In a CNN article written in November of 2000, the author writes that “chai latte is so five minutes ago compared to this drink” ("Tapioca"). What drink was this author referring to? Why, bubble tea of course!

Many places, from Los Angeles and Orange County to San Francisco and New York, are welcoming the Asian fad of bubble tea and the wonderful tapioca pearls and fat straws that comes along with it. Many of the cafes and restaurants that are springing up rush to put bubble tea as a choice on their menus. The owners of these places believe they have stumbled upon a wonderfully profitable alternative to coffee. Vendors hope to market it as a relatively healthy alternative to soft drinks or coffee. "Everybody is talking about natural and health food. Well, tea is a natural plant and it's proven to lower health risks," said Jimmy Huang, who envisions opening between 50 and 100 tea shops in the United States over the next 10 years (Cain). Another owner of a tea café called Tropics said, “It's a healthier alternative to traditional milk tea, which can include artificial flavors and too much sugar. I use fresh fruits, fresh cream, milk and sugar to make durian, banana, strawberry and mango smoothies. It is a refreshing and healthy drink.”

Perhaps the most appealing part of bubble tea is the wide range of unique flavors that catches people’s eyes and wins over newcomers. More than just a choice between a mocha and a latte, every bubble tea shop carries standard flavors, like regular milk tea, strawberry, and mango, on top of the exotic flavors such as passion fruit, peppermint, honeydew, and lychee. Not many drinks can offer such a wide array of flavors and these new tastes can really pique customers’ interest.

So can bubble tea become the next Starbucks?

One reporter, Tiffany Wan of the Northwest Asian, adamantly believes that it can be. She writes, “I think it’s that bubble tea is so different from other drinks out there right now. People in the Northwest have been drinking coffee and plain tea for decades. With the exception of mini-trends like chai tea, bubble tea is innovative and exciting. What other drink can boast such an array of colors, plus the amusement of chewy tapioca balls? (Wan)”

According to a study by the Houston Chronicle, the most common reaction people have when they first try bubble tea is, “It tastes different”. And that is what I think gives bubble tea an edge over coffee and other drinks: it’s different.

How about forget the drinks and compare the establishment of Starbucks and boba cafes? Both places are gathering areas where people come to hang out. I may love coffee, but my friends who hate it don't mind at all meeting at Starbucks for a few hours on a Saturday afternoon. Starbucks offers non-coffee alternatives, and so do boba cafes. The various snacks, Asian dishes, and soda offerings have been enough to attract loyal customers who prefer to not drink bubble tea. A teenager was interviewed for the Chicago Sun-Times to comment on a local bubble tea cafe. "He's there every day, even though he's not a big fan of the tea drinks. He usually orders sodas. 'I love this place. One of your friends is always here. Plus they got cheap food here," he said, while whipping buddy Valente Contreras in a game of Connect Four'" (Jackson).

On the other hand, Eric Nakamura, publisher of the Asian-American pop culture magazine Giant Robot, hopes that bubble tea will not turn into a Starbucks-esque experience:

"You already know in your mind what the inside of a Starbucks is going to look like, but as a boba tea shop, you don't know if this is going to be a techno-boba shop or is this going to be laid back, is this going to be the kind that has desserts, too. And some actually have food now, rice dishes and stuff like that. The point is I think you do pick one that fits your personality and I think that's kind of cool (Profile: Bubble Tea)."

Many people might argue that bubble tea is just “an Asian thing” so it will never develop into anything nearly as popular as Starbucks. However, articles published on the popularity of bubble tea have cited that bubble tea is becoming less of an Asian thing and more of an “Americanization” of an Asian custom. All kinds of people nowadays buy pearl milk tea, including the corporate business-suit types that work in high-rise buildings (Wan). And many bubble tea shops offer inviting and modern ambiences not unlike Starbucks or other hangouts that attract young people.

Whether or not bubble tea is just a fad or not, I personally believe that bubble tea is here to stay. Bubble tea’s popularity is not only skyrocketing here at Stanford, but all across the nation. People want another choice than just coffee or soft drinks and bubble tea offers a refreshing, new taste to the scene.

References

Cain, Christy L. “Local couple tastes sweet success with bubble tea.” 07 Sept 2001. Pacific Business News. 10 Mar 2006. <http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2001/09/10/smallb2.html>.

Jackson, Cheryl. "Novel beverage anchors Bubble tea house: Lane Tech grad enjoys success, students savor drinks, snacks at popular hangout." The Chicago Sun-Times. 8 February 2006

"Profile: Bubble Tea." 2 August 2004. NPR: Morning Edition.

“Tapioca milk tea creating waves as fun coffee alternative.” 27 Nov 2000. Associated Press. <http://archives.cnn.com/2000/FOOD/news/11/27/bubble.tea.ap/>.

Wan, Tiffany. “Bubble Tea: it’s cool, fun & good.” 17 Aug 2002. Northwest Asian. 10 Mar 2006. <http://www.nwasianweekly.com/editorial/bubble.htm>.

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