View source for Bubble tea

{{Short description|Tea-based drink with chewy bubbles}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2026}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox food
| name               = Bubble tea
| image              = [[File:Bubble Tea.png|frameless|upright]]
| caption            = A cup of bubble tea
| alternate_name     = Boba<br />Pearl milk tea<br />Boba milk tea<br />Boba tea<br/>Boba nai cha<br />Tapioca tea
| place_of_origin    = [[Taiwan]]
| year               = 1980s
| region             = Worldwide
| course             = Drink
| served             = Hot or cold
| main_ingredient    = [[Tapioca]], milk, [[non-dairy creamer|creamer]], brewed tea, sugar, flavorings
| variations         = 
| calories           = 
| other              = 
| cookbook           = Bubble Tea
}}

'''Bubble tea''' (also known as '''pearl milk tea''', '''bubble milk tea''', '''tapioca milk tea''', '''boba tea''', or '''boba'''; {{lang-zh|t=珍珠奶茶|p=zhēnzhū nǎichá}}, {{lang-zh|t=波霸奶茶|p=bōbà nǎichá|labels=no}}) is a [[tea]]-based [[drink]] most often containing chewy [[tapioca balls]], milk, and flavoring. It originated in [[Taiwan]] in the 1980s<ref name="Wu-2020">{{Cite journal |last=Wu |first=Jiayi |date=2020 |title=What Makes Bubble Tea Popular ? Interaction between Chinese and British Tea Culture |url=https://francis-press.com/papers/3231 |journal=The Frontiers of Society, Science and Technology |language=en |volume=2 |issue=16 |pages=97–102 |doi=10.25236/FSST.2020.021614 |doi-broken-date=11 July 2025|archive-date=26 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926155214/https://francis-press.com/papers/3231 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Yip-2020">{{Cite web |last=Yip |first=Lynnett |date=1 January 2020 |title=How Boba, or Bubble Tea, Went Global |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3044028/how-bubble-tea-or-boba-went-global-and-who-first-thought |access-date=24 January 2022 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en |archive-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502175038/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3044028/how-bubble-tea-or-boba-went-global-and-who-first-thought |url-status=live }}</ref> and spread to other countries where there is a large [[East Asian people|East Asian]] [[diaspora]] population.  

Bubble tea is most commonly made with tapioca pearls (also known as "boba" or "balls"), but it can be made with other toppings as well, such as [[grass jelly]], [[aloe vera]], [[Adzuki bean|red bean]], and [[popping boba]]. It has many varieties and flavors, but the two most popular varieties are pearl [[Black tea|black]] [[milk tea]] and pearl [[Green tea|green]] milk tea ("pearl" for the tapioca balls at the bottom). 

There are ongoing debates over the drink's impact on health. While the drink most often contains green or black tea, which offers many health benefits, it also has a high sugar and caloric content, which could exacerbate chronic diseases when consumed daily.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> 

==Description==
[[File:A paper straw for bubble tea and the popular straw.jpg|thumb|A paper straw for bubble tea compared with a more typical plastic straw]]
Bubble teas fall under two categories: teas without milk and milk teas. Both varieties come with a choice of [[Black tea|black]], [[Green tea|green]], or [[oolong]] tea as the base.<ref name="Wu-2020" /> Milk teas usually include [[Powdered milk|powdered]] or fresh milk, but may also use [[condensed milk]], [[almond milk]], [[soy milk]], or [[coconut milk]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Wu |first1=Yongzhong |last2=Lu |first2=Yikuan |last3=Xie |first3=Guie |date=15 February 2022 |title=Bubble tea consumption and its association with mental health symptoms: An observational cross-sectional study on Chinese young adults |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016503272101380X |journal=Journal of Affective Disorders |language=en |volume=299 |pages=620–627 |doi=10.1016/j.jad.2021.12.061 |pmid=34942229 |s2cid=245416664 |issn=0165-0327|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The oldest known bubble tea drink consisted of a mixture of hot Taiwanese black tea, tapioca pearls ({{lang-zh|c=粉圓|p=fěn yuán|poj=hún-îⁿ|tl=hún-înn}}), condensed milk, and syrup ({{Lang-zh|t=糖漿|p=táng jiāng}}) or honey.<ref name="Zhang-2019">{{Cite web |last=Zhang |first=Jenny G. |date=5 November 2019 |title=How Bubble Tea Became a Complicated Symbol of Asian-American Identity |url=https://www.eater.com/2019/11/5/20942192/bubble-tea-boba-asian-american-diaspora |access-date=9 April 2021 |website=Eater |language=en |archive-date=13 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213202724/https://www.eater.com/2019/11/5/20942192/bubble-tea-boba-asian-american-diaspora |url-status=live }}</ref> Bubble tea is most commonly served cold.<ref name="Zhang-2019" /> The tapioca pearls that give bubble tea its name were originally made from the starch of the [[cassava]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Encisco |first1=V. Elizabeth |last2=Zhu |first2=Feilin A. |date=7 October 2004 |title=Whose Boba Is Best? |url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2004/10/7/whose-boba-is-best-the-new/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611201115/http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2004/10/7/whose-boba-is-best-the-new/ |archive-date=11 June 2017 |access-date=30 April 2018 |website=The Harvard Crimson}}</ref> Larger pearls ({{Lang-zh|t=珍珠|p=zhēn zhū}}) quickly replaced these.<ref name="Wong-2020">{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Maggie Hiufu |date=30 April 2020 |title=The Rise of Bubble Tea, One of Taiwan's Most Beloved Beverages |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/taiwan-bubble-tea-origins/index.html |access-date=9 April 2021 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=31 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331215526/https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/taiwan-bubble-tea-origins/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The alternative name "boba" ({{Zh|c=波霸|p=bō bà|j=bo1 baa3}}), common in the United States but rare in Asia, originates from 
a nickname for Hong Kong actress [[Amy Yip]].<ref name="Wong-2020" /><ref name="Eater_NguyenOkwu2019">{{cite web |last1=Nguyen-Okwu |first1=Leslie |date=2019-03-16 |title=Boba Explained: A Taxonomy of Taipei's Bubble Tea |url=https://www.eater.com/2019/3/6/18240387/boba-milk-bubble-tea-explained-how-to-order |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505213903/https://www.eater.com/2019/3/6/18240387/boba-milk-bubble-tea-explained-how-to-order |archive-date=2020-05-05 |accessdate=2020-04-29 |website=[[Eater (website)|Eater]]}}</ref><ref name="ZolimaCityMag_Tsang2020">{{Cite web |last=Tsang |first=Jocelyn |date=2020-11-26 |title=Hong Kong Gen Z, Part II: How We Made Bubble Tea Our Own |url=https://zolimacitymag.com/hong-kong-gen-z-how-we-made-bubble-tea-our-own/ |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=Zolima City Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref>

There are select cafés that specialize in bubble tea production.<ref name="credo1">{{Cite book |last=Goldstein |first=Darra |url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/ouposas/bubble_tea |title=The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets |date=2015 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780199313402 |location=Oxford |access-date=15 October 2020 |archive-date=24 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124125013/https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/ouposas/bubble_tea/0 |url-status=live }}</ref> Some of the largest global bubble tea chains include [[Chatime]], [[CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice]], [[Gong Cha]], and [[Kung Fu Tea]].

===Variants===

==== Drink ====
Bubble tea comes in many variations, which usually consist of [[black tea]], [[green tea]], [[oolong tea]], and sometimes [[white tea]].<ref name="Yip-2020" /> Another variation, [[yuenyeung]], ({{Lang-zh|link=no|t=鴛鴦}}, named after the [[Mandarin duck]]) originated in Hong Kong and consists of black tea, coffee, and milk.<ref name="Wu-2020" />

Other varieties of the drink include blended tea drinks. These variations are often either blended using ice cream or are smoothies that contain both tea and fruit.<ref name="Nguyen-Okwu-2019">{{Cite web |last=Nguyen-Okwu |first=Leslie |date=16 March 2019 |title=Boba Explained: A Sipper's Guide to Taiwan's Signature Drink |url=https://www.eater.com/21551108/boba-milk-bubble-tea-explained-how-to-order |access-date=9 April 2021 |website=Eater |language=en |archive-date=16 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416144212/https://www.eater.com/21551108/boba-milk-bubble-tea-explained-how-to-order |url-status=live }}</ref>

There are many popular flavors of bubble tea, such as [[taro]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Taro Bubble Tea: What is it & How Does it Taste? — Sharetea – Best Bubble Tea Brand |url=https://www.1992sharetea.com/news/what-is-taro-bubble-tea |website=Sharetea |access-date=22 July 2023}}</ref> mango,<ref>{{cite web |title=Mango Bubble Tea |url=https://www.mango.org/recipes/mango-bubble-tea/ |website=Mango.org |access-date=22 July 2023}}</ref> coffee, and coconut.<ref>{{cite web |title=What Is Coconut Milk Tea And How To Make It? – Tea Backyard |url=https://teabackyard.com/coconut-milk-tea/ |website=Tea Backyard |access-date=22 July 2023}}</ref> Flavoring ingredients such as a syrup or powder determine the flavor and usually the color of the bubble tea, while other ingredients such as tea, milk, and boba are the basis.<ref>{{cite web |title=What Is Bubble Tea? Learn About the Different Flavors |url=https://www.thespruceeats.com/different-flavors-of-bubble-tea-766444 |website=The Spruce Eats |access-date=22 July 2023 |language=en |archive-date=14 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114145729/https://www.thespruceeats.com/different-flavors-of-bubble-tea-766444 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Milkless teas commonly use fruit as their base, with popular options including fruit teas<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nguyen-Okwu |first=Leslie |date=Mar 16, 2019 |title=Boba Explained: A Taxonomy of Taipei's Bubble Tea |url=ttps://www.eater.com/21551108/boba-milk-bubble-tea-explained-how-to-order}}</ref> made from fresh fruit, fruit syrup, or fruit powder, often combined with a tea. Common flavors include mango, lychee, winter melon, and lemon.

==== Toppings ====
[[File:Tapioca, aka boba.jpg|thumb|upright|Tapioca pearls (boba)]]

[[Tapioca]] pearls (boba) are the most common ingredient, although there are other ways to make the chewy spheres found in bubble tea.<ref name="Wu-2020" /> The pearls vary in color according to the ingredients mixed in with the tapioca. Most pearls are black from brown sugar.<ref name="Yip-2020" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=21 October 2021 |title=How to Make Tapioca Pearls (Boba Balls) with Perfect Texture For Milk Tea |url=https://www.honestfoodtalks.com/how-to-make-tapioca-pearls/ |access-date=24 January 2022 |website=Honest Food Talks |language=en |archive-date=25 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425122026/https://www.honestfoodtalks.com/how-to-make-tapioca-pearls/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Jelly comes in different shapes: small cubes, stars, or rectangular strips, and flavors such as [[Nata de coco|coconut jelly]], [[konjac]], [[lychee]], [[grass jelly]], [[mango]], coffee, and [[green tea]]. [[Azuki bean]] or [[mung bean]] paste, typical toppings for Taiwanese shaved ice desserts, give bubble tea an added subtle flavor as well as texture. [[Aloe]], egg pudding ([[custard]]), and [[sago]] also can be found in many bubble tea shops.<ref name="Nguyen-Okwu-2019" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Goodwin |first=Lindsey |date=26 June 2019 |title=Bubble Tea 101: Types, Ingredients, and More |url=https://www.thespruceeats.com/types-of-bubble-tea-766451 |access-date=24 January 2022 |website=The Spruce Eats |language=en |archive-date=18 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418044307/https://www.thespruceeats.com/types-of-bubble-tea-766451 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Popping boba]], or spheres that have fruit juices or syrups inside them, are another popular bubble tea topping.<ref name="Dickey-2017">{{Cite web |last=Dickey |first=Rachel |date=25 June 2017 |title=6 Worth The Drive Coffee Shops Outside of Ottawa |url=https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/6-worth-thedrive-coffee-shops-outside-of-ottawa |access-date=9 April 2021 |website=Spoon University |language=en |archive-date=11 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511015241/https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/6-worth-thedrive-coffee-shops-outside-of-ottawa |url-status=live }}</ref> Flavors include mango, strawberry, coconut, kiwi, and honey melon.<ref name="Dickey-2017" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=25 April 2021 |title=Bubble Tea Flavors and Toppings You Never Knew Existed! |url=https://www.honestfoodtalks.com/bubble-tea-flavors-boba-toppings/ |access-date=25 April 2021 |website=Honest Food Talks |language=en |archive-date=25 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425122025/https://www.honestfoodtalks.com/bubble-tea-flavors-boba-toppings/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Some shops offer milk or cheese foam on top of the drink, giving the drink a consistency similar to that of whipped cream and a saltier flavor profile.{{Dead link|date=April 2026}} One shop described the effect of the cheese foam as "neutraliz[ing] the bitterness of the tea...and as you drink it you taste the returning sweetness of the tea."<ref name=Fullerton>{{cite magazine |last=Fullerton |first=Jamie |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/people-in-beijing-are-lining-up-for-hours-to-try-cheese-tea/ |title=People in Beijing Are Lining Up for Hours to Try 'Cheese Tea' |magazine=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice Magazine]] |date=18 October 2017 |access-date=8 February 2019}}</ref>

==== Ice and sugar level ====
[[File:Bubble tea served in light bulb glass.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Bubble tea packaged in a promotional shape (lightbulb) instead of a takeaway cup<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thick PP Bubble Tea Cup |url=https://www.packandsend.com.sg/thick-pp-bubble-tea-cup |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200710071656/https://www.packandsend.com.sg/thick-pp-bubble-tea-cup |archive-date=10 July 2020 |access-date=10 July 2020 |website=Pack and Send |language=en}}</ref>]]
Bubble tea shops often give customers the option of choosing the amount of ice or sugar in their drink.<ref name="City of Adelaide">{{Cite web |title=Bursting the 'Bubble': Tips to Ordering Bubble Tea |url=https://living.cityofadelaide.com.au/bubble-tea/ |access-date=9 April 2021 |website=City of Adelaide |language=en |archive-date=24 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124125024/https://living.cityofadelaide.com.au/bubble-tea/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Ice levels are usually specified (e.g., no ice, less ice, normal ice, more ice), and sugar levels in 25% increments (e.g., 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%),<ref name="City of Adelaide" /> though these options vary by shop as there is no standardized recipe. Some shops also offer hot bubble tea<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 July 2019 |title=The ultimate guide to customising your bubble tea |url=https://www.timeout.com/hong-kong/restaurants/the-ultimate-guide-to-customising-your-bubble-tea}}</ref> as an alternative to the standard cold preparation.

==== "Boozy Boba" ====
In recent years, alcoholic variations of bubble tea, sometimes referred to as “boozy boba,” have emerged in bars and specialty beverage shops. These drinks typically combine traditional bubble tea ingredients such as milk tea or fruit tea with alcoholic spirits, including vodka, rum, or soju. Boozy boba has gained popularity among adult consumers and reflects the ongoing adaptation of bubble tea within global beverage trends. There is even a sparkling vodka seltzer with four different fruit flavors called "Boozy Boba." <ref>{{Cite web |title=Enhance Your Boba Menu with These Secret Menu Items |url=https://web.snackpass.co/zh/customer-stories/blog/boozy-boba |website=Snackpass |access-date=1 April 2026 }}</ref>

==== Packaging ====
In Southeast Asia, bubble tea is usually packaged in a plastic takeaway cup, sealed with plastic or a rounded cap. New entrants into the market have attempted to distinguish their products by packaging it in bottles<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ang |first=Daniel |date=24 September 2019 |title=Teabrary 小茶識 – Bubble Tea Shop Opened By MediaCorp Host Vivian Lai, Offering Trendy Dessert Teas |url=https://danielfooddiary.com/,%20https://danielfooddiary.com/2019/09/24/teabrary/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920192622/https://danielfooddiary.com/2019/09/24/teabrary/ |archive-date=20 September 2020 |access-date=10 July 2020 |website=DanielFoodDiary.com |language=en}}</ref> and other shapes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ang |first=Daniel |date=9 July 2016 |title=Bubbs – Bubble Tea In Light Bulbs Bottles Brightened Up Our Day |url=https://danielfooddiary.com/,%20https://danielfooddiary.com/2016/07/09/bubbs/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920192622/https://danielfooddiary.com/2016/07/09/bubbs/ |archive-date=20 September 2020 |access-date=10 July 2020 |website=DanielFoodDiary.com |language=en}}</ref>  Some have used sealed plastic bags.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Another Example of Bubble Tea in Unique Packaging, This Is Bubble Tea in Plastic Bags for Drinking. {{!}} Bubble Tea Recipe, Food and Drink, Cafe Food |url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/807903620632610416/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920192621/https://www.pinterest.com/pin/807903620632610416/ |archive-date=20 September 2020 |access-date=10 July 2020 |website=Pinterest |language=en}}</ref>

While some cafés may serve bubble tea in a glass, most Taiwanese bubble tea shops serve the drink in a plastic cup and use a machine to seal the top of the cup with heated plastic [[cellophane]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Tsai |first1=Yueh-Ju |last2=Carvajal |first2=Carolina Forero |last3=Flores |first3=Nicolas Moltedo |last4=Lin |first4=Tsan-Shiun |last5=Yang |first5=Johnson Chia-Shen |last6=Chiang |first6=Yuan-Cheng |last7=Lin |first7=Pao-Yuan |date=2019 |title=Reconstruction of Pediatric Hand Injuries Caused by Automatic Cup-Sealing Machines in Taiwan |journal=Journal of International Medical Research |language=en |volume=47 |issue=11 |pages=5855–5866 |doi=10.1177/0300060519874540 |pmc=6862881 |pmid=31558087}}</ref> The method allows the tea to be shaken in the serving cup and makes it spill-free until a person is ready to drink it.<ref name="Nguyen-Okwu-2019" /> The cellophane is then pierced with an oversized straw, referred to as a boba straw, which is larger than a typical drinking straw to allow the toppings to pass through.<ref name="howboba">{{Cite news |author-link=Clarissa Wei|last=Wei |first=Clarissa |date=16 January 2017 |title=How Boba Became an Integral Part of Asian-American Culture in Los Angeles |work=[[LA Weekly]] |url=https://www.laweekly.com/how-boba-became-an-integral-part-of-asian-american-culture-in-los-angeles/ |access-date=14 May 2020 |archive-date=18 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518131558/https://www.laweekly.com/how-boba-became-an-integral-part-of-asian-american-culture-in-los-angeles/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Preparation Method ====
The tea can be made in batches during the day or the night before. Brewing different types of teas takes different amounts of time and temperature. For instance, [[green tea]] requires brewing at a lower temperature, typically between {{convert|176|–|185|F}} with a brewing time of 8–10 minutes to extract its optimal flavour. In contrast, [[black tea]] needs to be made with hotter water, usually around {{convert|203|–|212|F}} with a brewing of around 15–20 minutes to bring out its sweetness. A tea warmer dispenser allows the tea to remain heated for up to eight hours.

Pearls (boba) are made from [[tapioca]] starch. Most bubble tea stores buy packaged tapioca pearls in an uncooked state. When the boba is uncooked and in the package, it is uncolored and hard. The boba does not turn chewy and dark until they are cooked and sugar is added to bring out its taste. Uncooked tapioca pearls in their package can be stored for around 9 to 12 months. Once cooked, they can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Despite this, most bubble tea stores will not sell their boba after 24 hours because it will start to harden and lose its chewiness.

The traditional preparation method is to mix the ingredients (sugar, powders, and other [[flavouring]]s) together using a bubble tea shaker cup, by hand. However, many present-day bubble tea shops use a bubble tea shaker machine. This eliminates the need for humans to shake the bubble tea by hand. It also reduces staffing needs as multiple cups of bubble tea may be prepared by a single [[barista]].

''' Related Products'''

Due to its popularity, bubble tea has inspired a variety of flavored snacks, such as [[Boba ice cream bar]]s, bubble tea candy,<ref name="Pyne-2019">{{Cite news |last=Pyne |first=Irene |date=29 July 2019 |title=Delicious or Disgusting? Boba Craze Spills Over from Bubble Tea to Pizza, Ramen, Hotpot, and Sushi |language=en |work=South China Morning Post |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/travel-food/article/3020437/delicious-or-disgusting-boba-craze-spills-over-bubble |access-date=24 January 2022 |archive-date=14 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414145701/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/travel-food/article/3020437/delicious-or-disgusting-boba-craze-spills-over-bubble |url-status=live }}</ref>  popcorn, cookies, and jelly beans.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 29, 2023 |title=Boba Has Become a Top Snack Flavor, from Popcorn to Cookies and Ice Cream |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-29/boba-has-become-top-flavor-for-snacks-like-popcorn-cookies-ice-cream|last=Luo|first=Trista Xinyi}}</ref> The market size of bubble tea was valued at {{Currency|2.4&nbsp; billion|USD|passthrough=yes|linked=no}} in 2022 and is projected to reach {{Currency|4.3&nbsp; billion|USD|passthrough=yes|linked=no}} by the end of 2027.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhandalkar |first=Shankar |title=Bubble Tea Market Expected to Reach $4.3 Billion by 2027 |url=https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/press-release/bubble-tea-market.html |access-date=15 November 2020 |website=Allied Market Research |archive-date=24 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124125010/https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/press-release/bubble-tea-market.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bubble Tea Market Share, Size, Growth, Analysis Report 2022-2027 |url=https://www.imarcgroup.com/bubble-tea-market |access-date=25 November 2022 |website=www.imarcgroup.com |language=en}}</ref>

==History==
Milk and sugar have been added to tea in Taiwan since the [[Dutch Formosa|Dutch colonization of Taiwan]] from 1624 to 1662, although it was not a common practice.<ref name="Wu-2020" />

Before the invention of bubble tea, a similar tea beverage was created in Taiwan called bubble foam tea ({{Lang-zh|t=泡沫紅茶|p=Pàomò hóngchá}}). This drink was made by mixing tea with [[fructose]] syrup{{Failed verification|date=February 2025}} and then shaking it with ice cubes in a shaker. The vigorous shaking created a fine foam, giving the drink its signature texture. Unlike modern pearl milk tea, bubble foam tea did not initially contain tapioca balls.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 December 2011 |title=中正e報 – 新聞區 |url=http://enews.ccu.edu.tw/modules/news/article.php?storyid=452 |access-date=11 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208055700/http://enews.ccu.edu.tw/modules/news/article.php?storyid=452 |archive-date=8 December 2011 }}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=This source looks like it's user-contributed. ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=February 2025}}

There are two competing stories for the discovery of bubble tea.<ref name="Wong-2020" /> One is associated with the [[Chun Shui Tang]] tea room in [[Taichung]].<ref name="Wu-2020" /> Its founder, Liu Han-Chieh, began serving Chinese tea cold after he observed coffee was served cold in Japan while on a visit in the 1980s.<ref name="Wu-2020" /> The new style of serving tea propelled his business, and multiple chains serving this tea were established. The company's product development manager, Lin Hsiu Hui, said she created the first bubble tea in 1988 when she poured tapioca balls into her tea during a staff meeting and encouraged others to drink it. The beverage was well-received at the meeting, leading to its inclusion on the menu. It ultimately became the franchise's top-selling product.<ref name="Wong-2020" />

Another claim for the invention of bubble tea comes from the Hanlin Tea Room ({{Lang-zh|t=翰林茶館|p=Hànlín cháguǎn}}) in [[Tainan]]. It claims that bubble tea was invented in 1986 when teahouse owner Tu Tsong-he was inspired by white tapioca balls he saw in the local market of Yā-mǔ-liáo ({{Lang-zh|t=鴨母寮|links=no}}). He later made tea using these traditional Taiwanese snacks.<ref name="Wong-2020" /> This resulted in what is known as "pearl tea".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=Edward |date=13 November 2018 |title=Who Invented Bubble Tea? |work=Taipei Times |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2018/11/13/2003704115 |url-status=live |access-date=4 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604182727/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2018/11/13/2003704115 |archive-date=4 June 2019}}</ref>

In 2009, the two teahouses began legal proceedings against each other, each seeking recognition as the original creator of the drink. After roughly a decade of litigation, a Taiwanese court ruled in 2019 that bubble tea was not patentable subject matter, on the basis that it is a general food product that anyone may prepare. The ruling did not assign credit for the invention to either party.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hsu |first=Stacy |date=14 March 2024 |title=Bubble tea's Taiwan origin story: economic boom, national identity and betrayal |work=Marketplace |publisher=American Public Media |url=https://www.marketplace.org/story/2024/03/14/bubble-tea-economic-survival-national-identity-and-betrayal |access-date=2026-05-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Yang |first=Diane Tang |date=21 May 2024 |title=Bubble tea: A Taiwanese sip that evolved into a global sensation |work=Global Voices |url=https://globalvoices.org/2024/05/21/bubble-tea-a-taiwanese-sip-that-evolved-into-a-global-sensation/ |access-date=2026-05-22}}</ref>

== Popularity ==
In the 1990s, bubble tea spread across East and Southeast Asia with ever-growing popularity. In regions like Hong Kong, [[China]], Japan, [[Vietnam]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tomiyama |first=Atsushi |date=3 May 2018 |title=Vietnam Embraces Taiwan-Style Bubble Tea |work=Nikkei Asia |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-trends/Vietnam-embraces-Taiwan-style-bubble-tea |url-status=live |access-date=1 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401115622/https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-trends/Vietnam-embraces-Taiwan-style-bubble-tea |archive-date=1 April 2019}}</ref> and Singapore, the bubble tea trend has expanded rapidly among young people. In some popular shops, people would line up for more than thirty minutes to get a drink.<ref name="Yip-2020" /> In recent years, the popularity of bubble tea has gone beyond the beverage itself, with boba lovers inventing various bubble tea flavored-foods, including [[ice cream]], [[pizza]], [[Toast (food)|toast]], [[sushi]], and [[ramen]].<ref name="Pyne-2019" />

===Taiwan===
In Taiwan, bubble tea has become not just a beverage, but an enduring icon of the culture and food history for the nation.<ref name="Wong-2020" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wu |first=Valerie |date=22 March 2021 |title=Boba Diplomacy: Bubble Tea's Influence on Taiwan's Soft Power |url=https://www.glimpsefromtheglobe.com/regions/asia-and-the-pacific/boba-diplomacy-bubble-teas-influence-on-taiwans-soft-power/ |access-date=24 April 2021 |website=Glimpse from the Globe |language=en |archive-date=25 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425123529/https://www.glimpsefromtheglobe.com/regions/asia-and-the-pacific/boba-diplomacy-bubble-teas-influence-on-taiwans-soft-power/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2020, the date 30 April was officially declared as National Bubble Tea Day in Taiwan.<ref name="Yip-2020" /> That same year, the image of bubble tea was proposed as an alternative cover design for Taiwan's passport.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Huang |first=Tzu-ti |date=20 April 2020 |title=Legislator Proposes Erasing 'China' from Taiwan's Passport Cover |work=Taiwan News |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3919576 |access-date=23 April 2020 |archive-date=23 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423130009/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3919576 |url-status=live }}</ref>  According to [[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]], bubble tea has become synonymous with Taiwan and is an important symbol of Taiwanese identity both domestically and internationally.<ref name="Al Jazeera 2020">{{Cite news |last=Hale |first=Erin |date=26 June 2020 |title=Taiwan Finds Diplomatic Sweet Spot in Bubble Tea |work=Al Jazeera |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/06/taiwan-finds-diplomatic-sweet-spot-bubble-tea-200623065750371.html |access-date=26 June 2020 |archive-date=26 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626093010/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/06/taiwan-finds-diplomatic-sweet-spot-bubble-tea-200623065750371.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Bubble tea is used to represent Taiwan in the context of the [[Milk Tea Alliance]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Nicola |date=3 May 2020 |title=#MilkTeaAlliance: New Asian Youth Movement Battles Chinese Trolls |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/03/milkteaalliance-new-asian-youth-movement-battles-chinese-trolls/ |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=27 May 2020 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/03/milkteaalliance-new-asian-youth-movement-battles-chinese-trolls/ |archive-date=11 January 2022}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="Al Jazeera 2020" /> [[50 Lan]] is a bubble tea chain founded in [[Tainan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=萬蓓琳 |date=31 July 2008 |title=台南小攤變身全國最大冷飲加盟店 – 今周刊 |url=https://www.businesstoday.com.tw/article/category/80393/post/200807310032/ |access-date=26 February 2025 |website=www.businesstoday.com.tw |language=zh-Hant-TW}}</ref>

=== Hong Kong ===
Hong Kong is famous for its traditional Hong Kong–style milk tea, which is made with brewed black tea and evaporated milk.<ref name="Wu-2020" /> While milk tea has long become integrated into people's daily lives, the expansion of Taiwanese bubble tea chains, including [[Tiger Sugar]], Youiccha, and [[Xing Fu Tang]], into Hong Kong created a new wave for "boba tea."<ref name="Zhang-2019" />

=== China ===
Since the idea of adding tapioca pearls into milk tea was introduced into China in the 1990s, bubble tea has increased in popularity.<ref name="Chen-2020">{{Cite news |last=Chen |first=Yawen |date=23 December 2020 |title=Tea Bubble Is Set to Inflate in China |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bubble-tea-china-breakingviews-idUSKBN28X040 |access-date=9 April 2021 |archive-date=28 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201228082351/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bubble-tea-china-breakingviews-idUSKBN28X040 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2020 it was estimated that the consumption of bubble tea was 5 times that of coffee in recent years.<ref name="Chen-2020" /> According to data from QianZhen Industry Research Institute, the value of the tea-related beverage market in China reached {{Currency|53.7&nbsp;billion|RMB|passthrough=yes|first=yes}} (about {{Currency|7.63&nbsp;billion|USD|passthrough=yes|linked=no}}) in 2018.<ref name="People's Daily Online-2019">{{Cite news |date=7 August 2019 |title=Milk Tea Becomes Increasingly Popular in China |work=People's Daily Online |url=http://en.people.cn/n3/2019/0807/c90000-9604164.html |access-date=9 April 2021 |archive-date=10 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910050551/http://en.people.cn/n3/2019/0807/c90000-9604164.html |url-status=live }}</ref>  In 2019, annual sales from bubble tea shops reached as high as {{Currency|140.5&nbsp;billion|RMB|passthrough=yes|linked=no}} (roughly {{Currency|20&nbsp;billion|USD|passthrough=yes|linked=no}}).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Noël |first=Steffi |date=9 September 2020 |title=The success of bubble tea in China explained |url=https://daxueconsulting.com/success-bubble-tea-china/ |access-date=3 December 2022 |website=Daxue Consulting – Market Research China |language=en-US}}</ref> While bubble tea chains from Taiwan (e.g., Gong Cha and Coco) are still popular, more local brands, like Yi Dian Dian, [[Nayuki]], [[Hey Tea]], etc., are now dominating the market.<ref name="People's Daily Online-2019" />

In China, young people's growing obsession with bubble tea has shaped their way of social interaction. Buying someone a cup of bubble tea has become a new way of informally thanking someone. It is also a favored topic among friends and on social media. <ref name="People's Daily Online-2019" /> It is not uncommon for people to wait in long lines of up to an hour at popular locations in order to take photos of their order as boba tea has become a status symbol used to express a person's urban identity online. <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wu |first=Ka-ming |date=2023 |title=Sipping tea, plastics performing: representational and materialist politics of boba tea consumption in contemporary China |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/35FB3440926478F516DB96FCF2AE7869/S1479591422000328a.pdf/sipping_tea_plastics_performing_representational_and_materialist_politics_of_boba_tea_consumption_in_contemporary_china.pdf |journal=International Journal of Asian Studies |pages=353-356}}</ref> 

=== Japan ===
Bubble tea first entered Japan in the late 1990s, but it failed to leave a lasting impression on the public markets.<ref name=":13b">{{Cite web |last=Shih |first=Yi-yun |date=6 June 2019 |title=How Taiwanese Bubble Tea Conquered the Taste Buds of The Japanese |url=https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=2429 |access-date=9 April 2021 |website=CommonWealth Magazine |archive-date=21 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921060827/https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=2429 |url-status=live }}</ref> This is partly because the Japanese saw bubble tea as a hybrid between a dessert and drink because of the tapioca, and were unsure of how to market it. Moreover, two other desserts entered the market at the same time, and outshone bubble tea.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Bubble Tea Mania in Japan – coffee t&i magazine |url=http://www.coffeeteaimagazine.com/the-bubble-tea-mania-in-japan/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |language=en-US}}</ref> Thus, it was not until the 2010s that the bubble tea trend finally swept Japan.<ref name=":13b" /> Shops from Taiwan, Korea, and China, as well as local brands, began to pop up in cities, and bubble tea has remained one of the hottest trends since then.<ref name=":13b" /> Bubble tea has become so commonplace among teenagers that teenage girls in Japan invented a slang for it: ''tapiru'' (タピる). The word is short for drinking tapioca tea in Japanese, and it won first place in a survey of "Japanese slang for middle school girls" in 2018.<ref name=":13b" /> A bubble tea theme park was open for a limited time in 2019 in [[Harajuku]], Tokyo.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Roll |first=Dale |date=30 July 2019 |title=Bubble Tea Amusement Park to Open in Harajuku |language=en |work=Japan Today |url=https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/bubble-tea-amusement-park-to-open-in-harajuku |access-date=9 April 2021 |archive-date=31 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031095059/https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/bubble-tea-amusement-park-to-open-in-harajuku |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Singapore ===
Known locally in Chinese as {{Lang-zh|t=泡泡茶|labels=no}} ({{Lang-zh|link=no|p=pào pào chá}}), bubble tea is loved by many in Singapore.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quek |first=Eunice |date=3 May 2020 |title=Tightened Covid-19 Circuit Breaker Measures to Stay for Another Week but Your Favourite Bubble Tea Could Still Be Available |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/food/your-favourite-bubble-tea-could-still-be-available |access-date=9 July 2020 |website=The Straits Times |language=en |archive-date=9 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200709143326/https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/food/your-favourite-bubble-tea-could-still-be-available |url-status=live }}</ref> The drink was sold in Singapore as early as 1992 and became phenomenally popular among young people in 2001.<ref name="hermesauto">{{Cite web |last=Quek |first=Rachel |date=25 July 2019 |title=Consuming Singapore: The Obsession with Bubble Tea |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/videos/consuming-singapore-the-obsession-with-bubble-tea |access-date=9 July 2020 |website=The Straits Times |language=en |archive-date=9 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200709052759/https://www.straitstimes.com/videos/consuming-singapore-the-obsession-with-bubble-tea |url-status=live }}</ref> This soon ended because of the intense competition and [[price war]]s among shops.<ref name="Yap-2014">{{Cite web |last=Yap |first=Jan |date=28 January 2014 |title=Bubble Tea |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2014-01-29_182158.html |access-date=9 April 2021 |website=Infopedia |archive-date=18 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418055213/https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2014-01-29_182158.html |url-status=live }}</ref> As a result, most bubble tea shops closed, and bubble tea lost its popularity by 2003.<ref name="Yap-2014" /> When Taiwanese chains like Koi and Gong Cha came to Singapore in 2007 and 2009, the beverage experienced only short resurgences in popularity.<ref name="Kopi-2020">{{Cite web |date=19 January 2020 |title=A Drink from South-East Asia? The History of Bubble Tea |url=https://thekopi.co/2020/01/20/history-of-bubble-tea/ |access-date=9 April 2021 |website=Kopi |language=en |archive-date=24 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124125021/https://thekopi.co/2020/01/20/history-of-bubble-tea/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2018, interest in bubble tea rose again at an unprecedented speed in Singapore, as new brands like The Alley and Tiger Sugar entered the market; social media also played an important role in driving this renaissance of bubble tea.<ref name="Kopi-2020" />

=== Malaysia ===
Bubble tea was introduced to Malaysia in the late 1990s and saw a surge in popularity during the early 2000s, particularly in urban areas and night markets.<ref name="DiscoverKL">{{cite web |title=History of Bubble Tea in Malaysia |url=https://discoverkl.com/2019/07/08/bubble-tea-history-malaysia/ |website=Discover KL |access-date=25 May 2025 |date=8 July 2019}}</ref> The arrival of Taiwanese chains such as [[Chatime]] in 2010 marked a significant shift in the industry, as franchised outlets began appearing in major cities.<ref name="Brand360">{{cite web |title=Tealive vs Chatime: A Look at the Great Bubble Tea War |url=https://www.brand360.com.my/case-study/tealive-vs-chatime-a-look-at-the-great-bubble-tea-war/ |website=Brand 360 |access-date=25 May 2025 |date=2021}}</ref> By 2013, Malaysia accounted for around 50% of Chatime's global revenue.<ref name="Brand360" />

In 2017, a high-profile legal dispute between Chatime's franchisor and its Malaysian licensee, Loob Holding, led to the rebranding of over 160 outlets as [[Tealive]].<ref name="TheStar">{{cite news |title=Tealive wins legal battle with Chatime franchisor |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/06/29/tealive-wins-legal-battle-with-chatime-franchisor |work=The Star (Malaysia) |access-date=25 May 2025 |date=29 June 2021}}</ref> Tealive has since become the leading homegrown bubble tea brand in Malaysia, with hundreds of outlets nationwide and regional expansion across Southeast Asia. Other international and local brands, such as Gong Cha, The Alley, and Chizu, also maintain a strong presence.

The Malaysian bubble tea market has experienced significant growth and popularity in recent years, becoming a prominent segment of the country's beverage industry. Bubble tea has evolved into a mainstream beverage preference among the populace, propelled by the influx of international franchises and the emergence of indigenous brands.<ref>{{cite web |title=Malaysia Bubble/Boba Tea Market- Top Companies with Size ... |url=https://hackmd.io/@vanshikashukla/malaysia-bubble-tea-market |website=HackMD |access-date=25 May 2025}}</ref>

===United States===
[[Taiwanese Americans|Taiwanese immigrants]] introduced bubble tea to the United States in the 1990s, initially in California through regions including [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles County]].<ref name="Zhang-2019"/> Some of the first stand-alone bubble tea shops can be traced to a food court in [[Arcadia, California|Arcadia]], in Southern California,<ref name="Zhang-2019"/> and Fantasia Coffee & Tea in [[Cupertino, California|Cupertino]], in Northern California.<ref name="Trazo-2020">{{Cite thesis |last=Trazo |first=Talitha Angelica |title="Wanna Get Boba?": The Bond Between Boba and Asian American Youth in San Jose, California |date=2020 |degree=M.A. |publisher=University of California, Los Angeles |url=https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7d24w91f |page=3 |language=en |access-date=9 April 2021 |archive-date=24 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424115344/https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7d24w91f |url-status=live }}</ref> Chains like Tapioca Express, Quickly, Lollicup, and [[Happy Lemon]] emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s, bringing the Taiwanese bubble tea trend to the US.<ref name="Trazo-2020" /> Within the Asian American community, bubble tea is commonly known under its colloquial term "boba."<ref name="Zhang-2019" />

As the beverage gained popularity in the US, it gradually became more than a drink, but a cultural identity for Asian Americans. This phenomenon was referred to as "boba life" by Chinese-American brothers Andrew and David Fung in their music video, "Bobalife," released in 2013.<ref name="Zhang-2019" /> Boba symbolizes a subculture that Asian Americans as social minorities could define themselves as, and "boba life" is a reflection of their desire for both cultural and political recognition.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Nguyen |first=Heather |date=2020 |title=Boba Binds You and Me: An Exploration of Boba, Asian American Identity, and Community |url=https://digitalwindow.vassar.edu/senior_capstone/1049 |journal=Senior Capstone Projects |access-date=9 April 2021 |archive-date=16 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416133959/https://digitalwindow.vassar.edu/senior_capstone/1049/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It is also used disparagingly in the term [[boba liberal]], a term that derides mainstream Asian-American liberalism.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zhang |first1=Jenny G. |date=5 November 2019 |title=How Bubble Tea Became a Complicated Symbol of Asian-American Identity |url=https://www.eater.com/2019/11/5/20942192/bubble-tea-boba-asian-american-diaspora |access-date=13 February 2022 |website=Eater |language=en |quote=While bubble tea itself is neither inherently political nor bad, per se, some Asian Americans are critical of the dominant strain of Asian-American politics, called "boba liberalism," that the drink has come to represent in certain circles. Boba liberalism is the “substanceless trend-chasing spectacle” that is mainstream Asian-American liberalism, derided as shallow, consumerist-capitalist, and robbed of meaning.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Frias |first1=Lauren |title=Boba liberalism: How the emergence of superficial activism could cause more harm than good to the AAPI community |url=https://www.insider.com/boba-liberalism-critique-on-a-shallow-political-identity-amid-crisis-2021-3 |website=[[Business Insider]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240911015723/https://www.businessinsider.com/boba-liberalism-critique-on-a-shallow-political-identity-amid-crisis-2021-3 |archive-date=11 September 2024 |access-date=8 January 2025 |date=6 May 2021 |quote=Traced back to Twitter user @diaspora_is_red (the original account is now suspended from Twitter), boba liberalism is described as "a type of mainstream liberal Asian-American politics" — one that, like the drink, is "a substanceless trend-chasing spectacle."}}</ref> Other regions with large concentrations of bubble tea restaurants in the United States are the [[Northeastern United States|Northeast]] and [[Southwestern United States|Southwest]]. This is reflected in the [[coffeehouse]]-style [[teahouse]] chains that originate from the regions, such as [[Boba Tea Company]] from [[Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]], No. 1 Boba Tea in [[Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]], and [[Kung Fu Tea]] from New York City.<ref name="The New Mexican 2013">{{Cite news |last=Hyde |first=Justin |date=8 October 2013 |title=Loan Helps Couple Expand Beyond New Mexico |work=[[The Santa Fe New Mexican]]}}</ref><ref name="KLAS-TV 2020">{{Cite news |last1=Houston |first1=Kate |last2=Wright |first2=Lucas |date=27 February 2020 |title='No. 1 Boba Tea' Expands Throughout Las Vegas Valley Despite Pandemic Challenges |work=KLAS-TV |url=https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/no-1-boba-tea-expands-throughout-las-vegas-valley-despite-pandemic-challenges/ |access-date=6 May 2021 |archive-date=6 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506030718/https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/no-1-boba-tea-expands-throughout-las-vegas-valley-despite-pandemic-challenges/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Albuquerque and Las Vegas have a large concentrations of boba tea restaurants, as the drink is popular especially among the [[Hispanos of New Mexico|Hispano]], [[Navajo]], [[Pueblo]], and other [[Indigenous peoples of the North American Southwest|Native American]], [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic and Latino American]] communities in the Southwest.<ref name="Hoodline">{{Cite web |date=8 November 2019 |title=Albuquerque's 5 Best Spots for Inexpensive Bubble Tea |url=https://hoodline.com/2019/11/albuquerque-s-5-best-spots-for-inexpensive-bubble-tea/ |access-date=20 December 2020 |website=Hoodline |archive-date=6 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506030717/https://hoodline.com/2019/11/albuquerque-s-5-best-spots-for-inexpensive-bubble-tea/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Gil">{{Cite web |last=Garduno |first=Gil |date=9 February 2020 |title=Kawaii Boba Cafe – Albuquerque, New Mexico |url=https://www.nmgastronome.com/?p=54156 |access-date=20 December 2020 |website=Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog |archive-date=6 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506030720/https://www.nmgastronome.com/?p=54156 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="TheFancyNavajo 2017">{{Cite web |date=1 April 2017 |title=Fancy Navajo Boba Almond Milk Tea |url=https://thefancynavajo.com/2017/05/01/fancy-navajo-boba-almond-milk-tea/ |access-date=6 May 2021 |website=TheFancyNavajo |archive-date=6 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506030719/https://thefancynavajo.com/2017/05/01/fancy-navajo-boba-almond-milk-tea/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Best Things To Do and Places To Go in New Mexico 2018">{{Cite web |date=4 February 2018 |title=The 10 Best Places for Bubble Tea in New Mexico! |url=https://bestthingsnm.com/bubble-tea/ |access-date=6 May 2021 |website=Best Things To Do and Places To Go in New Mexico |archive-date=24 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124125100/https://bestthingsnm.com/bubble-tea/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Aside from the drink itself, boba tea stores have become more than just a business. Accompanying the "boba life" phenomenon, boba tea stores have transformed into a social space for Asian American students to form meaningful communities around. One source notes that the casual atmosphere within these stores allows people to break existing social barriers and connect over their shared identities. <ref>Trejo Vega, Naydelin Karime. "Boba Tea Shops and Identity: Exploration of Boba Shops Among College Students In Greater Orlando." (2025).</ref>

Alongside American bubble tea chains, several large American [[List of coffeehouse chains|coffeehouse chains]] have joined in on the growing popularity by adding bubble tea drinks and variants to their menus, often by first releasing them as seasonal summer drinks. Notable examples include [[Caribou Coffee]] in 2018,<ref>{{cite web |title=Caribou Coffee Launches Bubbles Beverage Line |url=https://www.teaandcoffee.net/news/19723/caribou-coffee-launches-bubbles-beverage-line/ |website=Tea & Coffee Trade Journal |access-date=1 April 2026}}</ref> [[Dunkin' Donuts]] in 2021,<ref>{{cite web |title=Strawberry Popping Bubbles on the Menu for Summer |url=https://news.dunkindonuts.com/news/dunkin-popping-bubbles |website=Dunkin'}}</ref> and [[Starbucks]] in 2024.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dean |first1=Grace |title=Starbucks says it's launching boba-inspired drinks this summer |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-launches-boba-drinks-raspberry-popping-pearls-summer-refresher-beverage-2024-5 |website=Business Insider}}</ref>  

A massive shipping and supply chain crisis on the US West coast, coupled with the [[2021 Suez Canal obstruction|obstruction of the Suez Canal]] in March 2021, caused a shortage of tapioca pearls for bubble tea shops in the US and Canada.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Paglinawan |first=Denise |date=16 April 2021 |title=No Bubble Tea This Spring? Canada Faces Boba Shortage Amid Shipping Delays |work=CP24 |agency=The Canadian Press |url=https://www.cp24.com/lifestyle/no-bubble-tea-this-spring-canada-faces-boba-shortage-amid-shipping-delays-1.5390967?cache=wpwecmoua%3FclipId%3D1921747 |access-date=11 May 2021 |archive-date=11 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511051359/https://www.cp24.com/lifestyle/no-bubble-tea-this-spring-canada-faces-boba-shortage-amid-shipping-delays-1.5390967?cache=wpwecmoua%3FclipId%3D1921747 |url-status=live }}"</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Yetikyel |first=Gia |date=20 April 2021 |title=West Coast Bubble Tea Shops Brace for Boba Shortage as Cargo Ships Jam Los Angeles Ports |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/boba-shortage-us-creates-limited-supply-bubble-tea-180977545/ |website=Smithsonian Magazine |access-date=11 May 2021 |archive-date=24 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124125021/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/boba-shortage-us-creates-limited-supply-bubble-tea-180977545/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Most of the tapioca consumed in the US is imported from Asia, since the critical ingredient, tapioca starch, is mostly grown in Asia.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Everington |first=Keoni |date=16 April 2021 |title=Bobapocalypse: US Milk Tea Shops Face Taiwan Boba Shortage |work=[[Taiwan News]] |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4178788 |access-date=16 September 2021 |archive-date=16 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916024237/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4178788 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[TikTok]] trends and the [[Korean Wave]] also fueled the popularity of bubble tea in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Chen |first1=Spe |last2=Hong |first2=Jinshan |date=31 March 2023 |title=How Taiwanese Bubble Tea Has Taken Over the US |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2023-bubble-tea-us-taiwan/ |work=[[Bloomberg News]]}}</ref>

===Vietnam===
Taiwanese milk tea was introduced to [[Vietnam]] in the early 2000s,<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=16 July 2019 |title=Là thương hiệu trà sữa số 1 xứ Đài, được hậu thuẫn bởi The Coffee House, tham vọng đấu lại Pepsi và Coca, vì đâu Ten Ren vẫn phải cay đắng đóng cửa? |url=https://cafef.vn/la-thuong-hieu-tra-sua-so-1-xu-dai-duoc-hau-thuan-boi-the-coffee-house-tham-vong-dau-lai-pepsi-va-coca-vi-dau-ten-ren-van-phai-cay-dang-dong-cua-20190716095531328.chn#:~:text=Tr%C3%A0%20s%E1%BB%AFa%20du%20nh%E1%BA%ADp%20v%C3%A0o,l%C3%AAn%20v%C3%A0o%20kho%E1%BA%A3ng%20cu%E1%BB%91i%202009. |access-date=26 February 2025 |website=cafef |language=vi}}</ref> but it took a few years for this drink to become popular with young people. Roadside stalls and carts rarely served milk tea, and the milk tea trend gradually cooled down in the late 2000s. Many shops had to liquidate or close, while others struggled to survive. Bubble tea also gained controversy because of information about tea of unknown origin, tapioca pearls allegedly being made from [[polymer]] plastics, etc.

By 2012, Taiwanese brands arrived in Vietnam, still the same old milk tea but served in a completely new style: milk tea with toppings, developing a chain model, and a space designed as well as any famous coffee shop. Also, the halo of Taiwanese milk tea gradually returned, especially around the end of 2016, to the beginning of 2017.<ref name="Trang thông báo lỗi 404">{{cite web | url=http://ttvn.vn/kinh-doanh/nguoi-nguoi-uong-tra-sua-nha-nha-ban-tra-sua-trao-luu-nay-se-di-ve-dau-52017141085434855.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180406040558/http://ttvn.vn/kinh-doanh/nguoi-nguoi-uong-tra-sua-nha-nha-ban-tra-sua-trao-luu-nay-se-di-ve-dau-52017141085434855.htm | archive-date=6 April 2018 | title=Trang thông báo lỗi 404 | date=14 October 2017 }}</ref> According to a survey by Lozi, in 2017, the Vietnamese milk tea market witnessed an explosion with 100 large and small brands coexisting and over 1,500 points of sale, including major brands from Taiwan such as Ding Tea, [[Gong Cha]], BoBaPop.<ref name="ttvn.vn">{{cite web | url=http://ttvn.vn/kinh-doanh/chuoi-tra-sua-thuan-viet-lon-nhat-nhi-ha-noi-vua-tuyen-bo-2-thang-nua-se-co-mat-tai-my-52017231085016458.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142923/http://ttvn.vn/kinh-doanh/chuoi-tra-sua-thuan-viet-lon-nhat-nhi-ha-noi-vua-tuyen-bo-2-thang-nua-se-co-mat-tai-my-52017231085016458.htm | archive-date=12 June 2018 | title=Chuỗi trà sữa thuần Việt lớn nhất nhì Hà Nội vừa tuyên bố 2 tháng nữa sẽ có mặt tại Mỹ? }}</ref> This survey also shows that milk tea is becoming a popular drink in Vietnam, when 53% of people confirming to drink milk tea at least once a week.<ref name="Trang thông báo lỗi 404"/>

From the consumer perspective, milk tea is characterized by its sweet, creamy taste, suitable for many customers, not only students, but also children and office workers.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Người Việt Nam chi gần 8.500 tỉ/năm cho trà sữa: Thứ nước có gì mà vạn 'tín đồ' mê mẩn? |url=https://thanhnien.vn/nguoi-viet-nam-chi-gan-8500-tinam-cho-tra-sua-thu-nuoc-co-gi-ma-van-tin-do-me-man-1851490209.htm |access-date=26 February 2025 |website=thanhnien.vn |date=5 September 2022 |language=vi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2 October 2017 |title=Thưởng thức Trà sữa GongCha Hàn Quốc |url=https://www.gohanquoc.com/thuong-thuc-tra-sua-gongcha-han-quoc/ |access-date=26 February 2025 |language=vi}}</ref> In addition, milk tea is constantly "transforming" to meet all customer needs, from cheese cream tea, fruit tea to low-fat tea. Another important point that makes milk tea popular is the service style. Instead of small shops and school gate carts like in the past, the milk tea is designed into a spacious space, with fixed seats, and cool air conditioning.<ref name="ttvn.vn"/>

===Korea===
Milk tea is not only a daily drink, but it has also become a "fever drink" loved in many countries, including [[South Korea]]. In the capital [[Seoul]] alone, there are 4 famous milk tea shops, which are popular places for entertainment, dating, and meeting of Korean youth every weekend, which are [[Gong Cha]], Cofioca, Amasvin, and Happy Lemon.{{Citation needed|date=April 2026}}

Despite this, milk tea is not as popular in Korea as it is in other East Asian countries. Popular bubble tea stores such as Gong Cha and Tiger Sugar in Korea are losing customer's partly because of cheaper, alternative drinks that have started to gain more traction. However, there has been a recent surge in Chinese milk tea brands such as Hey Tea, that may just repopularize milk tea in Korea with their marketing and promotion of use of high-quality ingredients.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kyung-min |first=No |date=2025-09-06 |title=Bubbling back? China’s tea chains pour into Korea |url=https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10569496 |access-date=2026-04-13 |website=The Korea Herald |language=en}}</ref>

In Korea, there are many different large and small milk tea shops, famous brands, or just small shops with a drink counter and a table. Although pearl milk tea originated in Taiwan, it underwent certain changes in Korea. When entering restaurants or bakeries in Korea, we will see the [[calorie]] index recorded very carefully as a way to protect the health of consumers. For example, at [[Gong Cha]] milk tea shops, customers can choose the sweetness of their milk tea by choosing the sugar level (0%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100%) and similarly choose ice to add their personal favorite flavor to their milk tea.{{Citation needed|date=April 2026}}

===Australia===
Individual bubble tea shops began to appear in Australia in the 1990s, along with other regional drinks like Eis [[Cendol]]. Chains of stores were established as early as 2002, when the Bubble Cup franchise opened its first store in [[Melbourne]]. Although originally associated with the rapid growth of immigration from Asia and the vast tertiary student cohort from Asia, in Melbourne and Sydney, bubble tea has become popular across many communities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=For Chatime, Gotcha, and Milksha, the Bubble Tea Craze Shows No Signs of Bursting Anytime Soon |url=https://qsrmedia.com.au/menu-innovations/in-focus/chatime-gotcha-and-milksha-bubble-tea-craze-shows-no-signs-bursting-anytim |website=QSR Media Australia |date=25 February 2020 |language=en |access-date=28 November 2021 |archive-date=28 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128101037/https://qsrmedia.com.au/menu-innovations/in-focus/chatime-gotcha-and-milksha-bubble-tea-craze-shows-no-signs-bursting-anytim |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Mauritius ===
The first bubble tea shop in [[Mauritius]] opened in late 2012, and since then, there have been bubble tea shops in most shopping malls on the island. Bubble tea shops have become a popular place for teenagers to hang out.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Naidu |first=Darina |date=13 January 2020 |title=Bubble Tea: Is It Healthy? |url=https://www.lexpress.mu/node/368099 |access-date=18 July 2021 |website=Lexpress.mu |language=fr |archive-date=18 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718120353/https://www.lexpress.mu/node/368099 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== United Kingdom ===
Bubble tea appeared in the UK sometime between the 2000s and 2010s, and began gaining traction in the United Kingdom through early adoption in Asian predominated cities such as Chinatown and Soho before expanding into the mainstream market.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How Bubble Tea became so popular |url=https://www.gong-cha.com/how-bubble-tea-became-so-popular/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=www.gong-cha.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-08-04 |title=The four-year spread of bubble tea across the UK |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28640188 |access-date=2026-04-06 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> Entrepreneurs such as Assad Khan played a key role in its growth, launching dedicated bubble tea shops like Bubbleology in London in 2011 after encountering the drink abroad. <ref>{{Cite news |last=Butler |first=Sarah |date=16 May 2024 |title=‘It’s going gangbusters!’ How Britain fell in love with bubble tea |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/may/16/its-going-gangbusters-how-britain-fell-in-love-with-bubble-tea |access-date=1 April 2026 |website=The Guardian |language=en }}</ref> Bubble tea is especially popular amongst students, who appreciate being able to customize the drink to suit their taste.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-02 |title=Why the UK bubble tea market is ‘special’ |url=https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20240201-why-the-uk-bubble-tea-market-is-special |access-date=2026-04-05 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Cultural influence==
In 2020, the [[Unicode Consortium]] released the bubble tea [[emoji]] ({{unichar|1F9CB}}) as part of its version 13.0 update.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Jenn |title=A boba emoji is coming. Meet the woman who designed it |url=https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2020-03-06/boba-emoji-yiying-lu |newspaper=LA Times |date=6 March 2020 |publisher=Los Angeles Times |access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Mercer |first1=David |title=Kumar and Colleagues Win a Place for Bubble Tea at the Emoji Table |url=https://cs.illinois.edu/news/kumar-and-colleagues-win-place-bubble-tea-emoji-table |website=The Grainger College of Engineering |publisher=University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref>

On 29 January 2023, Google celebrated Bubble Tea with a doodle.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pereira |first1=Ana |title=Here's why today's Google Doodle is celebrating the beloved bubble tea |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/here-s-why-today-s-google-doodle-is-celebrating-the-beloved-bubble-tea/article_88eeb67f-4e65-5647-b438-02ee69eb9314.html |website=Toronto Star |date=30 January 2023 |publisher=Toronto Star Newspapers Limited |access-date=2 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Celebrating Bubble Tea |url=https://doodles.google/doodle/celebrating-bubble-tea/ |access-date=29 January 2023 |website=www.google.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Potential health concerns==
In July 2019, Singapore's [[Mount Alvernia Hospital]] warned against the high sugar content of bubble tea since the drink had become extremely popular in Singapore. While it acknowledged the benefits of drinking green tea and black tea in reducing risk of [[cardiovascular disease]], [[diabetes]], [[arthritis]], and cancer, respectively, the hospital cautions that the addition of other ingredients like [[non-dairy creamer]] and toppings in the tea could raise the fat and sugar content of the tea and increase the risk of [[chronic disease]]s. Non-dairy creamer is a milk substitute that contains [[trans fat]] in the form of hydrogenated [[palm oil]]. The hospital warned that this oil has been strongly correlated with an increased risk of [[heart disease]] and stroke.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=What's in My Bubble Tea? |url=https://mtalvernia.sg/education/whats-in-my-bubble-tea |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724073331/https://mtalvernia.sg/education/whats-in-my-bubble-tea/ |archive-date=24 July 2019 |access-date=24 July 2019 |website=Mount Alvernia Hospital}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chia |first=Rachel Genevieve |date=15 July 2019 |title=Brown Sugar Milk Tea Is the Unhealthiest Bubble Tea – and Milk Foam Is the Worst Topping, Singapore Hospital Warns |url=https://www.businessinsider.my/brown-sugar-milk-tea-is-the-unhealthiest-bubble-tea-and-milk-foam-is-the-worst-topping-singapore-hospital-warns/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724073240/https://www.businessinsider.my/brown-sugar-milk-tea-is-the-unhealthiest-bubble-tea-and-milk-foam-is-the-worst-topping-singapore-hospital-warns/ |archive-date=24 July 2019 |access-date=24 July 2019 |website=Business Insider Malaysia}}</ref> 

A 2016 study found that bubble tea drinks fit the US Dietary Guidelines definition of a [[Sweetened beverage|Sweetened beverage (SSB)]], and warns against daily consumption as a singular 16-ounce drink exceeded the recommended amount of added sugar one should intake. The study raised concerns that the drink's high sugar content could worsen existing public health issues. <ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Min |first=Jae Eun |last2=Green |first2=David B. |last3=Kim |first3=Loan |date=2017 |title=Calories and sugars in boba milk tea: implications for obesity risk in Asian Pacific Islanders |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/fsn3.362 |journal=Food Science & Nutrition |language=en |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=38–45 |doi=10.1002/fsn3.362 |issn=2048-7177 |pmc=5217910 |pmid=28070314}}</ref>

The other concern about bubble tea is its high [[calorie]] content, partially attributed to the high-carbohydrate tapioca pearls ({{Lang-zh|t=珍珠|p=zhēn zhū}}), which can make up to half the calorie-count in a {{Convert|500|ml|abbr=on}} serving of bubble tea.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arulnathan John |date=10 January 2021 |title=Is There Bubble Tea Even Diabetics Can Love? Low-Sugar, Low-Calorie Tweaks Are Being Made |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/cnainsider/healthier-bubble-tea-even-diabetics-can-love-low-sugar-calorie-398741 |access-date=19 December 2021 |website=CNA |language=en |archive-date=19 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219233724/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/cnainsider/healthier-bubble-tea-even-diabetics-can-love-low-sugar-calorie-398741 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Food}}
* {{Annotated link |Chinese tea culture}}
* {{Annotated link |Hong Kong tea culture}}
* {{Annotated link |List of Taiwanese inventions and discoveries}}
* [[Milk tea]]
* {{Annotated link |Taiwanese cuisine}}
* {{Annotated link |Taiwanese tea culture}}
* {{Annotated link |Q texture}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline}}

{{Teas}}
{{Taiwanese cuisine}}
{{Taiwanese bubble tea franchise}}
{{Portal bar|Drink|Taiwan}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Blended tea]]
[[Category:Food and drink introduced in the 1980s]]
[[Category:Milk tea]]
[[Category:Taiwanese drinks]]
[[Category:Taiwanese inventions]]
[[Category:Taiwanese tea]]
[[Category:Tea culture]]