In the fiercely competitive beverage market, gaining an edge goes beyond flavor; it involves creating emotional connections and a collection culture that transforms buyers into genuine brand loyalists, not just customers.
“Chongdee,” a Thai tea brand that started as a family business, demonstrated this success with revenue soaring past 100 million baht in 2025, achieving 200% growth compared to the previous year. This was driven by branch expansion and increased sales per branch, reaching 15 branches as targeted in 2025.
Sureeporn Poonsakpaisan, co-founder of Chongdee Tea House, explained that the key turning point making “Chongdee” viral across social media was the timely use of Mascot Marketing. It started with a Limited Edition “Patongko Pillow” giveaway on the One Bangkok branch opening day, 14 February. The clever gimmick, featuring paired pillows joined together or single ones available separately, not only brought smiles but also caused long queues from the mall's opening moment.
The character’s appeal to Thai tastes clearly boosted business figures. During promotions with Patongko dolls or keychains, sales per branch doubled—100% higher than normal days. Even after the campaign ended, new sales levels remained 30-50% above pre-promotion, confirming the strategy not only spurred short-term sales but also acted as Customer Acquisition, attracting new customers to try the brand’s flavors.
While the Mascot opened the door to customers’ hearts, the “heart” that drives repeat purchases is product quality. Chongdee positioned itself as a brand emphasizing "authentic Thai tea without artificial coloring or flavoring," certified free of Sunset Yellow dye. Among the first brands to raise safety and natural taste standards in the mass-premium market, its signature menu item, “Chongdee Tea,” accounts for over 50% of total sales.
Additionally, the average bill size of 200-300 baht—higher than typical beverage shops—results from a well-balanced product portfolio including drinks, snacks, and bottled take-home items.
With a robust central kitchen ensuring consistent flavor control, Chongdee began expanding internationally, opening its first branch at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The brand received a strong response within two weeks due to similar consumer habits and the recognition of Thai beverages as regional soft power. In 2026, Chongdee plans to open over 10 additional branches across major Thai cities and ASEAN markets.
Chongdee’s success today is reflected not only in soaring revenue but also in significant growth in its customer base. Just six months ago, it had 1.4 million buyers; now, this has grown to 1.8 million due to precise marketing strategies and continuous creation of new experiences.
Even more notable than customer quantity is the improved frequency of repeat visits—a major challenge in the beverage business. Previously, average customer visits were only once per year, but Chongdee has broken this barrier, increasing repeat purchases to more than once annually, demonstrating strong membership systems and customer brand loyalty.
Looking back, Chongdee has come a long way from initial daily sales of just 600 cups to today’s record-breaking over 150,000 cups daily. This underscores that beyond flavor—the brand’s core—effective business management and strategic location choices are vital ingredients.
Especially the Central Ladprao branch, which remains the highest-selling location ever, benefiting from massive foot traffic and its status as the "first branch," building lasting customer loyalty alongside the brand’s growth from day one.
Finally, a new challenge to watch is the launch of “Chandee,” a premium soy milk brand spun off as an independent label. Originating from customer insight favoring Chongdee’s rich homemade soy milk, this brand extension is a horizontal growth strategy to meet diverse consumer needs while retaining a modern Thai identity. Starting at 75 baht, the first branch is located on the ground floor of Central Ladprao, selling over 500 cups daily, with plans to expand to 5-10 branches this year.