A value shock in American beverages
A new contender has arrived in the U.S. beverage scene, wielding an old-school advantage: rock-bottom prices. Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, a Chinese drinks-and-ice-cream giant, has launched its first American outlets—one in Los Angeles on December 19, 2025, followed by New York locations in Hell’s Kitchen and Koreatown on December 24–25. Its menu is priced under 1.19, fresh lemonade for 4.99. That value proposition lands far below typical U.S. coffee and dessert prices—such as a grande latte at Starbucks nearing 6—and has quickly grabbed attention in high-cost cities.
From a Zhengzhou stall to a global powerhouse
The brand’s journey began in 1997 in Zhengzhou, China, as a humble shaved‑ice stall. A turning point came in 2005 with a 1‑yuan soft‑serve cone that became a national hit. By 2023, Mixue had sold roughly 442 million cones in China alone. From its first overseas store in Vietnam (2018), the chain has grown to over 47,000 locations worldwide—more than McDonald’s and Starbucks by store count—before setting foot in the United States.
Winning tactics for the U.S. market
To drive buzz, the New York openings featured buy‑one‑get‑one‑free promotions for customers who sang the brand’s theme song or posted on TikTok/Instagram. The U.S. menu also adapts to local palates: while international guests typically order around 30% sweetness, American stores offer eight sweetness levels, including a playful 200% option. Analysts see potential disruption if the chain scales rapidly; Neil Saunders of GlobalData notes that “low prices, a fun concept, and social‑media‑fueled interest” are working in its favor, even as the U.S. market remains “ultra‑competitive.”
