(Yicai) Feb. 8 -- Chinese fruit tea chain Heytea is going back to basics as customers pursue more healthy lifestyles and has recently opened its first Chinese-style teahouse in Shanghai, which focuses on the authentic flavor of tea leaves with an emphasis on fresh extraction.

Heytea, which is looking for new growth points amid stiff competition, opened its first Chinese-style teahouse in Guangzhou in November last year, and sales have been encouraging.

Consumer tastes have shifted in recent years to light and healthy natural tea drinks from sugar-laden milk teas and bubble teas. Over 80 percent of Generation Zers put nutrition and health first when choosing food and drink, according to an industry report.

It is difficult for tea chains to develop new products, so many have started to tap into China's rich tea traditions. Rival Chagee debuted a ‘tea bar’ in June last year, and Nayuki Holdings opened a natural leaf teahouse in Shenzhen in October last year that also makes modern teas.

Editor: Kim Taylor