Chinese bubble tea chain Naixue seeks US$400 million in US IPO plan

Naixue’s Tea, one of the biggest bubble tea chains in China, has filed confidentially for a US initial public offering that could raise as much as US$400 million, according to people familiar with the matter.

The company, also known as Nayuki, has been working with advisers on the share sale that could take place as soon as this year. The firm is also looking to raise about US$50 million to US$100 million in a pre-IPO funding round, the people have said, who asked not to be identified as the discussions are private.

Naixue, started by Shenzhen Pindao Restaurant Management Co. in 2010, has more than 230 stores across China, according to its website. The chain sells fresh-fruit tea, some with cheese foam on the top, as well as cold brew tea and baked goods. HEYTEA, another popular tea chain, is among its biggest rivals in the country.

Details of Naixue’s offering including timeline, size and listing venue could change as the novel coronavirus outbreak is weighing on market sentiment, the people said. A representative for Shenzhen Pindao did not respond to requests for comment.

Chinese companies raised about US$3.7 billion through US listings last year, led by DouYu International Holdings and Luckin Coffee Inc, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Citic Capital Acquisition Corp is among the nine Chinese firms that completed their US first-time share sales this year, raising a total of US$722 million