Bubble Tea - Boba

[GeneChing]

Boba tea ain't real tea. And apparently, it ain't real boba either sometimes.


Hospital finds milk tea boba balls in Chinese reporter's stomach actually made of something disgusting (http://www.dramafever.com/news/-disgusting-hospital-finds-milk-tea-boba-in-chinese-reporters-stomach-actually-made-of-shoes-and-tires/)
by Danny Kichi on Fri, Oct 23, 2015

http://www.dramafever.com/st/news/images/524ffccb-aaf6-4d6c-949a-b4fe31cd37a9.jpg

What people love most about milk tea boba, otherwise known as bubble tea, are the chewy and sweet tapioca balls sitting at the bottom of the drink. These delicious balls are usually made out of tapioca starch and brown sugar, but as one Chinese reporter recently found out, sometimes they're made out of something else.

A local reporter for Shangdong Television in Qingdao, China got a little thirsty while on the job just a while ago, so he ordered a milk tea boba from a local shop. A few hours after drinking the tea and munching on all the tapioca balls, he fell quite ill, so he went to the hospital for a check-up. After a number of tests, and with no answer as to what was causing his patient's distress, the doctor performed a CT scan and saw some undigested tapioca balls sitting at the bottom of the reporter's stomach. So the doctor extracted the balls and sent them to Qingdao University’s Chemical Experimentation Center, where scientists analyzed them to figure out what exactly these things were made of.

When the scientists reported back to the doctor that the tapioca balls were "highly adhesive," the doctor immediately relayed this information to his patient. And because he was a reporter, the man who had ingested these mysterious materials decided to do some investigating. What he found out while going undercover at the tea shop was something he had trouble digesting — literally. The tapioca balls that he so happily chewed on and swallowed a few weeks earlier were actually produced in a chemical plant and made out of the soles of leather shoes and tires. And yes, the shoes and tires were not new when they were recycled. Gross!

So if you ever go to Qingdao, you might want to make sure that the tapioca balls sitting at the bottom of your tea are actually made of something edible.

Delicious!

http://www.dramafever.com/st/news/images/b70a6896-d969-43cb-95ed-231f534a107b.jpg
(Source: via)

[Mor Sao]

I drink tea. Not bubble tea, nor anything other than hot water and the tea leaves.

Drink that **** at your own risk.

Which is now a real risk.

[GeneChing]

Starbucks wants to start selling its own tea in China by September (http://shanghaiist.com/2016/03/24/starbucks_sells_china_tea.php)

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/benjamincost/starbucks-fuzhou-1.jpg

Already scheduled to open up its first coffee shop in Italy, Starbucks has bold ambitions for this year that also include bringing its own branded tea line to China, as well as the UK, France and Germany.
Bloomberg Business reports that the American coffee giant will begin introducing its Teavana products to China by September. While, globally, tea sales amount to more than $100 billion and Starbucks' tea sales rose 17% to nearly $1 billion since last year, bringing Teavana to China is a risky move.

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/shang_shanghaiist/starbucksinchina.jpg

China has an ancient relationship with the beverage with legends claiming the first brew happened in 2737 B.C. Recently, archaeologists dug up the oldest evidence of its use in the tomb of a Han emperor. In the present day, China is the world's greatest consumer of tea. You can even get tea-flavored toothpaste!
Still, Starbucks already has some business acumen in China, having dealt with expired meat scandals and push-back against Western food companies.

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/alexlinder/coffee-pudong1.jpg

The 45-year-old company hopes to eventually have more outlets in China than in the US. Chief operating officer, Kevin Johnson, explains his faith in Teavana here:
“It’s very complementary to our coffee business. With Teavana -- similar to what we’ve done with coffee -- we’ve established a very premium brand.”
Starbucks will face plenty of local competition in the form of home-grown drinks like bubble milk tea as well as herbal offerings from outlets like KFC, China's most popular foreign brand.
By Matthew Patel
[Image via Flickr]
Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
By Shanghaiist in News on Mar 24, 2016 8:20 PM

What next? Panda Express in China? :rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

...but I just poached the posts above off the Tea (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?49674-Tea) thread here. And the ol' TCM forum is one of our slowest, so we'll just keep this here for giggles. Or should I say jiggles? :p


Big breasted beauties want you to try out Taiwan's latest craze: light bulb bubble tea (http://shanghaiist.com/2016/05/09/light_bulb_bubble_tea.php)

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/alexlinder/bulb_tea.jpg

Thai netizens have taken note lately of a strange new phenomenon that is apparently taking root in Taiwan and even being exported around the globe: light bulb bubble tea!

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/alexlinder/bulb_tea2.jpg

Innovative? Weird? Meh? Whatever the case, Light Bulbble Tea (trademark: Shanghaiist) has certainly managed to at least turn a few heads, according to NetEase.

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/alexlinder/bulb_tea3.jpg

Just maybe, though, it isn't so much the re-purposed light bulbs that have garnered so much attention online, but the bevy of duck-faced voluptuous woman ready to serve this new beverage?

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/alexlinder/bulb_tea4.jpg

The creators of this craze obviously know that the key to commercial success in Taiwan is to have really attractive people on staff. Just look what it has done for bean curd:

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/shang_shanghaiist/bean-curd-shop-18.jpg

And pork! Well, maybe pork didn't need quite as much help.

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/shang_shanghaiist/pork-beauty-1.jpg

Look out world for the next big thing.

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/alexlinder/bulb_tea5.jpg

By Stanley Yu
[Images via NetEase]
Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
By Shanghaiist in News on May 9, 2016 6:55 PM

[mickey]

Greetings,

It seems that the idea is to connect the tea with breast milk. In some Spanish speaking countries, the slang term for a woman's breasts is "bombillas," meaning light bulbs. So, it makes me wonder if this idea is due to cross cultural influences or something unique.

See my thread on Orangina:

http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69515-The-raciness-of-Orangina&p=1293720#post1293720

mickey

[GeneChing]

In Italy, ‘Al Dente’ Is Prized. In Taiwan, It’s All About Food That’s ‘Q.’ (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/04/world/asia/taiwan-food-q-texture.html)

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/09/27/world/00taiwanqtexture-dispatch-3/merlin_138181503_7ad5b3a0-4336-47a6-9d49-8cbbbe4c9f7f-superJumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp
Taiwanese tapioca for sale at the Lehua Night Market in Taipei. It has the prized “Q” texture of Taiwanese food.CreditCreditBilly H.C. Kwok for The New York Times
By Amy Qin
Oct. 4, 2018

NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan — As dusk falls at Lehua Night Market, the fluorescent lights flicker on and the hungry customers start trickling in, anxious for a taste of the local delicacies that give this island its reputation as one of Asia’s finest culinary capitals.

Neatly arranged pyramids of plump fish balls. Bowls brimming with tapioca balls bathed in lightly sweetened syrup. Sizzling oyster omelets, hot off the griddle. Deep-fried sweet potato puffs, still dripping with oil.

Take a bite of any of these dishes and you’ll discover a unique texture. But how exactly do you describe that perfectly calibrated “mouth feel” so sought after by local cooks and eaters alike?

Slippery? Chewy? Globby? Not exactly the most flattering adjectives in the culinary world.

Luckily, the Taiwanese have a word for this texture. Well, actually, it’s not a word, it’s a letter — one that even non-Chinese speakers can pronounce.

It’s “Q.”

“It’s difficult to explain what Q means exactly,” said Liu Yen-ling, a manager at Chun Shui Tang, a popular teahouse chain that claims to have invented tapioca milk tea in Taiwan. “Basically it means springy, soft, elastic.”

Q texture is to Taiwanese what umami is to Japanese and al dente is to Italians — that is, cherished and essential. Around Taiwan, the letter Q can often be glimpsed amid a jumble of Chinese characters on shop signs and food packages and in convenience stores and advertisements.

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/10/02/world/00taiwanqtexture-dispatch-10/merlin_144696996_20a8de31-fda9-4b1f-a04a-a5ee87053492-superJumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp
Q bars, Taiwanese tapioca and sesame doughnuts.Credit Billy H.C. Kwok for The New York Times

The texture is found in both savory and sweet foods, and is most often used to describe foods that contain some kind of starch like noodles, tapioca pearls and fish balls. If something is really chewy or extra Q, then it could be called QQ. Often, Q and QQ are used interchangeably.

“You can tell if bubble milk tea is good based on how Q the tapioca pearls are,” Mr. Liu said. “If the texture is perfect, it can be very satisfying.”

André Chiang, a Michelin-star chef and owner of RAW in Taipei, said he had recently been experimenting with the texture at his restaurant, which uses only locally sourced Taiwanese ingredients.

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/09/28/world/00taiwanqtexture-dispatch-5/merlin_138181431_32a8f95d-4779-4459-ab86-e6a6ef9df259-superJumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp
At the night market in Taipei. Q texture is to Taiwanese what umami is to Japanese and al dente is to Italians — that is, cherished and essential.Credit Billy H.C. Kwok for The New York Times

One dish he was trying out for the restaurant’s new menu featured langoustine, burned onion juice and white tapioca pearls that are cooked to bubbly Q perfection.

“It’s like al dente but not quite,” Mr. Chiang said. “It’s to the tooth but there’s also that added element of bounciness.”

Q is so well established in Taiwan that many in Hong Kong and over the strait in mainland China use the term as well.

Elsewhere in Asia, it is a familiar texture, though the term itself may not be used. Tteok-bokki, a Korean stir-fried rice cake, and mochi, a Japanese rice cake, for example, could also be considered Q. In Western cuisine, the texture is less commonly found, though one could describe foods like gummy bears and certain kinds of pasta as Q.

The origins of the term Q are unclear. Some say it comes from the Taiwanese Hokkien word k’iu. Say Q to an elderly Taiwanese, and chances are he or she will know the term. But no one can quite explain how and when the 17th letter of the English alphabet became shorthand for describing the texture of tapioca balls and gummy candies.

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/10/02/world/00taiwanqtexture-dispatc-9/merlin_144696303_b9b33118-0284-436e-bfb4-88600a1fdb5c-superJumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp
Milk curd, happy QQ balls (sweet potato balls) and konjac.Credit Billy H.C. Kwok for NYT; Ashley Pon for NYT; Billy H.C. Kwok for NYT

With the rapid proliferation of bubble milk tea shops and other Asian snack shops across the United States over the years, there has emerged a broader appreciation for this once “exotic” texture, even if the vocabulary to describe that texture has not exactly caught up.

“Most of my American friends like bubble milk tea,” said Tina Fong, a co-founder of Taipei Eats, which offers food tours around the city. “But when there’s Q texture in a savory dish, it can still be a bit strange to them. It really depends on the person.”

When it comes to the Chinese language, the letter Q is surprisingly versatile, and not used only to describe food. For example, many in China and Taiwan are familiar with 阿Q, or Ah Q, the protagonist of one of China’s most famous novellas by the writer Lu Xun.

After the publication of “The True Story of Ah Q” in the early 1920s, Ah Q became a symbol of the backwardness of Chinese culture. While the story’s narrator confesses to not knowing the origin of Ah Q’s name, some scholars say Lu Xun may have chosen Q as an implicit reference to its ****nym queue, or the braided ponytail that Chinese men were forced to wear to show their subjugation to the ruling Qing dynasty.

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/10/02/world/00taiwanqtexture-dispatch-7/merlin_144696015_40bb5d5f-4628-48dd-acf5-eb5acf09028c-superJumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp
Tapioca pearls and bubble milk tea at Chun Shui Tang teahouse in Taipei, left and middle. A bowl of beef noodle at Taipei’s Lin Dong Fang beef noodle shop.Credit Ashley Pon for The New York Times

Some have also interpreted Lu Xun’s Q as a pictogram of a head with a pigtail.

There are many other uses for the term Q in Chinese as well. It could be used, for example, as shorthand for the English word cute, or to refer to the once-popular QQ messaging service from Tencent or the QQ minicar model from the Chinese carmaker Chery.

“Whether Q may be considered a Chinese character or not, it certainly has become a part of the Chinese writing system,” Victor Mair, a professor of Chinese language at the University of Pennsylvania, once wrote in a blog post.

Among Taiwanese, the appreciation for Q texture starts at a young age. On a recent sticky evening at Lehua Night Market, crowds ambled through the carnival-like pedestrian street, which was lined on both sides with vendors hawking things like hats, cellphone cases and, of course, delicious snacks.

A gaggle of mini revelers zeroed in on a stand with a neon sign that read “QQ popsicles.” Asked why Q texture was so appealing to Taiwanese, Lu Wei-chen, the owner of the stand, smiled as she handed a bright red jelly bar to a delighted toddler.

“It’s simple,” she said. “When you eat it, you will be in a good mood.”

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/09/27/world/00taiwanqtexture-dispatch-1/merlin_138181500_24cd152b-fe2b-469a-b27d-09f6105bb357-superJumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp
Vermicelli and pig blood cake for sale at the night market.Credit Billy H.C. Kwok for The New York Times

Follow Amy Qin on Twitter: @amyyqin
Karoline Kan contributed research from Beijing.



This explains a great mystery to me. I've seen Q before in ads and such and never put this together.

THREADS
Chinese food (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?16444-Chinese-food)
Bubble Tea (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69498-Bubble-Tea)

[GeneChing]

Ryan General·December 17, 2018·4 min read
California Boba Tea Shop Rocks the World With Chinese Cough Medicine Bubble Tea (https://nextshark.com/labobatory-boba-tea-cough-medicine/?fbclid=IwAR0NBC4ZahT7Fj51ECmnjPT6jwBuq0A57q-jm9agIo0fgtaMHGFBoW4g74Q)

https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/covee-770x410.jpg

A new bubble tea concoction from a shop in San Gabriel, California is set to tap into its Asian customers’ nostalgia while also providing relief for sore throats, coughs, hoarseness and aphonia.

Blended with popular Chinese herbal syrup “Pei Pa Koa,” the new drink from Labobatory is bound to bring back childhood memories.

https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/1-18.jpg
Image via Facebook / Labobatory

Known for its distinct minty taste, the cough syrup traces its origins from a formula created in the Qing Dynasty. The syrup has been manufactured since the 1940s and sold worldwide by Nin Jiom Medicine Manufactory.

It has been the go-to remedy for a variety of cough-related ailments for generations of Asians in many parts of the world.

https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/2-19.jpg
Image via Facebook / Labobatory

Labobatory aims for their cough syrup-infused beverage to remind drinkers of that time when their Asian mothers took care of them when they were sick.

According to the bubble tea shop, the new drink will be available throughout the holiday season along with four other holiday-inspired flavors as part of their holiday menu.

https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/3-9.jpg
Image via Facebook / Labobatory

The other beverages introduced for its holiday menu are Chocolate Peppermint Milk Tea, White Chocolate Strawberry Milk Tea and Spiced Chocolate.

https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/4-9.jpg
Image via Facebook / Labobatory

“We strive to create unique concoctions that blend premium traditional ingredients and modern twist on ingredients new and old,” the company’s Facebook page noted.

https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/5-9.jpg
Image via Facebook / Labobatory

In its bid to “raise the boba bar,” the inventive folks behind Labobatory has been making unique boba tea creations since 2011, introducing offerings such as Alcoholic Boba, Yakult-infused yogurt boba, among others.


Featured Images via Facebook / Labobatory

THREADS
Chinese cough remedies (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?34469-Chinese-cough-remedies)
Bubble Tea (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69498-Bubble-Tea)

[GeneChing]

Chinese Girl suffers constipation for 5 days. The cause? Bubble tea pearls (https://www.asiaone.com/china/chinese-girl-suffers-constipation-5-days-cause-bubble-tea-pearls)

https://www.asiaone.com/sites/default/files/original_images/Jun2019/190606_milkteaconstipation_pbwb.jpeg
PHOTO: Pixabay & Weibo

KIMBERLY FOO
ASIAONE
Jun 06, 2019

Consider this fair warning for the bubble tea-obsessed.

A 14-year-old girl in China landed herself in hospital, after not being able to move her bowels for five days.

The girl, who lived in Zhejiang province, complained of being constipated, not being able to eat, and was suffering from stomachaches. According to Chinese media reports, her parents finally sent her to the hospital on May 28.

Unable to find the cause of her digestive issues, a CT scan was performed, where doctors found many unusual spherical shadows in her abdomen.

https://www.asiaone.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/bubbleteaintestines2.jpg
Photo: Screenshot from Weibo

Doctors deduced that the shadows were actually around a hundred undigested tapioca pearls from bubble tea she had consumed.

Initially reluctant to reveal what she ate, the girl finally spilled the beans, but insisted that she only drank a cup of bubble tea five days before this incident.

However, Doctor Zhang Louzhen, who treated her, suspected that she may have been hiding the truth for fear of punishment from her parents. He said it would take ingesting a significant amount of pearls for an extended period of time for her condition to be this severe.

The girl was prescribed some laxatives to relieve her of constipation.

Another doctor interviewed also issued a warning that bubble tea pearls or boba, which are made out of starch, are actually hard for the body to digest.

In addition, some stores may add thickeners and preservatives to the pearls, and continuous consumption of such ingredients can lead to gastro-intestinal dysfunction.

As they say, all things in moderation.

kimberlyfoo@asiaone.com

Wonder how much boba she really drank...

[GeneChing]

I was tempted to move this Bubble Tea thread to our OT subforum because it isn't TCM, but then I figured the TCM forum could use the traffic.


Chinese boy band star’s parents’ bubble tea shop shut after three days – it went viral, and staff, equipment couldn’t cope (https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3019547/chinese-boy-band-stars-parents-bubble-tea-shop-shut-after)
Parents of singer Karry Wang, of Chinese band TFBoys, opened a tea shop in Chongqing, western China, trading on his fame. They didn’t expect what happened next
Wang fans queued for four hours on first day, and business exploded to the point staff were overwhelmed and machines broke down. The shop has since reopened
Vivienne Chow
Published: 6:00pm, 22 Jul, 2019

https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1200x800/public/d8/images/methode/2019/07/22/8704d654-a919-11e9-862b-600d112f3b14_image_hires_171017.jpg?itok=SoxN36VP&v=1563786624
Karry Wang of TFBoys. His parents opened a bubble tea shop, Chaforu, in the western Chinese city of Chongqing, but when fans queued four hours on the first day, the news went viral and business exploded. Staff were overwhelmed, equipment broke down and it shut after three days, before reopening.

China’s multibillion-yuan fan economy promises massive returns for entrepreneurs able to monetise the interactions between stars and their fans – but one couple in the western metropolis of Chongqing appear to have underestimated the thirst of pop music fans for a brush with their idol.
The parents of Karry Wang, a member of mega Chinese pop band TFBoys, capitalised on the fame of their 19-year-old son by opening a bubble tea store named Chaforu in their home city this month, but were forced to close after just three days.
The reason? Business was just too good.
Reports said more than 1,000 fans, mostly young girls, had queued up outside on the first day of business and some had to wait up to four hours to get a drink. News of the store opening spread rapidly on social media and photos of the queue and the outlet’s drinks posted by fans waiting patiently to be served went viral.

https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2019/07/22/8f16ba0e-ac27-11e9-a61f-bc570b50c4e7_1320x770_171017.jpeg
The Chaforu bubble tea store in Chongqing was so successful the machinery broke down.

Business exploded in the following days and some of Wang’s fans even started queuing at 5am. One fan was quoted by as saying: “I arrived at the shop front at 7.30am. After a long wait, I finally got my milk tea at 11.30am. I even had a chance to have a chat with everyone’s ‘mother-in-law’ [Wang’s mother].”
But Wang’s parents were not prepared for their overnight success. Three days after the shop’s opening, Chaforu announced on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, that it would be closing temporarily, without providing a reason. In its post, the shop only thanked the fans for their support.
However, a Weibo user revealed that the shop had to close because its staff had been overwhelmed and its equipment broke down after just three days due to Wang’s overwhelming popularity.


firstloveneverdie
@halurita
Bubble tea shop open by Karry's family. 👪
CHA FOR U 星卡里 - in Chongqing.
When you go to Chongqing, don't forget to stop by and support yo ~ 🥤🍵😋
PS : Karry's mommy and daddy are so cute and loving. 🥰💙 #王俊凯 #karrywang #wangjunkai

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71
11:12 AM - Jun 30, 2019 · Central Region, Singapore
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The store recently reopened and business is still booming – so much so that Wang himself doesn’t dare pay a visit. Late last week he was seen loitering outside the shop wearing a black mask, but sent an assistant in to get his favourite drink to avoid causing chaos inside.
Chaforu’s success is just the latest example of the hype surrounding China’s fan economy that emerged alongside the rise of Chinese idols such as TFBoys.
Wang made his debut as a member of TFBoys in 2013, at the age of 13 with fellow members Roy Wang and Jackson Yee. The trio quickly became superstars and by 2016 Karry Wang was said to be one of the country’s wealthiest young performers, although fellow member Yee eclipsed him as the most valuable star in China by amassing more than 70 million followers on Chinese social media network Weibo, more than the population of the UK.

https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2019/07/22/3a97c752-ac2c-11e9-a61f-bc570b50c4e7_972x_171017.jpeg
Karry Wang’s parents had to close their bubble tea store when the overworked machinery broke down.

Together the TFBoys – the most famous of the young stars referred to as “little fresh meat” in China – are said to be worth US$4 billion.
Outside of his work with TFBoys, Wang has started releasing solo singles, but his career has slowed somewhat since he enrolled in the Beijing Film Academy in 2017. Last year he starred in the hit television drama series Eagles and Youngsters, and has joined the cast for the yet-to-be-released fantasy animated feature L. O. R. D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties 2.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Boy band idol’s fame causes storm in a tea shop

[GeneChing]

a theme park? srsly?


Bubble tea amusement park to open in Harajuku, promises to be the “tapioca land of your dreams” (https://soranews24.com/2019/07/19/bubble-tea-amusement-park-to-open-in-harajuku-promises-to-be-the-tapioca-land-of-your-dreams/)
Dale Roll 5 days ago

https://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2019/07/tokyo-tapioca-land1.jpg?w=640&h=411

Boba fans won’t want to miss this!

Tapioca tea, also known as boba or bubble tea depending on who you’re talking to, has been a popular drink in other parts of Asia and in Asian communities outside the continent, but in Japan the craze hadn’t really caught on until recently. Now there’s tapioca ramen, tapioca beer, official Pokémon tapioca drinks, and somebody even came up with the idea of putting tapioca balls in a rice cooker (and it actually tastes good!), so it’s safe to say that Japan now loves tapioca, too.

Hardcore tapioca tea fans will definitely want to visit Tokyo this summer, because there’s going to be a special tapioca drink “theme park” opening up for a limited time in Harajuku! Tokyo Tapioca Land will be open from August 13 to September 16 in front of Harajuku Station, and it promises to be everything a boba fan could want, and more.

https://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2019/07/tokyo-tapioca-land2.jpg?w=640&h=460

What do we mean by a tapioca theme park? Why tapioca drink stands, tapioca food, a tapioca photo booth, and even tapioca rides, of course! With the theme being “Tapioca Dream Land”, you can expect tapioca to be used in everything, from the food and drink to the decor and attractions. At this theme park they want you to experience tapioca “with your whole body”, so be ready to be blown away with new boba experiences. Several famous tapioca shops are also planning to make an appearance, so this might also be the best place to find out what your favorite kind of tapioca tea is.

https://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2019/07/tokyo-tapioca-land3.png?w=640&h=320

Tokyo Tapioca Land will be in a newly built shopping area called “jing”, which is about a two-minute walk from JR Harajuku station, and directly accessible from Tokyo Metro’s Meiji Jingu-mae Station, so it will be in a very convenient location. But that also means it will likely be busy, and since the dates place it square in the middle of summer vacation, we highly recommend that you buy your tickets ahead of time. There will only be 1,000 pre-sale tickets, and at 1,000 yen (US$9.20) each, they’re 200 yen less than tickets at the door, so they’ll probably sell out quickly. You can buy them onlie through Yahoo! Passmarket.

So boba tea fans, don’t miss out! You’ll definitely want to make a visit to this temporary tapioca dreamland before it’s gone!

Theme park information
Tokyo Tapioca Land / 東京タピオカランド
Address: Tokyo-to Shibuya-ku Jingu-Mae 6-35-6 jing
東京都渋谷区神宮前6丁目35-6
Open: August 13 to September 16
August hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (last order 6:45)
September hours: 1 p.m.-7 p.m. (weekdays), 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (weekends) (last order 6:45)
Entrance Fee: 1,000 yen for pre-sale tickets, 1,200 yen at the door; Children elementary age and younger free

Source: PR Times, Tokyo Tapioca Land
Images: PR Times

[GeneChing]

And I thought my job was odd.


Meet the SF designer of the Twitter Fail Whale and 5 food emojis (https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/Boba-tea-emoji-designer-Yiying-Lu-SF-14487429.php)
Tamara Palmer Updated 9:51 am PDT, Monday, October 7, 2019

https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/06/05/56/18373554/3/920x920.jpg
Yiying Lu, San Francisco based artist, who designed the Boba, the Dumpling Photo: Photo Illustration: Blair Heagerty / SFGate
Photo: Photo Illustration: Blair Heagerty / SFGate

Yiying Lu, San Francisco based artist, who designed the Boba, the Dumpling

When Yiying Lu speaks, her accent is the remixed result of being born in Shanghai, educated in Sydney and London and living in San Francisco for the past decade. That global perspective has influenced her work as an emoji designer and resulted in the official illustrations for dumplings, chopsticks, fortune cookies and Chinese takeout boxes (plus Twitter's classic 'fail whale'). Her creations have become a universal language throughout the world.

Lu, who is one of the founders of the emoji-democratizing org known as Emojination, now has an essential new emoji to share with the world: the boba drink, due to hit mobile phones in 2020.

The boba emoji first took shape around four years ago as a birthday gift to an executive at the venture fund and seed accelerator 500 Startups, where Lu worked as the creative director. She knew there was a need for a boba emoji, but she didn't relish the idea of once again going through Unicode Consortium's surprisingly tedious proposal process that's required to make emojis official across platforms.

"I was halfway through the proposal but then I got really caught up because all of these take a lot of time to write, and writing is not my forte," Lu said, sipping a boba drink at a new San Francisco shop called SimplexiTea. "Making art is easy but writing and doing research, it's almost like a PhD paper."

At first Lu worked alone on the proposal, but was soon joined by a team of computer science students and professors from Chicago. She left the writing of the largely up to her newfound team, save for one key section that points out the origins of the word boba as a Taiwanese slang word for big breasts.

"I did my research, it's very important!" she joked. "I'm more about language evolution and stuff so, yeah, I was very proud of that. We need to evangelize it. That was my contribution, apart from the art: the womanhood! Bring it into context: think about it, the milk is always coming from the mom! Even almond milk is coming from Mother Earth; you've got to honor that. You've got to honor the female power."

Lu stops short of endorsing any one boba purveyor in San Francisco. She's a fan of many shops, but her ideal cup is admittedly hard to find.

"I like tea that's in your face," she said. "I feel like if it's a really good boba, the tea will give you that punchiness. That's what I usually get when I go to Asia. I feel like boba should have really good ingredients. A really good boba is not too sweet; that's very important. It's always got the perfect amount of sweetness, but the tea needs to be really strong. You can actually taste the flavor of tea, and I feel like that is something I'm looking for always."

Lu has also recently created the "San Francisco Seal of Approval," a take on the iconic "I [Heart] New York" logo that features one of her characteristically uplifting and whimsical animal creations. She's designed related seals for San Francisco's 19 sister cities, which include Lu's beloved Shanghai and Sydney. She considers it her life's calling to bridge international cultural barriers with her visual art and her extensive speaking work.

"I'm not only the bridge between art and tech, I'm also the bridge between work and life, beauty and meaning and the East and West," she said during a TEDx talk in Palo Alto in June.

"People are like, 'Are you a designer? Are you a creative speaker? Who are you?'" she says. "'Well, I'm an alien with extraordinary ability, that was on my Visa.' But I think I got very lucky to be able to have the capacity to do the things I love to do and also help to shape the culture."

"In a way it's like being an architect," she reckoned. "You're actually using creativity and innovation to help to move the ecosystem."

Tamara Palmer is a freelance writer in the Bay Area.

THREADS
Emojis (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71534-Emojis)
Bubble Tea (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69498-Bubble-Tea)

[GeneChing]

It's good to see anything open during the pandemic.


THE FAMOUS KUNG FU TEA IS OPENING SOON AT LUBBOCK’S SOUTH PLAINS MALL (https://kfyo.com/the-famous-kung-fu-tea-is-opening-soon-at-lubbocks-south-plains-mall/#)
JAN MILLER Published: August 19, 2020

https://townsquare.media/site/191/files/2020/08/Kung-Fu-Tea-2-photo-e1597877578296.jpg

The famous Kung Fu Tea is getting set to open soon at Lubbock's South Plains Mall, 6002 Slide Road.

Called the 'Starbucks of bubble tea' according to an online review, Kung Fu Tea is set to bring the big-time bubble tea experience to Lubbock. So if your bubble tea could use some wow-factor, get ready for Kung Fu Tea. They're anticipating opening possibly as soon as this month, although we haven't seen confirmation yet.

One thing's for sure: our thirst-buds have never been quenched quite this way before. Kung Fu Tea has a serious track record.

They boast a lifestyle with significance and energy. They are "fresh," "innovative" and "fearless," with locations around the world, including 250 in the United States. Since they launched in 2010 in New York, they've built a powerhouse reputation.

Here's what they say on their website:

Kung Fu, in its purest essence, is the desire for self-improvement and to expand one's capabilities beyond all limitations.

Here at Kung Fu Tea, we believe that it’s our mission to not only continuously improve our brand and beverages and the lives of our customers through providing only the most delicious, high-quality flavors but also to inspire the community to dream big and live fearlessly.

Founded in Queens, NY on April 30, 2010, we’re America’s largest bubble tea brand with over 250+ locations across the U.S. As one of the OGs of bubble tea, we maintain uncompromisingly high standards. Let’s be real. Making tea that looks good isn’t the hard part. The actual challenge is making tea that tastes good and presenting it in an innovative way. Made with the art of ‘3T’ Kung Fu, every cup of tea is freshly brewed at the perfect temperature using premium tea leaves.

Wow -- talk about tea on a mission. We look forward to visiting Kung Fu Tea when they open and will keep you posted. You can visit their website for their menu and more of their impressive story.


threads
Kung-Fu-Restaurants-amp-Bars (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?51971-Kung-Fu-Restaurants-amp-Bars)
bubble tea (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69498-Bubble-Tea)

[GeneChing]

...I always thought it was out of place in the tenderloin. I guess I was wrong.


S.F. boba shop was a front for an international car-burglary operation, D.A. Boudin says (https://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/article/S-F-boba-shop-was-a-front-for-an-international-17162814.php)
Megan Cassidy
May 10, 2022
Updated: May 12, 2022 8:07 a.m.

https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/25/55/24/22467873/3/ratio3x2_1200.jpg
An exterior view of the Quickly boba tea shop on Larkin Street is seen in San Francisco, Calif. Tuesday, May 10, 2022. Quoc Le, 41, whose wife owns the shop in the Tenderloin neighborhood, was arrested following a two-year investigation named Operation Auto Pilot by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office where the store was suspected to be a front for an international fencing operation where stolen goods from car burglaries were sold and shipped overseas
Stephen Lam / The Chronicle

An unassuming boba tea shop in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood is suspected to be a front for an international fencing operation, where street-level car burglars sell stolen goods before the property is shipped off to countries as far away as Vietnam and China, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Quoc Le, 41, whose wife owns a Quickly bubble tea cafe on Larkin Street, was arrested following a sprawling investigation by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office that targeted higher-level criminals who profit off the city’s smash-and-grab epidemic. Le’s wife was not charged with a crime, prosecutors said.

The probe leading to Le’s arrest, which is dubbed Operation Auto Pilot, included bait cars, GPS tracking devices and undercover surveillance, and led to the recovery of more than 1,000 laptops, phones, cameras and other devices from locations allegedly associated with Le, officials said.

Le was taken into custody on Monday and will be charged with at least eight counts of felony possession of stolen property and four counts as a misdemeanor, according to San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin.

“Car break-ins have been a longstanding problem in San Francisco for at least a decade; I created Operation Auto Pilot to take aggressive action against fencing networks responsible for so much property crime,” Boudin said in a statement. “We hope that this sends a strong message to deter anyone considering breaking into a car or buying stolen goods: we are watching and you will be held accountable.”

Officials said the seized loot was likely worth more than $100,000, and they were cataloging the devices in an effort to return them to their rightful owners.

Court records associated with the investigation offered a rare glimpse into an illicit market that remains largely invisible — but for the telltale glitter of broken glass that blankets San Francisco’s streets. Of the more than 20,000 reported smash-and-grab cases reported each year, fewer than 1% resulted in an arrest, according to prosecutors. Many other victims don’t report the thefts to police.

Officials with the District Attorney’s Office said they were continuing various, related investigations in Operation Auto Pilot, which launched more than a year ago. Boudin’s office employs investigators who can conduct special operations at Boudin’s request and make arrests.

The bust comes at a crucial time for Boudin, who is facing down a recall election led by critics who say he’s too soft on crime. Supporters for Boudin, who was elected on a vow to emphasize rehabilitation over prison time for certain nonviolent offenses, will likely hold up the case as proof he takes the concerns of residents seriously.

The investigation and Le’s arrest appeared to rebut a recent pro-recall commercial in which Shirin Oloumi, a former assistant district attorney who prosecuted car break-ins, states that Boudin “dissolved that unit and prevented me from collaborating with the police.”

In a July 27 farewell email to her then-colleagues, Oloumi references Operation Auto Pilot specifically and said she had “no doubt I will be reading about the success of (it) in the news soon,” according to a copy of the email obtained by The Chronicle. A spokesperson for the recall effort did not immediately return a request for comment.

The Department of Homeland Security and the United States Postal Service assisted in the investigation.

The investigation into Le began in October, when investigators parked a bait vehicle in Japantown — an area known for drawing unsuspecting tourists and an attendant stream of car burglars. Inside the car officials planted a new Apple Macbook Pro, and affixed a hidden GPS tracker to it.

The bait car was broken into that day, and inspectors spent the next several hours trailing the tracker from one car to another throughout San Francisco, according to court records.

Investigators first identified Le as a suspect when the tracker stopped at a gas station, where Le was parked. While other cars filed in and out of the gas station, neither Le’s vehicle nor the tracker moved for several minutes, investigators said.

A surveillance team spent the next several months learning Le’s habits and building a case against him, records show. He was seen regularly taking packages — including one that allegedly contained the prosecutors’ tracker — to a FedEx store, and in less than a month, prosecutors recorded his vehicle making more than 100 stops in an area of Golden Gate Avenue where investigators witnessed what they suspected was Le buying stolen items.

Investigators also worked with several victims who had their stolen devices send location signals from a vacant space on Larkin Street that shares a wall with the bubble tea cafe owned by Le’s wife.

One victim who initially found her iPhone there on Dec. 6 traced it to a FedEx distribution facility in Oakland, and then two days later saw the phone ping from Hong Kong. Investigators said Le’s phone records allegedly showed a connection to a company in Hong Kong where this stolen phone was allegedly located.

In February, another victim told investigators that her stolen laptop was pinging from this same Larkin Street location. By March, it was pinging from Vietnam, court records state.

A surveillance team who staked out the Larkin Street address in January said they witnessed multiple people enter the Quickly tea shop — at least one with a laptop visible — and exit without the devices or food or drinks in their hands.

Sharky Laguana, president of both the American Rental Car Association and the San Francisco Small Business Commission, praised the operation, which had used rental cars as bait.

“I am delighted that it has delivered such a meaningful result,” said Laguana, who is based in San Francisco. “Hundreds of stolen laptops and cell phones can now be returned to their rightful owners, and a major outlet for stolen goods is now shut down.”

Le is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon. When he was arrested on Monday, Le was already out on bail for a 2019 case involving stolen property, which is still pending.



Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy

Megan Cassidy is a crime reporter with The Chronicle, also covering cops, criminal justice issues and mayhem. Previously, Cassidy worked for the Arizona Republic covering Phoenix police, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and desert-area crime and mayhem. She is a two-time graduate of the University of Missouri, and has additionally worked at the Casper Star-Tribune, National Geographic and an online publication in Buenos Aires. Cassidy can be reached on twitter at @meganrcassidy, and will talk about true crime as long as you'll let her.

Also, Sharky Laguana is a great name.

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwD8HsgikIg

Ketchup (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69250-Ketchup)
Bubble-Tea-Boba (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69498-Bubble-Tea-Boba)

[GeneChing]

Spirit Halloween and Kung Fu Tea Brew Up Killer Costume and Drink Collaboration for Halloween Season (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/spirit-halloween-kung-fu-tea-130000982.html)
PR Newswire
Mon, September 18, 2023, 6:00 AM PDT·5 min read
The iconic Halloween retailer and the beloved bubble tea brand unveiled five all-new Halloween costumes and a limited-edition beverage.

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. and NEW YORK, Sept. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Spirit Halloween and Kung Fu Tea are joining forces to serve up new treats for fans – no tricks about it. The collaboration includes five exclusive costumes and a new, limited-time-only beverage inspired by all things Spirit, so fans can fuel up and go code orange all October with a killer beverage that isn't just pumpkin spice.

https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/quOg5sxis4Ga7GoiX4vJ4g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTQ2Mg--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/ca42463fd17e612bdb3d04aa3d3435a5
Spirit Halloween and Kung Fu Tea Brew Up Killer Costume and Drink Collaboration for Halloween Season
Kung Fu Tea Fans ready to wear their fandom can choose from a menu that includes five looks, each inspired by their favorite Kung Fu Tea flavors. The first-ever official Kung Fu Tea costumes will be available exclusively online at SpiritHalloween.com, and include:

Adult Kung Fu Tea Boba Buddy Costume: This three-dimensional costume featuring a smiling cartoon face is as irresistible as Kung Fu Tea itself. Available for $49.99

Adult Kung Fu Tea Milk Tea Costume: A new take on the signature sip, this classic-inspired cup costume will be a hit at any Halloween bash. Available for $49.99

Adult Kung Fu Tea Matcha Milk Cap Costume: Just like matcha and milk cap, matcha lovers and this costume are a match made in heaven. Available for $49.99

Adult Kung Fu Tea Taro Milk Tea Costume: This light purple look is sure to bubble up compliments this Halloween season. Available for $49.99

Adult Kung Fu Tea Strawberry Slush Dress: Add a pop of sweetness to Halloween celebrations with this pastel pink dress. Available for $39.99

This tasty collab is more than just costumes – Spirit Halloween and Kung Fu Tea jumped into their mad science-inspired lab to concoct the limited-edition Spirit Spooky Slush for this Halloween season, which hits all Kung Fu Tea locations nationwide on October 1. The exclusive slush combines the brand's signature matcha slush with a brand-new Taro Milk Cap and is topped with Oreo® pieces for a drink that slays cravings.

Each Spirit Spooky Slush is served in a specialty collector's Spirit Halloween-themed cup, complete with a limited-edition straw cap and lid featuring Spirit Halloween's iconic Jack the Reaper. The first 100 customers who try the Spirit Spooky Slush at each location will receive the limited-edition Jack the Reaper straw cap and the first 300 customers will receive a limited-edition sticker, so eager fans should act quickly, before they disappear.

"We love teaming up with brands that our customers are passionate about and finding new ways for fans to experience the products they love most. This collaboration with Kung Fu Tea is exciting for us as we're debuting the first ever Spirit Halloween-inspired drink," shared Kym Sarkos, Executive Vice President, General Merchandise Manager at Spirit Halloween. "Our fans are crazy about Kung Fu Tea, and we can't wait to see them dressed up like their favorite bubble tea while they enjoy a Spirit Spooky Slush this October."

"We couldn't be more excited to jump in on the excitement of the Halloween season alongside this iconic brand," said Matthew Poveromo, Marketing Manager at Kung Fu Tea. "Not only can our KFT loyalists get dressed up head-to-toe in the first ever Kung Fu Tea costumes, but they can celebrate like never before by sipping on our delicious Spirit Spooky Slush featuring our new Taro Milk Cap – it's a must try this fall for any Kung Fu Tea guests."

Fans who wear their Kung Fu Tea costume to their local Kung Fu Tea store on Halloween, Tuesday, October 31, will receive a free drink. You can shop the full menu of costumes now exclusively on SpiritHalloween.com, while supplies last, and can slurp down the limited-edition beverage starting October 1 through October 31 at all Kung Fu Tea locations nationwide.

For the inside scoop on all things Halloween, follow @SpiritHalloween on social media. Visit SpiritHalloween.com, where die-hard Halloween fans can shop anytime, anywhere, every day of the year. Be sure to follow Kung Fu Tea's official social channels on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for some exciting surprises this Halloween season.

About Spirit Halloween
Celebrating 40-years of business, Spirit Halloween (SpiritHalloween.com) is the largest Halloween retailer in the country. With more than 1,500 seasonal locations in strip centers and malls across North America, Spirit is the one-stop destination for all things Halloween. For four decades, Spirit has created immersive and interactive experiences for shoppers, complete with a unique and vast assortment of costumes and accessories for infants, toddlers, children, 'tweens, teens, and adults, along with exclusive décor and animatronics you won't find anywhere else. For more information, please visit: SpiritHalloween.com.

About Kung Fu Tea
Founded in Queens, NY, on April 30, 2010, Kung Fu Tea is a made-to-order bubble teat company with over 400 locations across the U.S. Bubble tea (also known as pearl milk tea, boba milk tea, or simply boba) is a Taiwanese drink that mixes milk/fruit and topped off with chewy tapioca balls, and over the past decade has exploded in popularity across the world.

At Kung Fu Tea, each beverage is freshly handcrafted with authentic, high-quality ingredients. The brand's founders, baristas, and customers are Kung Fu Masters – passionate, dedicated, and fearless in changing the face of the beverage industry.

To learn more, please visit kungfutea.com or follow Kung Fu Tea's official social channels: Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.


Bubble-Tea-Boba (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69498-Bubble-Tea-Boba)
Happy-Halloween! (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?17340-Happy-Halloween!)

[GeneChing]

Coming next week: Tai Chi Bubble Tea along with ramen, poke and sushi burritos (https://www.wichitabyeb.com/2023/12/tai-chi-bubble-tea-opens-next-week.html)
By Eddy / December 28, 2023 / News
Tai Chi Bubble Tea

https://www.wichitabyeb.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/img_5406-1-600x450.jpg

Northwest Wichita is about to get an option for bubble tea, poke, sushi burritos and ramen when Tai Chi Bubble Tea opens in NewMarket Square at 2413 N. Maize Road. This will be in the same strip center as Buffalo Wild Wings.

Barring any last second setbacks, the opening date has been set for Wednesday, January 3.

When they open, the menu, which is shown on the front of the building without prices, will feature bubble tea, poke bowls, sushi burritos and ramen. It should be an exciting new eatery for the west side of town, which doesn’t have a lot to choose from when it comes to many of those dishes.

Tai Chi first opened in 2015 and has since grown to nearly 40 stores, mostly found in the northeast part of the country. The closest location can be found in Oklahoma City.

Kung-Fu-Restaurants-amp-Bars (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?51971-Kung-Fu-Restaurants-amp-Bars)
Bubble-Tea-Boba (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69498-Bubble-Tea-Boba)

[GeneChing]

Doctors remove 300 kidney stones from woman who drank bubble tea instead of water (https://nextshark.com/taiwan-kidney-stones-bubble-tea)
https://nextshark.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/boba.jpg?width=640&auto_optimize=mediumvia Rosalind Chang on Unsplash
Xiao Yu admitted to avoiding water and instead consuming sweetened drinks like bubble tea for years
Michelle De Pacina
DECEMBER 28, 2023

DOCTORS IN TAIWAN had to remove over 300 kidney stones from a 20-year-old woman who suffered chronic dehydration from drinking sweetened drinks over water.
What happened: Earlier this month, Xiao Yu was admitted to Chi Mei Hospital in Tainan due to fever and severe lower back pain. An ultrasound revealed hundreds of kidney stones in her swollen right kidney, ranging from 5 mm to 2 cm in size.

What caused it?: Yu admitted to avoiding water and instead consuming drinks like bubble tea, fruit juice and alcohol for years, resulting in chronic dehydration and a build-up of minerals in her kidneys.

The treatment: Doctors conducted a surgery called percutaneous nephrolithotomy, which lasted for two hours. They reportedly extracted about 300 stones. The woman is now in stable condition and had already been discharged from the hospital.

Importance of water: Dr. Lim Chye-yang, the surgeon who carried out the procedure, emphasized the importance of proper water intake in preventing kidney stones.
“Proper water intake is crucial for diluting minerals in urine,” Lim told Metro. “If the body lacks enough water, the minerals in the urine can easily become concentrated, increasing the risk of stone formation.”

Kidney stones: According to Dr. Lim, approximately 9.6% of the Taiwanese population might experience kidney stones during their lifetime, with men being three times more likely than women to develop kidney stones. It typically occurs in individuals between the ages of 50 and 60.

Michelle De Pacina
is a New York-based Reporter for NextShark Stay hydrated everyone!

[GeneChing]

Billions from bubble tea and other success stories from Asia’s beverage moguls (https://www.tatlerasia.com/power-purpose/others/top-beverage-bubble-tea-companies-asia)
By Clifford Olanday
Feb 02, 2024

https://cdn.tatlerasia.com/tatlerasia/i/2024/02/02112602-18135457-my-brian-loo-sally-quah-tatler-16093-a1-fullres-cover-1196x1600_cover_1196x1600.jpeg
COVER Bryan Loo, founder and CEO, Loob Holding
NEW

The business leaders at the helm of Asia’s leading beverage companies satisfy the region’s demand for variety, flavour and inventiveness in drinks
Double caramel smoothies, brown sugar pearl lattés, cream sodas, energy drinks—the business leaders on Asia’s Most Influential are satisfying more than just a basic need; their success comes from answering the demand for variety, flavour and inventiveness in drinks. Behind some of the biggest homegrown beverage companies, they contribute to the projected $60-billion growth of the non-alcoholic beverage sector in Asia this year, which includes a flourishing $3.7-billion bubble-tea sector. These business leaders are also reaching beyond their success in Asia, with their refreshment brands now available in North America and Europe.

https://cdn.tatlerasia.com/tatlerasia/i/2024/02/02112551-17015523-img-7927-1-cover-500x554_cover_500x554.jpg
ABOVE Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi, president, Thai Beverage Public Company Limited

Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi leads Thai Beverage Public Company Limited (ThaiBev), the largest drinks company in Thailand, with over 200 subsidiaries and many popular brands under its belt, including non-alcoholic beverages such as Oishi Green Tea, Est Cola and Crystal drinking water, as well as alcoholic drinks like Grand Royal whisky, Chang beer and Ruang Khao liquor.

To solidify its success throughout the region, ThaiBev has embarked on Passion 2025, a five-year roadmap focused on three goals: build new capabilities by enhancing its business model and product offerings; strengthen its leadership positions in the core markets of Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore and Malaysia; and unlock potential by building partnerships and developing a world-class workforce.

It has been announced that Sirivadhanabhakdi will take on a bigger role in the beverage company, becoming director and group CEO on June 27, 2024.

https://cdn.tatlerasia.com/tatlerasia/i/2024/02/02112543-04171418-s-ami0104-cover-1000x1500_cover_1000x1500.jpg
ABOVE Jian Zhi Guo, executive director, CoCo International

As the executive director of CoCo International, Jian Zhi Guo plans the business strategies of the beverage company behind the global bubble tea brand CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice. Established in Taiwan in 1997, CoCo now offers its drinks beyond Asia, opening stores in North America (in the US and Canada), South America (in Peru) and across Europe (in France, the UK, Sweden and more). Apart from its signature milk tea drinks (taro with sago, Japanese matcha with red beans), it also offers creations with popping pearls, drinks with Yakult, slushies and smoothies

Recognised for its “exceptional quality and spirit of innovation”, CoCo was among the global winners at the World Branding Awards, which was held at Kensington Palace in the UK in 2023. The brand is also committed to the environment, hosting upcycling workshops in Barcelona, installing solar panels in its warehouses and prioritising eco-friendly packaging in its production.

https://cdn.tatlerasia.com/tatlerasia/i/2024/02/02112602-18135457-my-brian-loo-sally-quah-tatler-16093-a1-fullres-cover-1196x1600_cover_1196x1600.jpeg
ABOVE Bryan Loo, founder and CEO, Loob Holding
“Thinking outside the box and being forward-thinking is also important. This means exploring new possibilities and opportunities to gain a competitive advantage. By anticipating future trends and adapting strategies accordingly, a good leader can create innovative solutions to meet the needs of their customers,” said Loob Holding CEO Bryan Loo to Tatler.

The businessman continues to drive the success of Tealive, one of the most prevalent bubble tea chains in the region. In 2021, Loo partnered with Creador, selling a 30-per cent stake to the private equity firm to fuel Tealive’s expansion. Now, Tealive operates over 1,000 outlets in Asia and beyond, with stores also in the UK, Canada, Australia and Mauritius. In 2023, the CEO further invested in the brand, opening a tapioca pearl production facility in Selangor that can produce 400 tonnes of pearls per month for Tealive’s production.

Loo completes his beverage empire with more ventures: Bask Bear coffee, sparkling water maker Sodaxpress and kombucha brand Wonderbrew.


Chinese-Tycoons-CEOs-amp-Tuhao (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69088-Chinese-Tycoons-CEOs-amp-Tuhao)
Bubble-Tea-Boba (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69498-Bubble-Tea-Boba)

[GeneChing]

KUNG FU TEA CELEBRATES NATIONAL BUBBLE TEA DAY (https://www.morningstar.com/news/pr-newswire/20240412ny86813/kung-fu-tea-celebrates-national-bubble-tea-day)
Provided by PR Newswire
Apr 12, 2024 10:48am
PR Newswire

NEW YORK, April 12, 2024

Founders of National Bubble Tea Day - Kung Fu Tea gets ready to celebrate their 14th Birthday and the growing international holiday celebrated around the world.

NEW YORK, April 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Founded in Queens on April 30, 2010, Kung Fu Tea, America's favorite bubble tea, has continuously elevated the world of made-to-order bubble tea with their 'Fresh - Innovative - Fearless' approach. 14 Years later and with over 400 locations around the US, Kung Fu Tea is excited to honor the growing community of 'boba lovers' and celebrate the tasty beverage that everyone is falling in love with.

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2015084/Kung_Fu_Tea_Logo.jpg
(PRNewsfoto/Kung Fu Tea) (PRNewsfoto/Kung Fu Tea)

As the Founders of National Bubble Tea Day, Kung Fu Tea has always been excited to see the holiday expand, with other domestic and international bubble tea companies coming together to embrace the holiday and share their passion for all things Boba on Kung Fu Tea's Birthday.

"We strive to make bubble tea accessible for everyone. Whether you are looking for the iconic milk tea, a refreshing slush, or a fruity punch - Kung Fu Tea has something for everyone. There are plenty of ways to enjoy your favorites or mix it up and explore our menu with a wide variety of delicious toppings and fresh tea bases. We're so excited to celebrate National Bubble Tea Day with Boba lovers on our birthday every single year," says Kung Fu Tea Marketing Manager, Matthew Poveromo.

To expand the celebration, this April, Kung Fu Tea is launching a series of promotions surrounding their 14th Anniversary and National Bubble Tea Day!

4/15-4/30: Get a free Boba Bag featuring graphics from Nintendo's Princess Peach: Showtime! game with the purchase of 2 drinks from Princess Peach's Tea Party!
4/27-4/27: Get double app points with every purchase on the Kung Fu Tea App
4/29: Get a Free Medium Kiwi Punch with any drink purchase
4/30: Get a $6 app credit when you make any purchase with the Kung Fu Tea App. Credit to be redeemed the following week with every purchase!
Fans can hear the latest on all things boba by following Kung Fu Tea on TikTok and Instagram.

About Kung Fu Tea

Founded in Queens, NY in 2010, Kung Fu Tea is America's #1 Bubble Tea Company with over 400 locations across the U.S. and Canada. At Kung Fu Tea, each beverage is freshly handcrafted with authentic, high-quality ingredients. To learn more, please visit www.kungfutea.com or follow Kung Fu Tea's official social channels: Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. So you can just make up a day when you found a company? That's not how it worked for us for Kung Fu Tai Chi Day (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/info/tournament/2024KFTCDAY.html).