bubble tea
Gong Cha, Heinz launch ketchup-flavored ‘boba’ in Singapore
- Gong Cha Singapore has teamed up with Heinz to introduce ketchup-flavored “boba.”
- The tomato drinks – which are served without pearls – are priced at 7.80 SGD (approximately $5) per bottle and come in two flavors: “Pomato Bomb” (tomato, pear and pomegranate) and “Berry Mary” (tomato and raspberry).
- The Gong Cha x Heinz collaboration was released in Singapore on Sept. 29.
While it may sound like an early April Fools’ joke, Gong Cha Singapore has collaborated with Heinz to introduce ketchup-flavored “boba” – without pearls.
The new tomato drinks, a curveball that many Gong Cha and Heinz fans did not see coming, were released in Singapore on Sept. 29 as part of Gong Cha’s Tomato BBT (bubble tea) series.
Jamba Juice adds boba options to menu for ‘extra burst of flavor’
- For a limited time starting on Sept. 6, customers will be able to customize their Jamba Juice smoothies, bowls and iced beverages with “Strawberry Bursting Boba” or “Sweet Tapioca Boba Pearls” for an “extra burst of flavor, fun and customization.”
- “Boba offers an all-new way for our guests to customize their Jamba experience and add even more flavor and fun to their favorite Jamba beverage or bowl – no matter how they want to Jamba," Vice President of Marketing Danielle Fisher said in a recent press release.
- The new menu items are part of "Just Gotta Jamba," the company's new marketing campaign.
Jamba Juice will offer two boba options for an “extra burst of flavor, fun and customization” to its smoothies, bowls and iced beverages for a limited time.
Starting on Sept. 6, customers will be able to add “Strawberry Bursting Boba” or “Sweet Tapioca Boba Pearls” to any of their orders, according to a recent press release.
Woman accidentally crashes her car through boba shop in Washington
- Two women and a toddler were sitting at a table in Melody Boba House in Washington on Monday when a car came crashing through the windows closest to them at 2:36 p.m.
- One of the women was pinned between the store counter and the car. She was brought to a hospital and is now at home in stable condition.
- Police said an elderly woman driving the car accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake. She was reportedly not cited.
- As the bubble tea store is currently closed for restoration, the owner, Melody Choe, started a GoFundMe page to help support her employees, whose only source of income comes from working at her boba store.
The owner of a boba shop in Puyallup, Washington, is asking for donations to help fund her employees after a car crashed through her storefront on Monday.
Two women and a toddler were sitting at a table in Melody Boba House at Puyallup on Monday when a car came crashing through the windows closest to them at 2:36 p.m.
Gong Cha names former Five Guys chief as new global CEO
- International bubble tea chain Gong Cha has named former Five Guys CEO Paul Reynish as its new global CEO, replacing Gong Cha Group founder and chairperson Martin Berry.
- The appointment is part of the chain’s plan to accelerate expansion in the U.S. and other international territories.
- Reynish has over 25 years of international experience with high-profile brands such as Dunkin’, Subway and Burger King.
- Berry, who has retained his role as chairperson of Gong Cha, is credited with growing Gong Cha from a Taiwan-based chain to a global franchise with over 1,400 locations around the world.
- In a statement, Berry said Reynish’s past work experience “make[s] him the ideal leader to build upon the momentum we’ve created over the past several years.”
International bubble tea chain Gong Cha has named former Five Guys CEO Paul Reynish as its new global CEO in a bid to speed up the chain’s expansion in the U.S. and other international territories.
While the appointment was announced on Aug. 1, Reynish had already assumed the role on July 15, succeeding Gong Cha Group founder and chairperson Martin Berry.
Milk tea brand in China recalled for looking too similar to laundry detergent
- A milk tea brand in China was recalled after customers complained that its packaging looks alarmingly similar to laundry detergent bottles.
- The Thai milk tea packaging, designed by Nanyeli Thai Food Restaurant in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, used a handle, lid and label design similar to those of laundry detergent and cleaning products.
- Customers were concerned that the packaging could harm children by leading them to believe that laundry detergent bottles contain milk tea.
- Nanyeli Thai Food Restaurant will be launching an investigation into the design of the milk tea product.
A milk tea brand with packaging that has a striking resemblance to laundry detergent bottles has been recalled after customers feared that children may mistakenly drink cleaning products believing it to be milk tea.
Nanyeli Thai Food Restaurant, based in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, produce the Thai-style milk tea with packaging that uses a label, handle and lid design similar to those of laundry detergent bottles. Three of the restaurant’s chain outlets were selling the milk tea products in 500ml bottles across Nanjing.
Milk tea eggs: New York City boba shops are helping fuel new viral drink trend
Boba chains in New York City are selling boba drinks in limited-edition egg-shaped containers.
I’Milky, founded originally as Mu Bai in Taiwan in 2017, had previously sold their Magic Eggs collectibles in April and May in 2021. This year, the international chain brought back their three Magic Egg drinks exclusively at their Midtown and Williamsburg locations in New York City.
‘Birds of Prey’ star Ella Jay Basco releases summer anthem ‘Bubble Tea’
- Actor and singer-songwriter Ella Jay Basco, 15, released her latest single “Bubble Tea” on Sunday, marking the start of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.
- The former child actor (“Veep,” “Grey’s Anatomy”) branched into music after her breakout role as Cassandra Cain in the 2020 film “Birds of Prey.”
- Basco, who is of Filipino and Korean descent, told Variety that she loves “incorporating different pieces of my culture, the food and music, the dancing, everything into my career.”
- Taking inspiration from the popular Taiwanese tea-based drink, Basco described her new song as the “summer anthem specifically for Asian kids.”
- The song’s music video follows Basco and her friends enjoying bubble tea while hanging out in Koreatown and other spots in Los Angeles.
Ella Jay Basco marked the start of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with the release of her latest single “Bubble Tea” on Sunday.
The upbeat track will be featured in her upcoming album, along with other tracks such as “Eye to Eye.”
Australian couple who bonded through boba marries in Gong Cha shop
An Australia-based couple delighted social media users after sharing their recent wedding at a bubble tea shop in Brisbane on December 8th.
In a now-viral post in the popular Facebook group Subtle Asian Traits, a 25-year-old Singaporean man named Leonard Pang shared images of his wedding with his 22-year-old Australian wife Gina at a Gong Cha outlet in Brisbane.
Boba Fans Face Massive Tapioca Shortage in US
The U.S. is seeing a massive shortage of boba — or bubble tea — as tapioca starch shipments from overseas are delayed due to the recent shipping disaster in the Suez Canal, among other reasons.
Tommy Huang, senior sales manager at Hayward’s Leadway International Inc., one of Northern California’s largest boba suppliers, predicted tapioca pearls would become a luxury “in the next week or so” due to the shortage, according to the SF Chronicles.
Colorado Bubble Tea Shop Accused of ‘Stealing Black Culture’ Over Store Name
An Ethiopian woman accused an Asian-owned boba tea shop of “stealing Black culture” by claiming an African American slang for its name.
The incident, which was caught on video, took place at Trap Tea in Aurora, Colorado last Friday.
Sugary Drinks Cause Higher Risks of Cancer, According to New Study
Bubble tea lovers who like high sugar levels might want to rethink their orders as a new study has found that the consumption of sugary drinks is linked to a higher risk of developing certain types of cancer.
The study, which appeared in the BMJ medical journal on Thursday, involved a survey of over 100,000 adults by a team of researchers in France. The researchers conducted the survey to evaluate the association between the consumption of sugary drinks and the risks of overall cancer, as well as specific types.
Pokémon Company to Release Official Pokémon Boba in Japan
These new boba drinks look so good, Pokemon fans would definitely want to “catch ‘em all.”
Bubble tea lovers in Japan are in for a special treat from the Pokémon Company with the upcoming release of its official Pokémon boba this month.
