Mixue Bingcheng's First Hong Kong Store Closes as Budget Bubble Tea Chain Shuts Six Locations
HK01 · 3 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Mixue Bingcheng, the mainland China budget beverage chain known for its HK$9 ice fresh lemonade, has shuttered its first Hong Kong store at Mong Kok's Bank Centre, making it the sixth outlet closed this year. The store, spanning approximately 412 square feet with estimated monthly rent of HK$200,000, would have needed to sell over 22,000 cups of lemonade monthly just to cover accommodation costs alone, illustrating the challenges facing mainland Chinese brands entering Hong Kong's premium retail market.
Key Points
- The Bank Centre branch, Mixue's inaugural Hong Kong location, opened in December 2023 and was observed dismantled with signage removed
- The 412-square-foot ground-floor unit reportedly commanded monthly rent of approximately HK$200,000, meaning over 22,000 cups of HK$9 lemonade must be sold monthly to break even on rent alone
- Mixue entered Hong Kong aggressively, opening nine stores within its first year, including two Mong Kok outlets just 300 metres apart
- Six stores have closed in 2026, including locations in Mong Kok's Million Centre, Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Yuen Long, Sha Tin, and Tsuen Wan
- Hygiene scandals compounded difficulties: the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department found E. coli in products at the Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan branches last year, causing Mixue's stock price to drop 5 percent
Why It Matters
The closure of Mixue Bingcheng's flagship Hong Kong store underscores the broader trend of mainland Chinese retailers struggling with the city's exceptional retail rental and labour costs, as the high-volume, low-margin model that thrives on the mainland often proves unsustainable in Hong Kong's property market . The chain's difficulties illustrate how even enthusiastic initial reception, evidenced by queuing times exceeding 30 minutes at opening, cannot alone sustain a business when fundamental cost structures remain misaligned with local economic realities .
The closure of Mixue Bingcheng's flagship Hong Kong store underscores the broader trend of mainland Chinese retailers struggling with the city's exceptional retail rental and labour costs, as the high-volume, low-margin model that thrives on the mainland often proves unsustainable in Hong Kong's property market . The chain's difficulties illustrate how even enthusiastic initial reception, evidenced by queuing times exceeding 30 minutes at opening, cannot alone sustain a business when fundamental cost structures remain misaligned with local economic realities .