(Yicai) Aug. 5 -- Chinese new-style tea brands, such as Chagee and Heytea, are leveraging the global stage offered by the Summer Olympic Games in Paris to enhance their brand images with the aid of athlete endorsements and pop-up stores.

By collaborating with major sporting events or sports stars, these brands can establish a connection with a healthy lifestyle, Zhu Danpeng, deputy director of the Guangdong Food Safety Promotion Association, told Yicai.

Chagee signed endorsement deals with six Chinese athletes participating in the Olympic Games, including tennis player Zheng Qinwen, who won the women’s singles gold medal yesterday, and swimmer Wang Shun, who claimed bronze in the 200-meter individual medley on Aug. 3.

Shanghai-based Chagee also inked an agreement with Liu Xiang, the Chinese runner who holds the Olympic record for the 110-meter hurdles. Liu is retired.

ChaPanda, headquartered in Chengdu, teamed up with two of China's women's basketball team members, Yang Liwei and Yang Shuyu.

New-style tea brands are also seizing the opportunities brought about by the Olympic Games to promote their overseas expansions. On July 22, Chagee opened a pop-up tea shop at the Saint-Lazare Station, one of the most crowded places in Paris during the Olympics.

It had nearly 2,000 consumers on the first day, more than half of whom were international tourists, a staffer said, predicting that it would serve tens of thousands during the 20-day opening period.

Heytea also opened a pop-up store in Paris at the beginning of last month. On its first day, the store sold over 1,000 cups and had sales of over EUR10,000 (USD10,930). It is located in the 11th arrondissement, on the right bank of the Seine River, one of Paris's most populated areas.

Editor: Futura Costaglione