A company event hosted by Chinese coffee startup Luckin Coffee in Beijing on July 8. [Photo from Luckin Coffee official weibo account]

Chinese coffee startup Luckin Coffee on July 8 announced its entry into the tea drinks market as the company seeks to win over more young consumers and expand market presence.

Over 10 types of tea drinks including cheese topped tea have been rolled out starting from July.

The company has opened nearly 3,000 outlets in about 40 cities across the country since it started operation in 2018. Juices, snacks, salads and other kinds of food are offered in outlets in addition to coffee.

China's tea drinks market is booming as more and more players try to integrate different ingredients such as juice, cheese and milk with tea to cater to young consumer tastes.

Luckin Coffee plans to open 2,500 new stores in 2019, with total stores topping 4,500 by the end of the year. About 10,000 outlets are expected to be in operation by the end of 2021.