingredient waste below 3%, much lower than the industry average of 8%. The New York store made over $3.1 million in its first month, proving that Molly Tea’s supply chain can compete globally.

3. More Than a Cup of Tea: An Experiment in Sustainability

Today, customers care more about eco-friendly products. Molly Tea has made sustainability a core part of its mission.

All of its packaging is now 100% biodegradable. The cup lids are made from sugarcane fiber, a recycled material for some drinks. For every one million of these lids used, the company saves two tons of plastic. Molly Tea also has an “Empty Cup Recycling Program.” Customers can return their used cups for points, and the company recycles the material into decorations for its stores. This creates a circular economy.

This green strategy also works as a smart business plan. A recent survey found that 68% of customers believe Molly Tea is "the most eco-friendly tea brand." This positive image has helped boost the sales of its premium teas. Today, drinks that cost over ¥25 make up 35% of all sales.

As the consulting firm CIC noted, “Molly Tea has redefined the value of floral tea. From the farm to the final customer, every step creates value for society.”