Simu Liu voices cultural concerns over boba brand pitch on ‘Dragons’ Den’

via CBC Gem

During the third episode of “Dragons’ Den” Season 19, guest investor Simu Liu expressed reservations about investing in a Quebec-based boba company. Liu, known for his role in “Shang-Chi,” questioned the cultural impact of Bobba, a packaged bubble tea brand, which was seeking $1 million for an 18% stake in their business.

“New” kind of boba: With Bobba, entrepreneurs Sebastien Fiset and Jessica Frenette were seeking to “disrupt” with new innovations like alcoholic bubble tea and bottled popping boba. The brand’s financial success, with $4.6 million in sales last year and plans for rapid expansion attracted the attention and interest of the other dragons. Liu, however, raised questions about the company’s branding and whether it adequately acknowledged the Taiwanese origins of bubble tea. “I am studying your can, and I am looking for anything that tells me where boba came from, and where boba came from is Taiwan,” Liu stated.
Not his cup of boba: As the other dragons made their offers, Liu emphasized his desire to support minority entrepreneurs and expressed discomfort with potentially “uplifting a business that is profiting off of something that feels so dear to my cultural heritage.” Declining to invest, Liu emphasized the importance of respecting cultural heritage in business, saying, “I want to be a part of bringing boba to the masses, but not like this. So for that reason, I’m out.”

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