Duck Shit Fragrance Lemon Tea Goes Global: Why International Customers Keep Coming Back

Few drink names are harder to explain to an international customer than "Duck Shit Fragrance Lemon Tea". Few are easier to sell once the customer tastes it. That paradox has followed TANING around the world — and it is one of the most interesting things about the brand's international business.

The Drink Behind the Name

The name refers to the tea, not the drink. "Duck Shit Aroma" (鸭屎香) is a traditional designation for a Phoenix Dancong tea from Chaozhou, Guangdong, prized for its floral, orchid-like aroma and long, layered finish. TANING was the first brand to combine that tea with fresh lemon and bring it into the modern beverage industry, creating the perfume lemon tea category. The result is a drink that is tart, aromatic and refreshing rather than sweet and heavy.

Once staff explain the origin, the unusual name becomes an asset. Curiosity gets customers to order; the flavour brings them back.

Why It Travels Well

A signature product succeeds internationally when it does not require cultural translation. TANING's lemon tea works because it is built on tastes that are already universal: tea, citrus and freshness. What changes between markets is the framing and the sweetness level, both of which are straightforward to adapt.

The drink is also highly customisable. Customers choose sweetness and ice levels, and the base recipe avoids heavy milk fat and added cream, which suits the growing global preference for lighter, lower-sugar beverages. In markets where health-conscious consumption is mainstream — New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States among them — that positioning sells itself.

Evidence From Overseas Stores

Since its international debut in Vietnam in 2019, TANING has expanded into more than 1,000 stores across multiple countries and regions, including the United States, Singapore, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Algeria and, most recently, India. In market after market, the response from customers unfamiliar with Chinese tea has followed a similar pattern: initial curiosity about the name, then repeat purchases driven by the flavour.

The brand's wider portfolio supports that repeat business. Alongside lemon tea, TANING has developed fresh fruit and vegetable teas using distinctive fruits such as kumquat, olive and wampi, a Brand 2.0 range of hand-squeezed fresh fruit teas, and a Brand 3.0 direction centred on lighter, lower-GI drinks. A partner therefore opens with a signature that attracts attention and a menu that sustains it.

The Lesson for Franchise Partners

A strong signature product does three things for a store: it makes marketing easier, it makes word of mouth work faster, and it reduces the amount of explanation needed at the counter. TANING's perfume lemon tea has done all three in markets as different as Auckland and Kuala Lumpur.

It has also given the brand credibility beyond retail. TANING has appeared at international food festivals and industry events, and its work has been recognised in overseas markets including a nomination in Malaysia's Grab awards — visibility that supports local partners when they open.

Taste It Before You Decide

If you are considering a beverage franchise, the most useful due diligence you can do is taste the product and watch customers react to it. TANING's signature drinks are served in more than 1,000 stores worldwide, and the brand's international footprint is documented at www.taning.net/en.

Parties interested in opening a TANING store in their own market can submit a partnership enquiry through the same site to receive the franchise information pack, including product portfolio details, store formats and the support provided to international partners.