(Yicai) May 8 -- Xiangpiaopiao Food’s shares got a boost after sales of the Chinese milk tea company’s latest product surged. Wording on the product’s paper cup sleeve appears to criticize Japan’s controversial release of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Daily sales of the Meco-branded fruit juice tea through Xiangpiaopiao’s livestream studio on Douyin soared nearly 400 times to CNY1 million (USD138,515) on May 4 and 5 after the cup sleeves appeared, with about 5.7 million viewers, according to data analysis platform Feigua. The drink has sold by the thousands.

Although the Huzhou-based beverage maker has not officially confirmed whether it was responsible for the cup sleeves, its flagship store on Taobao also promotes the product using similar wording.

The firm’s shares [SHA: 603711] soared by their 10 percent daily trading limit on May 6 and by as much as that at one point yesterday, before closing 1.2 percent higher. They fell 2.7 percent today to end at CNY18.90 (USD2.62) each. The stock is up almost 14 percent since the end of last year.

The Japanese government authorised the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima plant into the Pacific Ocean last August, despite strong international doubts and opposition. The plant was seriously damaged by a massive earthquake that struck Japan in 2011.

Founded in 2005, Xiangpiaopiao sells paper-cup milk tea products under its Xiangpiaopiao, Meco, and Lan Fong Yuen brands. Its net profit jumped 31 percent to CNY280 million (USD38.8 million) last year on a 16 percent gain in operating revenue to CNY3.6 billion (USD498.7 million).

Editor: Futura Costaglione