BusinessIce Cream for R$5: Asian giant Ai-Cha's R$100 million plan to grow in Brazil

Ai-Cha, the Asian network of teas, bubble teas, and soft ice creams, founded, will open its first store in Brazil on February 20 in the Liberdade neighborhood, in São Paulo. The store marks the company's debut in the country and the beginning of an expansion plan that foresees 150 stores, an estimated annual investment of around R$ 100 million, and revenue of up to R$ 270 million per year. The brand's bet is based on a direct reading of the Brazilian market. In recent years, the consumption of Asian beverages has grown but remained concentrated in specialized cafeterias and shopping malls, with high prices and limited reach. Ai-Cha enters this scenario with a strategy based on scale, standardization, and price, offering products starting at R$ 5. "We will start with an entry product which are soft ice creams starting at R$ 5 in cones and beverages starting at R$ 10. The average ticket should be between R$ 12 and R$ 13," says Matheus Diniz, head of marketing and communication for ...