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The single-store model is a critical foundation for both franchise profitability and scalable growth in the chain restaurant industry. It directly determines a store’s operational efficiency and profit potential.This article marks the first in a series exploring single-store models across the foodservice sector. We begin with the new-style tea segment, using what is widely recognized as the best-performing single-store model in the industry as our point of entry, and analyze how intelligent beverage equipment supports the construction and optimization of such a model.
According to multiple industry reports and market analyses, competition around the optimal single-store model in new-style tea is intense and continuously evolving. After reviewing store-level financial data across leading tea chains, both Hu’an Securities and Huafu Securities independently identified Brand E as currently representing the best single-store model in the new-style tea category.
To respect brand confidentiality, we reference the brands using letters rather than names. As shown in the comparative data, Brand E outperforms its peers in both operational efficiency and cost control.
The data reveals that Brand E achieves a payback period of just nine months, compared with an industry average of 17–18 months for other tea chains—roughly twice as long. In some cases, Brand G and Brand D require 20 months and 24 months respectively before recovering initial investment and reaching profitability.
In terms of gross margin, Brand E leads the category at 62%. Other brands generally fall below this level, with only Brand F and Brand G approaching 60%. Notably, Brand A and Brand B report single-store gross margins of just 55%.
Brand E has also continuously optimized its cost structure, keeping raw material costs at 38% and labor costs at 13%, both lower than comparable models. Based on these figures, Brand E achieves:
Daily revenue per square meter: RMB 250 / ㎡ / day
Daily revenue per employee: RMB 1,333.33 / person / day
These metrics outperform all peer brands, highlighting Brand E’s superior space utilization and labor efficiency.
A key driver behind this performance is Brand E’s forward-looking strategy of equipping all stores with TEDIA intelligent beverage systems. The TEDIA MODEL-I3.0 Smart Beverage Solution—combining intelligent equipment with the APCP central management platform—provides comprehensive support for optimizing single-store economics through higher efficiency, operational stability, and cost reduction.
1. Scan-to-Brew: Unlocking High Labor Productivity
In an industry defined by constant change, return on human capital remains a decisive factor in profitability. Improving labor efficiency is therefore central to optimizing the single-store model.
TEDIA delivers a comprehensive approach designed to enhance staff productivity while mitigating the operational risks caused by employee turnover.
By deploying TEDIA MODEL-I3.0, Brand E has built an intelligent beverage production line at the store level, enabling end-to-end automated operations and significantly improving output efficiency. As of October 2024, TEDIA intelligent beverage systems have cumulatively produced over 1.5 billion cups, with daily output exceeding 5 million cups.
High-speed, consistent production allows staff to shift focus from manual preparation to customer service, creating a virtuous cycle that enhances customer experience and drives higher revenue.
More importantly, with TEDIA MODEL-I3.0, recipe matrices are centrally managed and distributed by headquarters with one click. Store staff simply scan and execute, reducing training time by 50%–80% on average. Even during peak hours, employees can produce drinks effortlessly, ensuring store efficiency is no longer constrained by labor availability or skill levels.
2. Sustained 8-Second Output: Driving High Revenue per Square Meter
To optimize space efficiency, Brand E adopts a “large-format store” strategy, positioning stores as high-quality social spaces for customers. This model places greater demands on production capacity and spatial efficiency.
Under the dual momentum of strong brand power and large-store formats, customer traffic and order volumes rise sharply. TEDIA MODEL-I3.0 delivers stable, continuous 8-second cup output, easily handling peak traffic and supporting high daily sales per store.
Highly integrated in functionality, the system performs multiple beverage preparation steps within a compact footprint. Compared with traditional manual tea-making setups that require fragmented equipment and cluttered layouts, TEDIA MODEL-I3.0 significantly reduces space requirements.
The space saved can be reallocated to seating, social areas, or brand display zones—enhancing both customer experience and commercial value. By optimizing production flow and spatial design simultaneously, TEDIA MODEL-I3.0 maximizes space utilization and indirectly boosts revenue per square meter.
3. 5,000+ Cups per Day per Machine: Stable Performance Under Extreme Demand
TEDIA MODEL-I3.0 also plays a vital role in maintaining high and stable operational performance.
Its high-performance architecture is entirely developed in-house by TEDIA, with continuous innovation across electronic control firmware, device-side software, and cloud systems—supported by an expanding portfolio of patents and proprietary IP.
Even during periods of extreme order concurrency, the system maintains smooth and reliable output. During the industry-wide surge associated with the “First Milk Tea of Autumn” phenomenon, a single TEDIA MODEL-I3.0 unit consistently produced 5,000+ cups per day without performance degradation.
During Brand E’s rapid expansion—adding thousands of stores annually—the stability of the TEDIA APCP management system proved essential in ensuring consistent, efficient operations across all locations.
Each TEDIA MODEL-I3.0 unit also features a built-in self-diagnostic system, enabling continuous monitoring, routine self-checks, and proactive maintenance alerts. This minimizes downtime risks and provides strong technical assurance for uninterrupted store operations.
4. Every Store, Every Cup: 1:1 Replication of Lab-Grade Flavor
Beyond efficiency, product consistency and repeat purchase rates are equally critical to profitability.
Brand E follows a “hero product” strategy, focusing on a small number of signature beverages to simplify its product portfolio. TEDIA MODEL-I3.0 ensures that every cup meets these exacting standards.
With strict precision control and an average deviation of <1g or <1%, the system enables true 1:1 replication of laboratory-defined flavor profiles across all stores. Customers receive the same taste experience—anytime, anywhere.
At the same time, high production speed reduces waiting times, creating a smooth and enjoyable customer journey. The combined assurance of quality and efficiency significantly enhances customer satisfaction and drives sustained repeat consumption.
5. Lower Ingredient Cost Ratios, Higher Gross and Net Margins
Cost control is a fundamental pillar of any outstanding single-store model.
Brand E builds its supply chain around a simplified “tea + milk” core structure, reducing procurement complexity and operational risk. On this foundation, TEDIA MODEL-I3.0 further lowers costs by minimizing raw material waste.
Its dual closed-loop dynamic sensing and feedback control system ensures consistent, high-quality output in every cup, preventing product rejection and ingredient loss. As a result, stores achieve lower ingredient cost ratios, directly improving gross margin and net profitability.
“Empowering every cup with infinite possibilities and sharing a better life with the world” is TEDIA’s mission.To that end, TEDIA continues to invest heavily in R&D, driving ongoing innovation to meet the diverse demands of intelligent beverage production in the foodservice industry. TEDIA’s intelligent beverage systems not only serve as growth engines for tea brands scaling globally, but also help unlock a second revenue curve for foodservice operators—injecting sustained momentum into the freshly made beverage industry.
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nanazhu@tediatech.com
18321154854（Workday 10:00 - 19:00 BJT）
Building B, Huihu Building, No. 10 Moon Bay Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Jiangsu Province
Building B1, Taishang Creative Park, No, 428 Wubao Road, Minhang District, Shanghai
Learn More/
Make an Appointment
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