In recent years, Guangdong herbal tea has gained significant popularity on short video platforms, attracting the attention of many young people. One of Guangdong's oldest herbal tea brands, "Xu Qixiu," has evolved from a small family-run tea shop in northern Guangdong to a chain with over 2,100 stores, carrying a legacy of nearly 130 years. As one of China's first recognized "China time-honored brands," Xu Qixiu's herbal tea perfectly aligns with modern consumers' desires for health and wellness. This traditional beverage has broken through cultural barriers online, expanding beyond Guangdong and reaching a wider audience with the help of the Internet.

Founded in 1895 in Hanguang Town, western Yingde City, the "Xu Qixiu" brand quickly became renowned for its effective herbal tea, earning the nickname "King of Herbal Tea" from the locals. By the time brothers Xu Xingquan and Xu Xingxiang took over the family business in 1994, the brand had already been passed down through five generations. Within just two years, they expanded Xu Qixiu Herbal Tea from its small-town origins to cities like Yingde, Qingyuan, and Huadu, opening 12 directly operated stores.

In 1997, the Yingde Quanxiang Herbal Tea Co., Ltd. was established, transforming Xu Qixiu from a small shop into a fully upgraded brand with modern herbal warehouses, advanced production facilities, and office buildings. In 2003, they founded the Foshan Xu Qixiu Herbal Tea Co., Ltd. to focus on market development. Today, the brand boasts over 2,100 franchise stores.

Combining traditional recipes with modern technology, Xu Qixiu Herbal Tea has developed new product formats such as concentrated tea extracts and solid tea granules, expanding its range from 12 to 20 varieties. In 2006, herbal tea was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list, and Xu Qixiu became one of the first national "China time-honored brands" in December of the same year.

On short video platforms, discussions about Guangdong's "dampness" and "heat" have become trendy among young people, sparking interest in the benefits of herbal tea among consumers outside the region. This growing curiosity and acceptance of herbal tea from new audiences has delighted Xu Xingquan. While dietary cultures vary across regions, the universal pursuit of health connects everyone.

In December 2022, Xu Qixiu Herbal Tea joined the Douyin Life Service platform, launching group-buying deals in over 200 stores. Thanks to content shared by consumers and the group-buying feature on Douyin, Xu Qixiu has gained increasing recognition among health-conscious customers. Chairman Xu Xingquan shared that Douyin's online promotion and group sales boosted foot traffic in some stores by 15% last year. The potential of herbal tea has also attracted more franchisees, leading to a 118% increase in new store openings, reaching the highest growth in recent years.

Xu Xingquan emphasized that one of their enduring goals is to introduce more people to herbal tea and its benefits. Xu Qixiu will also continue to keep pace with younger generations, leveraging new platforms to engage with users and ensure the legacy of this intangible cultural heritage.

Source :Lingnan on the Cloud

老广百年“凉茶王”，在抖音被花式养生的年轻人爱上

广东凉茶最近几年在短视频平台风头正劲，受到不少年轻人的关注。广东最老的凉茶品牌之一“徐其修”，从一间靠祖传秘方世代经营的粤北凉茶小铺，到今天拥有超过2100家连锁店，已传承了近130年，是中国第一批中华老字号品牌。凉茶的味道和功效正契合当下消费者追求健康，追求养生的理念。这杯传统饮品因此随着互联网上的健康话题“破圈”，传统凉茶铺也在互联网的助力下，走出广东，走向更远的地方。

1895年，“徐其修”字号在英德市西部的浛洸镇设立，由于凉茶功效卓越，品质为民众们所认可，徐其修被人们美誉为“凉茶大王”。1994年，当徐星权、徐星祥两兄弟接过祖辈凉茶的接力棒时，“徐其修凉茶”已经传承到第五代。两年时间里，徐其修凉茶的连锁店从小镇开到了英德市区、清远、花都等地，发展了12家直营分店。

1997年，英德市全祥凉茶有限公司成立。徐其修凉茶从一间小铺，蜕变成拥有药材仓库、先进生产厂房、办公大楼……从生产到店铺全面升级的凉茶品牌。2003年，他们成立了佛山市徐其修凉茶有限公司，主攻市场开发，徐其修凉茶的加盟分店至今已超过2100多家。

在祖传秘方的基础上，徐其修凉茶将传统工艺和高科技设备相结合，研发出浓缩茶剂、固体茶颗粒等产品形式，产品系列也从原来的12个品种增加到20个。2006年，凉茶被列入国家级非物质文化遗产名录，徐其修凉茶也在同年12月成为首批国家级“中华老字号”企业。

在短视频平台上，关于广东的“湿气”“热气”梗在年轻人中很流行，由此，凉茶的功效也引起了很多外地消费者的兴趣。新的消费者对于凉茶从好奇到认可，这让徐星权很开心，不同地区的饮食文化各异，但大家对健康的追求是相通的。

2022年12月，徐其修凉茶入驻抖音生活服务平台，截至目前已经陆续上线了200多家门店的团购合作。去年，因为抖音生活服务团购上线和消费者们自发拍摄的内容，徐其修凉茶越来越受到热衷养生的新顾客们认可，董事长徐星权介绍道，抖音线上传播和团购销售，让他们有的门店去年客流增长15%，越来越多的加盟商也看到了凉茶的潜力，去年的新店增长了118%，达到近几年来的高峰。

徐星权说道，让更多人了解凉茶，体会到凉茶的好处，永远是他们的目标之一，徐其修也会不停地跟进年轻人的步伐，运用好各种新平台，来跟用户进行交流，帮助非遗凉茶的传承。

文｜杭莹
图｜受访者提供
译｜赵凡
英文审校｜林佳岱