China's creative tea boom sparks interest in ingredients

GUANGZHOU -- Purveyors of bubble teas, cheese foam-capped teas and other drinks taking China's younger generation by storm are now providing information about ingredients and calories as consumers pay more attention to what they drink.

"We're disclosing ingredients, nutrition facts and tracking information [for where ingredients are grown]," leading tea chain Heytea said on its website in late October. After which, notices that ingredient formulations were being disclosed began appearing on the company website and on electronic signboards at stores.