Bubble Tea - The Icon of Taiwanese Cuisine

Bubble tea is one of Taiwan’s most beloved drinks, introducing the island’s culinary delights to the world.

Born in the 1980s, bubble tea (black pearl tea or boba) is a classic tea favored by the Taiwanese people. Today, the beverage has dozens of variations, but it fundamentally comprises three main components: tea, milk, and pearls.

According to CNN, the global bubble tea industry in 2024 has been valued between $2.4 and $3.6 billion, with no signs of slowing down in growth over the next decade.

Various types of Taiwanese bubble teas. Photo: CNN

In 1949, Taiwanese bartender Chang Fan Shu opened a small store selling shou yao tea (hand-shaken tea), prepared in a cocktail shaker. The product was a thick, rich iced tea with a fine frothy top. Today, shou yao is the soul of bubble tea. Without it, bubble tea wouldn’t exist.

In the 1980s, as Taiwan entered a phase of rapid economic growth, the trend of drinking tea also became popular. In addition to industrially packaged products, many tea shops sprouted up on streets and in suburban areas to serve patrons.

In 1986, the late artist and entrepreneur Tu Tsong He ventured into the tea business. Previously, Tsong He faced difficulties as his hotpot restaurant went bankrupt, accruing a debt of 4 million Taiwanese dollars ($124,000). During a visit to the Yamuliao market in Tainan, Tsong He saw fenyuan (dried cassava pearls), a favorite childhood snack. He wanted to add these pearls to his tea.

Tsong He subsequently crafted larger, chewier, and more flavorful black pearls to add to the milk teas, creating the classic black pearl milk tea loved by many today. At the time, Tsong He encountered a problem because the pearls were larger than the straws. Patrons had to use spoons to consume them. He later custom-ordered straws specifically for this tea.

Hanlin, Tsong He’s first bubble tea shop, opened in October 1986 and quickly became a market hit. The steady revenue from the shop enabled him to clear his debt. Currently, Hanlin operates around 80 branches in Taiwan and numerous franchises worldwide, from the USA and Canada to mainland China.

A staff member preparing bubble tea in a Taiwanese tea shop. Photo: CNN

A staff member preparing bubble tea in a Taiwanese tea shop. Photo: CNN

Tsong He is not the only one claiming the title of bubble tea inventor. Lin Hsiu Hui, Product Director at the Chun Shui Tang bubble tea chain, claims to have created the first bubble tea during a staff meeting in 1988. Tang added pearls she brought along into Assam tea and drank it all. Everyone at the meeting loved this new tea style, and it quickly became the company’s best-selling product within months.

Chun Shui Tang’s staff members also claim their brand was the first to introduce bubble tea shaken in cocktail shakers.

After a decade-long legal battle over bubble tea’s invention rights, in 2019, the court ruled that bubble tea is a drink anyone or any shop can create, thus negating the need to debate its originator.

The battle for bubble tea ownership has no winner, but the reason for calling bubble tea ‘boba’ is clear. Initially, it referred to large black pearls, distinguishing them from smaller fenyan pearls, coined by street vendors in Tainan. Today, ‘boba’ refers to bubble tea in general.

Regardless of its origin, bubble tea remains a symbol of Taiwanese cuisine. According to historian Tseng, bubble tea reflects the unique mindset of people during the transition from old to new. “It embodies the nostalgic emotions in modern society,” Tseng noted.

Today, bubble tea continues to evolve in flavor and ingredients. Shops keep crafting their versions of bubble tea. The trend of non-tea bubble drinks like fresh milk with brown sugar pearls also stirred excitement. Brands continuously experiment, adding ingredients like Oreos, strawberries, sponge cakes, and taro to bubble tea. However, culinary experts say that no matter how bizarre the recipe, the soul of a delicious bubble tea always lies in the tea.

“Bubble tea introduces Taiwan to the world, making it very important,” Tsong He said.