China's tea drink maker Mixue Group starts trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on March 3, 2025. Photo: VCG

A store of Chinese bubble tea chain Mixue Ice Cream & Tea in Yichang, Central China's Hubei Province, was exposed for "food safety issues" by a local TV station. However, despite the exposure, some netizens defended Mixue, which is known for its affordability and popularity among young consumers.
 
On Friday night, the eve of the World Consumer Rights Day on March 15, Hubei Economic Television Station said in its "3.15 special report" that the Mixue store in Yichang did not follow regulations and used overnight lemon and orange slices to prepare its signature drinks. The report also showed unhygienic conditions inside the store, according to Chinanews.com and other media outlets.

Video footage published by Hubei Economic Television Station also showed flies inside the store and insects on cup lids. An employee at the store reportedly described using leftover fruit as "normal operation," raising further concerns about hygiene standards.  

The Hubei Economic Television Station also found that workers transferred partially used lemon and orange slices into a stainless-steel container and stored it at room temperature in a back-area corner. Employees reportedly chose a spot beyond the surveillance camera's reach to avoid detection, according to the report.

Store manager Mr. Zou said the exposed actions are in violation of company policy. He told Hubei Economic Television Station that the alleged misconduct was carried out by store staff without authorization, insisting that employees are instructed to discard leftover ingredients rather than reuse them. When questioned about oversight, Zou said he "cannot monitor operations 24/7" and promised stricter supervision.

Following the report, the store was put under investigation. Local market regulators vowed to conduct inspections on similar establishments throughout the region to prevent any repeat of such violations.

"I used to think it was fine because it was so cheap, but now I'm scared to drink it after seeing expired ingredients. This is just what has been exposed. What about other issues?" a college student who used to be a big fan of Mixue surnamed Tan was quoted by domestic news outlet Yangcheng Evening News as saying on Monday.

However, instead of widespread backlash against Mixue, some netizens expressed support for Mixue, according to news portal 36Kr on Monday.  

Instead of facing a public relations crisis, the brand, known for its affordable prices, saw a social media trend of "Defending the Snow King." Tens of thousands of netizens spontaneously defended the brand, saying things like, "For 5 yuan ($0.69), what more can you expect? At least they use real lemon slices!" according to the report on 36Kr.

Affordability remains Mixue's biggest draw. With its signature drinks priced between 2 to 8 yuan, the budget-friendly drinks giant has attracted a massive customer base across China, especially among students and other young consumers. 

Some netizens argued that the exposure, while noteworthy, did not warrant harsh criticism. "After all, we also keep leftover lemons in the fridge overnight when making lemon water at home," one netizen was quoted as saying in a report on Sina News.

Founded in 1997 as a small ice shop in Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan Province, Mixue has grown into a franchise giant with over 46,000 stores globally and reported an annual profit of 20 billion yuan. On March 3, 2025, Mixue was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. On Monday, its share prices rose 2.22 percent.  

Global Times