Northeast China

In the northeast, a different kind of reinvention is underway.

Recently, a tea brand from Shenyang, Liaoning province — 700CC — has been making waves on social media with its corn grits milk tea. It has become the hottest trendy drink in the region as winter begins.

The innovative product combines traditional coarse grains from northeastern breakfast tables with modern tea drinks for a rustic rush just in time for the peak of ice and snow tourism.

Corn grits, known as dachazi in the northeast, have always been a simple and unpretentious staple in porridge and other dishes, carrying the homestyle flavors of childhood for many generations.

This winter, through the innovative work of 700CC, the traditional grits have been transformed into the new star of the milk tea industry. According to 700CC, the new product uses high-quality whole corn from Northeast China, ground to retain the plump corn germ particles. This is paired with brown sugar pearls, buttery corn milk, and a milk base made with natural soda water.

The hot version is warming and filling, while the cold version is refreshing and blends the fragrance of grains and milk in each sip.

The company also introduced a new corn toy pendant that evokes childhood memories and local sentiments for northeastern children.

"The new product was launched on Nov 15, priced at 18 yuan per cup offline," said Liu Haifeng, manager of a 700CC store in Harbin, Heilongjiang province. "It's selling well, with 200 to 300 orders on weekends," he said. "Most customers choose the hot drink, saying it's perfect for winter."

At Liu's store, most of the customers are young adults.

"I saw it on Xiaohongshu and came specifically to try it today," said Hu Yaoqiang. "I didn't expect to actually chew on particles of corn grits. That's its real taste."

For Zhao Lijia, a tourist from Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, the milk tea was an unexpected highlight of his trip to the northeast.

"I had only heard of northeastern corn grits before, and I didn't expect it could be made into milk tea," he said. "The soft and sticky texture is very special, making it an immersive experience of the culture of Northeast China."

The corn grits milk tea development team explained that the product deliberately retains the rough texture of corn grits paired with brown sugar pearls to enhance the chewing experience.

The warm yellow packaging design and themed toy pendant give the product a comprehensive regional feel.