Chongqing - As the temperature climbs, the city of Chongqing, enveloped in a water fog, sees a surge in popularity for stove iced tea, also known as Fairy Low Tea. Numerous tea houses, dining bars, and even camping bases have introduced this innovative cold beverage.
The Social Element of New Consumption
Stove iced tea, an offshoot of last winter's wildly popular stove-boiled tea from China, has garnered viral attention on social media. This latest slow-living lifestyle trend among young Chinese consumers involves gathering around a table with friends in a tea house or tearoom, setting up a charcoal stove and teapot at the center, and making one's favorite tea while roasting chestnuts, sweet potatoes, persimmons, and oranges on a barbed wire roasting pan.
The iced tea variant swaps the stove's fire for ice, hot tea for a cold drink, and roasted sweet potatoes and chestnuts for desserts and fruit bowls. The key addition is food-grade dry ice to enhance the atmosphere. Consumers can customize their iced tea with flowers, fruit tea, fruit, cream, and more, making the process more engaging and challenging. Sharing experiences and feelings, forming new social connections, and enjoying a relaxed, pleasant experience in a soothing rhythm are all encouraged.
"Whether it's stove-boiled or stove-iced tea, the focus is on the stove and tea, and the core is people's social needs," said Kang Zhuang, director of the Institute of Finance at the Chongqing Academy of Social Science and associate researcher. "Both use the stove and tea as material carriers to meet consumers' needs for emotional communication and social interaction."
Kang also emphasized the importance of merchants constantly innovating products and consumption scenarios to stimulate people's desire to consume. During the Labor Day holiday, the search volume for Chongqing Stove Iced Tea ranked second nationwide, with an increase of nearly 1,500% compared to early April, according to data from Meituan.
Visual Appeal Attracts Customers


The Nomi glutinous rice shop launched a set of stove-iced tea, which is very popular. (Photo/Ms. Zeng, the owner of Nomi glutinous rice shop)
Nomi Glutinous Rice Shop, situated on Ziwei Road in Chongqing's Yubei District, has launched a series of stove-iced tea services. A set meal for two to three people costs 238 yuan (about USD 34.5), while one for four to five people is 288 yuan (about USD 41.7).
"Current catering is no longer limited to the basic demand for food quantity," said Ms. Zeng, the owner of Nomi Glutinous Rice Shop. "Good looks, fun, and functionality are all important factors that determine whether consumers come."
For stove iced tea, the visual effects of the plate arrangement and dry ice are crucial, as well as whether guests are likely to take pictures of it. Kang believes emerging new consumption trends demonstrate that Chongqing is conducive to consumer innovation. Most citizens are willing to try and accept new things, fostering bold businesses in innovation and exploration.
"We have observed that new popular products appear in the field of catering services in Chongqing about every six months," said Kang. "This not only reflects the city's vitality but also showcases Chongqing's inclusiveness toward various industries."