People buying bubble tea at Gong Cha bubble tea shop in Hong Kong. Photo: Nora Tam
Eat Drink Asia: The bubble tea success story
- Created in Taiwan in the 1980s, bubble tea is a mix of milk tea, tapioca pearls, and syrup
- It spread through Asia, gaining popularity and then exploded across the United States
People buying bubble tea at Gong Cha bubble tea shop in Hong Kong. Photo: Nora Tam
Bubble tea, which has its roots in 1980s Taiwan, has become something of a global sensation. It has become an international smash hit, spreading through China, Asia, the USA and all across Instagram, with stores popping up and developing as fast as people can queue for them.
So we ask ourselves- What's special about bubble tea? Who invented it? How did it become a global phenomenon? And why is it accepted by the mainstream so much faster than dishes such as General Tso's chicken or chop suey? Listen in to find out.
Music credit: Make It Tasty by Fung Bros
Produced and Edited by Yang Yang
