One of Hong Kong’s biggest beverage brands is fighting back with more exotic flavours of its best-selling bottled tea, as sales are squeezed by a price war with traditional rivals and a fresh-brew trend sweeping China.

Vitasoy aims to focus on products appealing to a younger generation, including “fragrant duck poo tea”, named after a popular type of oolong tea from southern China’s Chaozhou. It is also a common flavour among freshly made teas.

The company has become a victim of a consumer trend that could create a “Starbucks for tea drinkers in China”, according to an HSBC report in June. Analysts said demand for new-style tea beverages was “growing rapidly, led by young consumers seeking inexpensive places to meet friends, trendy products, customised service, and content for social media posts”.