TORONTO, Feb. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the originator of New-Style Tea, heytea, officially opened its first Canadian heytea lab at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (TEC), marking a major milestone in its North American expansion following the debut of its overseas heytea lab in New York's Times Square in early 2025.

As the brand's most avant-garde retail concept, heytea lab serves as a creative hub for tea innovation, flavor exploration, and aesthetic presentation. The TEC opening introduces the "tea lab" series to Canada for the first time, featuring eight globally exclusive, limited-edition beverages crafted for international markets, anchored in the newly developed Rock Oolong tea base—naturally high in aroma and complexity—and reimagining tea through layered flavor design and textural contrast.

To celebrate the grand opening, heytea partnered with renowned Canadian chef Susur Lee to present a refined fusion of haute cuisine and tea culture. The co-created signature drinks, Rock Oolong Caviar and Rock Oolong Caviar Ice Cream, reinterpret contemporary Chinese tea through contrast and balance, pairing savory caviar with the floral depth of Rock Oolong to deliver a fine-dining-inspired sensory experience. The collaboration reflects heytea's vision of elevating tea in a broader culinary dialogue.

Designed as an immersive creative showcase, the store transforms the R&D process visually. Displays of raw tea leaves, botanical ingredients, and extraction equipment offer transparency into craftsmanship and invite guests to engage with the story behind every drink.

Since entering Canada with its first Vancouver store in 2023, heytea has expanded strategically across the Vancouver and Toronto metropolitan areas, with the TEC flagship signaling its entry as the first New-Style Tea brand into this premier Canadian shopping landmark. The brand now operates six stores nationwide, supported by a dedicated Toronto distribution center launched in December 2025 to ensure consistent quality and supply chain stability.

Through heytea lab, the brand continues to position tea as a cultural medium, building meaningful connections within Toronto's diverse community.

About heytea

Founded in 2012, heytea revolutionized traditional bubble tea by committing to natural ingredients and today operates around 4,000 stores across more than 330 cities worldwide, with over 100 locations in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and overseas markets, including more than 45 in North America. The brand has partnered with global fashion, entertainment, and cultural brands including FENDI, alexanderwang, WICKED, POP MART, and Yayoi Kusama.