Feb 21 (Reuters) - China's largest bubble tea and drinks

firm, Mixue Group, is seeking to raise HK$3.45 billion ($443.66

million) in a Hong Kong initial public offering, according to a

regulatory filing made on Friday.

The company is selling 17.1 million shares at a fixed price

of HK$202.5 each, the filings showed.

Bookbuilding for the IPO starts on Friday and the stock is

due to begin trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on March 3.

Mixue had earlier planned to raise up to $1 billion in its

Hong Kong IPO. However, the size of the share sale was scaled

back as the company is not in desperate need of cash, Reuters

previously reported, citing sources.

Mixue has 45,000 stores in mainland China and 11 other

countries through a major franchise network, according to its

filings.

It is best known for selling fruit and tea drinks, coffee

and ice cream, typically for about $1, it said.

The company was started in 1997 in Zhengzhou by founder

Zhang Hongchao, who began the business with a homemade shaved

ice machine.

Mixue said it sold 7.1 billion drinks in the nine months

ended September last year.

($1 = 7.7763 Hong Kong dollars)