Taiwan’s bubble tea craze has swept France, with several Taiwanese brands recently becoming popular in French cities. The sweet milk tea with tapioca balls is a favorite not only among young adults accustomed to foreign cultures, but also with high school students and older office workers.
Le Monde news agency reported that during the worst period of COVID-19, restaurants were not open for dining. It says the queues outside bubble tea shops became one of the last places to socialize, boosting the drink’s popularity.
Medical practitioner Anais says freedom of choice is one reason why she likes Taiwanese drinks. She says she loves being able to choose from many flavors, types of tea, sweetness level, ingredients, and even the amount of ice.
But Taiwanese aren’t the only ones getting in on the action. Many innovative drink shops set up by Southeast Asians, Chinese, and French have become popular, selling colorful tea drinks with non-traditional ingredients. Taiwan tea company manager Cheng Wei-yu (鄭薇妤) says the charm of Taiwan tea and other hand-rolled drinks has transcended national boundaries.
The beverage industry is already a powerful export tool for Taiwan. Taiwan’s representative office in Paris says many French and non-resident Taiwanese businesspersons have asked the office about training, ingredients, and equipment.