For Milksha, Australia’s bubble tea market has yet to burst
Milksha Australia’s director Jeffrey Lin details plans to establish a presence in every state.
Fresh from its first interstate location, Milksha, one of the largest premium bubble tea chains in Taiwan, made known its plans to enter every state in Australia.
Speaking to QSR Media, Australia director Jeffrey Lin revealed that the chain’s main goal is to have over 60 stores over the long-term — which, if successful, would place them as part of the top five bubble tea chains in the country by store count.
Over the next 12 months, the brand will endeavour to open two additional stores.
“While the past two years have been challenging, the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and lockdown means the overall market and economy are now recovering. I believe now is a time to grow and expand, as several empty stores are now available for leasing, investors interested in businesses currently have better bargaining power over commercial rent, and consumers across other Australian states have been frequently asking when and where further Milksha stores will open in their areas,” Lin said.
The executive observed fellow brands, whether franchised or self-owned, continue to enter the market. His takeaway: the market is far from bursting.
“Competition is ongoing, which indicates to us that the bubble tea market is becoming more mature. We are seeing bubble tea becoming more integrated into the everyday lives of Australians, with locals growing excited over the variety of bubble tea they can find across Australia. I believe the market is growing to its peak, therefore it is critical for Milksha to continue growing and expanding through a number of stores and new locations across the country.”
Milksha hopes to create an array of store formats, including a mix of street stores and kiosks within shopping centres. Outside of Australia, it has a presence of over 250 stores in Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Macau.
“We have already invested in several technologies to elevate CX [customer experience]. Within our stores, we have self-order kiosk[s], as well as a barcode where consumers can scan to order and then pay online in order to skip the queue. With bubble tea overall being a more grab-and-go experience, these technologies are more efficient and effective for customers. Milksha has also invested in tea maker machines that help our team members brew the tea more efficiently, while maintaining consistent quality and standard,” Lin explained.
After a majority stake of its parent company was acquired by Jollibee Foods Corporation last year, the bubble tea brand’s items are now being sold in the Philippines through the fast food giant’s Chowking chain.
Milksha claims to differentiate itself from its competitors by offering seasonal new products, customer-focused services, continuous focus and effort on being more eco-friendly, creative and modern interior designs and collaboration with other local brands for products or merchants.
