Bubble Tea has grown rapidly worldwide and has become a standout summer drink in recent years. Colourful, refreshing and customisable, it appeals to customers looking for a sweet alternative to their usual coffee or soft drink. It is also visually appealing, making it perfect for customers who enjoy sharing drinks on social media.
For cafés, dessert parlours, kiosks and event vendors, this beverage offers an opportunity to add easy yet premium drinks to the menu. CFW’s Bubble Tea range includes ready-to-use Popping Boba and jasmine green tea syrups, giving businesses a simple way to start selling Boba just in time for summer.
What is Bubble Tea?
Bubble Tea, also known as Boba, is a popular non-alcoholic drink that Taiwanese creators invented in the 1980s. It typically combines a tea base, syrup flavouring, milk, water or lemonade, and a unique topping that rests at the bottom of the cup. These toppings are part of what make it instantly recognisable around the world.
Best served cold, Bubble Tea has become a popular choice for a wide range of customers. Its unique appearance, sweet flavours and summery feel make it stand out from more traditional cold drinks.
Two different teahouses in Taiwan claim to have created the original version of Bubble Tea and both attribute the invention to themselves. However it began, the drink soon became a favourite choice for local students. Its sweet flavour, customisable nature and surrounding teahouse culture all helped it grow in popularity.
Since then, Bubble Tea has rapidly become a global phenomenon, with specialist Boba shops, cafés, dessert parlours and takeaway counters serving it around the world.
Why is this drink so popular?
Boba first gained popularity because it stood out from Taiwan’s traditional tea culture. The chewy tapioca pearls added a completely new texture to iced tea. This turned a simple drink into something that felt like both a beverage and a sweet snack.
New and interesting tea flavours soon followed. These attracted younger audiences, such as college students, who helped shape the drink into something more vibrant, social and trend-led.
As Bubble Tea spread beyond Taiwan, the western world quickly picked up on its appeal. Its creative menus, affordable serving style and simple preparation made it a strong fit for cafés, kiosks, dessert parlours and takeaway counters.
Unlike a standard cold drink, Boba Tea offers customers something more interactive. Flavour, texture and presentation all play a part in the experience.
Social media also acted as a catalyst for the growing Bubble Tea industry. The fun and unique look of a cup of Boba Tea made it highly instagrammable. Teenagers and young adults were attracted to the cups because they could photograph them and post the images online. This helped push the drink to more audiences at a fast-growing rate.
Another reason for its popularity is customisation. Customers can choose exactly how they would like their Bubble Tea served. Many kiosks offer different ice levels, sweetness levels, syrup flavours and Boba toppings. CFW’s range offers several flavours of Popping Boba and jasmine green tea syrup, helping businesses add that same customisable feel to their own drinks menu.
Is Bubble Tea easy to sell?
Selling Bubble Tea is a great starting point for businesses looking to attract a younger audience and refresh their summer drinks menu. It is colourful, customisable and easy to serve. This makes it a strong fit for cafés, dessert parlours, kiosks, takeaway counters and event vendors.
CFW’s Bubble Tea range is designed to keep preparation simple. Sephra Popping Boba comes ready prepared in a tub, so there is no cooking, soaking or lengthy preparation needed before service. Staff can simply scoop the Boba into a cup, add the drink base, ice and a wide straw, then serve.
The jasmine green tea syrups are also easy to use. With a syrup pump, each drink can be portioned by the number of pumps. This helps staff keep flavour consistent from cup to cup. It also makes training easier and helps reduce mistakes during busy service periods.
This simple setup makes Bubble Tea a quick and practical addition to an existing menu. Businesses can get started without installing a full specialist Boba counter. A few flavours of Popping Boba, a tea syrup, cups and chunky straws can be enough to test customer demand.
For dessert shops and cafés, Bubble Tea can also work as an easy add-on sale. Customers buying waffles, crepes, ice cream, milkshakes, or other sweet treats may find a cold, fruity drink the perfect addition to their order. During summer, this gives businesses another way to increase choice without adding a complicated new process.
How can I customise my Boba?
CFW offers 6 unique flavours of Popping Boba, as well as 5 flavours of jasmine green tea syrup. This gives businesses a wide range of fruity combinations to add to their Bubble Tea menu.
With a pump, different syrup flavours can be mixed into one cup without needing to change utensils. This keeps service simple and helps staff create consistent drinks quickly.
The 3.2kg containers of Popping Boba are easy to use once opened. Staff can scoop the Boba straight from the tub, keeping preparation simple and tidy. The pearls stay compact before bursting with juice when eaten, giving each drink a fun flavour pop.
Customising tea flavours is ideal for seasonal specials. New flavours can help bring in new customers and give regular customers a reason to come back and try something different.
A “make your own Bubble Tea” option can also add a personal feel to your menu. Customers can choose their tea syrup, Popping Boba flavour and drink style to create their own combination. This makes the drink feel more interactive and can encourage repeat visits.
The mixer in Bubble Tea can also be customised. Three popular options are milk, water and fizzy drinks such as lemonade. These can change the flavour, texture and overall feel of the drink.
Ultimately, it is clear why Boba Tea became so popular. It is not a one-size-fits-all drink. Customers can tailor their Bubble Tea to their own personal preference, helping to increase the chance of repeat sales.
Is selling Boba profitable?
Selling Boba Tea can be a profitable menu addition for cafés, dessert shops, kiosks, takeaway counters and event vendors. One of the main reasons is that Bubble Tea ingredients can be bought in bulk, portioned easily and sold as a premium cold drink.
When using Sephra Bubble Tea ingredients from CFW, the average 16oz cup of water-based bubble tea can cost approximately 55p to make in ingredients and serving items. This includes the cup, lid, wide straw, syrup and Popping Boba.
These drinks can often be sold for around £3.50 to £6.00, depending on the business, location, portion size, presentation and flavour options. This gives Bubble Tea strong profit potential, especially for businesses already selling cold drinks, desserts or takeaway products.
Costing per 16oz serving
- 16oz Sephra cup + lid: £0.09
- Wide straw: £0.05
- Syrup: £0.22
- Based on 40ml at 1:6 dilution
- Approximately 62 servings per bottle
- Based on £13.99 per bottle
- Popping Boba: £0.19
- Based on 40g serving
- Approximately 80 servings per tub
- Based on £14.99 per tub
Approximate cost per serving: £0.55
This is a rough guideline only. Prices will vary depending on portion sizes, selling price, recipe, waste and any additional ingredients used.
Where can I buy ingredients?
Sephra’s Bubble Tea range is available to buy online from CFW.co.uk. The range includes Popping Boba, jasmine green tea syrups, clear plastic cups, lids and wide straws. These are the key items businesses need to start serving a unique new product.
CFW’s Bubble Tea ingredients are suitable for cafés, dessert parlours, kiosks, takeaway counters, ice cream shops, mobile vendors and event caterers. The ready-to-use Popping Boba and easy-to-portion syrups make it simple to add Boba to an existing drinks menu without needing a full specialist setup. Businesses can start with a small selection of popular flavours, then build their menu over time. CFW gives you all the ingredients and serving essentials to get started, whether you want to sell one summer special or create a full custom Bubble Tea range.