The Malaysian Insight

MALAYSIANS are crazy about bubble tea. This is evident with the number of outlets mushrooming in every part of the country to cater for the huge demand.

It is hard not to miss these bubble tea outlets as they’re the ones with a long queue – all for a cup of sweet tea with “pearls” in them.

Milk tea with pearls is the sought-after beverage here, especially from teenagers who are willing to line up for hours just to make an order. 

As at July, there are 76 brands of bubble tea sold in Malaysia. The number is based on independent research site Bubble Tea Malaysia.

So, is the bubble tea phenomenon just a short-lived trend or can the Taiwanese-originated drink really make you go crazy?

The Malaysian Insight interviewed 10 customers recently to find out what drives them mad over the drink.

A majority of them said that the drink is the “in thing” at the moment, with many eager to try new brands in town.

“I don’t really like it but I love trying new brands, it is like a trend. Everyone wants to try it. I wanted to try some from all the shops,” Shawn Soo, 30, told The Malaysian Insight.

“I like milk tea drinks. When there are more shops, I want to try them. This is because of the pearls. Some are soft, some are not so soft. Like Tealive, the taste is getting better,” Afifah Rosli, 26, said.

For Amalina Roshdi, she became a fan of bubble tea because of the “pearls”.

“I am addicted to the pearls, every outlet has a different taste and I have tried every brands in the market.”

Apart from the taste, some customers choose bubble tea on promotions and some go for the interior design of the cafes.

“I sometimes use the e-wallet and then take advantage of promotions like buy one, free one, or lower price when you buy with friends,” said Adibah Ahmad who works in Petaling Jaya.

“I love hanging around here. After classes, my friends and I will hang around at the cafe, it is comfortable and the Wi-Fi is free,” said Maria Dania, 22, a student.

Feng Cha owner, M.K. Chin said that she decided to open an outlet in Subang Jaya after realising the demand for it.

She has spent more than hundreds of thousands of ringgit just to decorate her cafe.

“The youth are my customers. Weekends are like a new phenomenon. They hang around here and buy the drinks.

“For our products, we have a recipe for the tea. What makes it better is the aroma of the brown sugar. We cook the pearls to make them soft and chewy.

“Our concept is to make it comfy for our customers,” said the owner who just started operating a month ago.

Bubble tea is a Taiwanese drink that has been in the market since 1980s.

The pearls are made from tapioca, sugar and potatoes, depending on the recipe from each brands.

Last week, Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad advised consumers to avoid food and drinks with excessive sugar content, such as bubble tea.

He said the sugar content in one serving of bubble tea is three times the recommended daily intake of eight teaspoons.

“We want consumers to be responsible and not expose their children to food and drinks like this, including bubble tea,” he said.

However, his ministry has not taken steps to introduce the sugar tax on the beverage to discourage high sugar consumption.

But fans of pearl bubble tea are not giving up on the sugar-laden drink.  

They told The Malaysian Insight they are aware of the health risks of consuming too much sugar, saying they consumed the beverage in moderation only. – July 28, 2019.