From speed dial to tea trial: Phone-maker Xiaomi crowdfunding for new range of premium drinks
The new range of tea beverages, promoted via the Xiaomi Crowdfunding Platform, is targeted to be launched this month, August 2018.
The Pingze tea drinks have already smashed the funding target, which currently stands at around 386% of the amount required.
High quality tea drinks
The Pingze tea drink will be launched in four flavours: green tea, black tea, jasmine tea and oolong tea.
According to Xiaomi, the Pingze tea drinks use 100% real tea leaves without added flavours and artificial colours and preservatives. This is to preserve the natural taste of the teas, including in the production process.
Furthermore, to enhance flavour and aroma, an advanced low-temperature extraction technology obtains the nutrients from the natural tea — retaining more tea polyphenols, caffeine, amino acids and other contents.
This process also ensures that the original colour and fragrance are retained.
After this, the finished tea is heated at a high temperature of 137°C in a very short heating time — a process which also instantly sterilises the tea without damaging the product — then cooled again and bottled.
Before this, not long ago, Xiaomi had announced a range of five different types of Pingze tea on its crowdfunding platform.
Made of high-quality traditional Chinese leaf tea, the range included (Green) Longjing, (White) An Ji Bai Cha, Bai Hao Yin Zhen (Silver Needle, White), (Red) Jin Zhai Cui Mei and (Red) Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe) teas.
Other products
Under Xiaomi’s MioT and Crowdfunding Platform collaborations, the firm contributes to developing technologies and brands, including for food and beverage.
In the past three years, Xiaomi has provided assistance to more than 89 start-ups.
The Xiaomi Crowdfunding Platform is a starting point for up-and-coming companies that want to make a difference with innovative inventions.
“Since the platform has accumulated more than 2 million users in China alone, the ideas the young brands promote are turned into reality faster,” said the firm.
Aside from Pingze, other food and beverage brands in Xiaomi’s MioT Global Community include Shogoya Confectionery (nuts, dried fruits and snacks), Square Shop (nutritious ingredients and healthy food with natural tastes), Zhiwei Xuan (crispy sweets with a natural nut filling) and OneWine (Merlot) in collaboration with the South Australian Ben Riggs Company.
Meanwhile, the diverse range of non-food products includes clothing, beauty and personal care products, smart personal devices, smart home appliances, portable appliances, kids’ toys and sunglasses, to name a few.
According to Xiaomi, the Pingze tea drinks cost 55 yuan, about US$8 for 15 bottles (500ml).
At the time of publishing, Xiaomi has yet to respond to FoodNavigator-Asia's attempts to verify details and to obtain more information.
