Chatime
Lacks transparency. Shows little about where or how its products are made.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 4 sources
Taiwanese bubble tea chain owned by La Kaffa, in over 50 countries.
We couldn't find where Chatime gets most of its tea, a certification covering its range or a list of its suppliers.
Also worth knowing
Most tea is grown in countries such as India and Kenya, where workers are very unlikely to earn a living wage.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 5 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and unaudited production, probably in high-risk countries. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 5
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsWhere tea is usually grown, such as India and China, unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Probably made partly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Chatime's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
- A product carrying the Fairtrade mark: Good
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where its tea is grown
We couldn't confirm where Chatime gets most of its tea, so this shows where tea is usually grown.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 30% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Kenya | 25% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Sri Lanka | 20% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| China | 15% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Malawi | 5% | Strong protections | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia | 5% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: tea estate wages in Assam, Sri Lanka and Kenya are among the lowest of any export crop, often paid partly in kind (housing, rations).
Research notes Chatime does not publish where its tea is grown; sponsored content says it buys from farmers in Nantou, Taiwan, but La Kaffa's 2025 ESG report gives no tea origins. That report covers food safety audits of its main suppliers and ISO 22000 certification, but describes no labour checks on tea farms, no supplier list and no certification such as Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | No Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance certification is claimed for Chatime tea. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Unclear | No modern slavery statement from Chatime's Australian operator was identified on the Australian register. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No allegations about Chatime's tea supply chain were identified. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 4
Show all 4 sources
- La Kaffa International: Overview · search the archive · Chatime is one of La Kaffa International's six brands; the tea brand operates in more than 50 countries and regions; no tea origins or supplier standards given.
- Global beverage brand Chatime assures quality from tree to cup (Restaurant Business, sponsored) · search the archive · Sponsored content says tea comes from farmers in Nantou County, Taiwan; no certification named.
Published by Chatime or its owner
- La Kaffa sustainability reports · search the archive · ESG reports 2022-2025; 97.5% of top 40 raw material suppliers ISO 22000 certified; general zero forced labour claim.
- La Kaffa International 2025 ESG report · search the archive · Eight supplier quality audits in 2025; no tea origins, supplier code or Rainforest Alliance certification disclosed.
Company details
- Headquarters
- Taiwan
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Chatime ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/chatime, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
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Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Chatime.