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Tag: chattime

  • Chupa Chups x Chatime launch lolly-inspired boba drinks

    Chupa Chups x Chatime launch lolly-inspired boba drinks

    Chupa Chups has partnered with boba franchise Chatime to launch drinks based on the lolly brand’s best-selling flavors: Grape and Strawberry & Cream.

    Dubbed “The Tea That Pops”, the lolly-based boba beverages are available in Chatime T-breweries nationwide from September 19 until October 31.

    “It’s not just a drink; it’s a whole vibe!” expressed Marta Ballesteros, global licensing manager for Perfetti Van Melle, the parent company of Chupa Chups.

    “I hope our Australian fans are all set to dive into a world of forever fun flavor and will give the sweetest launch of the season a go!”

    The Grape Chupa Tea is a green tea base with grape jellies to add an “extra pop”, while the Strawberries & Cream Chupa Tea is a milky tea with a strawberry-vanilla flavor and a dollop of creamy mousse.

    According to Gabi Bishop, senior brand manager at Chatime, the collaboration aims to demonstrate the company’s commitment to innovation.

    “Our exciting partnership with Chupa Chups not only introduces a delicious new range of limited-edition teas to our customers but also energizes our vibrant breweries with a fun and playful campaign,” concluded Bishop.

    “We can’t wait to share it with our industry peers and tea enthusiasts!”

    The Grape Chupa Tea is priced at $7.50 for a regular size and $8.35 for a large, while the Strawberries & Cream Chupa Tea is available for $8.10 for a regular and $8.95 for a large.

    Asembl, a leading brand extension agency representing Perfetti Van Melle, brokered the partnership.

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  • Chatime facing allegations of Employee Underpayment

    Chatime facing allegations of Employee Underpayment

    Bubble tea chain Chatime is the subject of the latest underpayment scandal, after an in-depth report alleged rampant underpayment in both corporate-owned stores and the franchisee network stretching back to 2009.

    Employees of the Taiwanese company’s Australian subsidiary – Infinite Plus – are owed more than $10 million, according to the report. Many of the underpaid workers are foreign students on visas from China and Taiwan, who were too afraid to complain to authorities, the report said.

    A spokesperson for the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) told it has a current investigation relating to Infinite Plus, so could not comment further on the matter at this stage.

    The report comes after a parliamentary inquiry earlier this year called for a total overhaul of the franchise sector, after a series of underpayment scandals at 7-Eleven, Retail Food Group, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd and other franchise businesses.

    Chatime had not previously been insinuated in the underpayment scandals, but according to the report, the bubble tea business had in fact received a formal complaint from the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) in 2018, after an audit of its corporate-owned stores from August to December 2016 revealed 150 workers had been underpaid.

    Chatime was told to back-pay workers an estimated $113,494 in NSW and $62,975 in Victoria, the report stated, but was not further penalised by the FWO. The Ombudsman also chose not to make the finding public.

    Earlier this month, however, the regulator commenced legal action against a Chatime franchisee in Sydney, which it alleged underpaid 17 workers more than $46,000. A Chatime insider told, “It’s pretty standard picking on the little guys, not the big guys”.

    The spokesperson for the FWO told it is examining the rapid establishment and expansion of overseas franchise businesses.

    “These businesses often implement operating models and workplace practices associated with their countries of origin,” the spokesperson said.

    “In combination with employing migrant workers, who may be unaware of their rights, there is significant potential for non-compliance. We are proactively auditing several emerging franchisees in the fast food, restaurant and café sector to check compliance of their business models with Australia’s workplace laws.”

    The spokesperson said recent litigations commenced against PappaRich and Chatime franchisee outlet operators are the result of this activity.

    The spokesperson also confirmed that the FWO investigated Bakery Venture, a business that Infinite Plus’s key shareholders – Charlley Zhao and Iris Qian – were involved directors of and key shareholders, last year.

    The Ombudsman secured $350,000 in back-pay for employees and former employees of Bakery Venture, trading as Dough Collective, but further enforcement options were limited, since the company went into liquidation during the investigation.

    We asked Chatime for comment, but had not received a reply by the time of publication.

  • Bubble tea franchise set to expand throughout New Zealand

    Bubble tea franchise set to expand throughout New Zealand

    New Zealanders have a growing thirst for the popular Asian drink “bubble tea,” with more stores expanding around the country next year.

    Bubble tea or boba tea is made with soft tapioca balls called pearls and originated in Taiwan in the 1980.

    The drink has become popular around the world with global sales of tapioca pearls growing at 4 per cent a year.

    Bubble tea sales in New Zealand are growing around 20 per cent a year, according to Marcus Teh, New Zealand manager of Gong Cha, an international chain of bubble teahouses.

    Auckland’s large Asian student population initially drove its popularity, he said, but this year around 30 per cent of customers were Kiwis.

    The black balls at the bottom of the glass are tapioca pearls.

    “Marketing plays a part but the bubble tea culture and drinks are slowly being loved by Kiwis,” Teh said.

    “We already know our brand is loved by Asians so we are trying to attract more New Zealanders.”

    Retail licensing expert Katrina Hammon said bubble tea bars were the new juice bars.

    “It’s new, different and on trend globally. McDonald’s Germany even added bubble tea to the menu in 2012, so New Zealand is well behind this trend,” she said.

    One of the pull factors of tea was the experience, she said.

    “The Chatime Tea brand, another chain of teahouses has an unique fit out, consumers can see the product being made and add in pearls. There are also healthy options like sugar free options, chia seeds, aloe vera.”

    Gong Cha and Chatime each have more than 1000 stores worldwide and three stores in Auckland.

    A fourth Gong Cha is set to open at Sylvia Park in November.

    Teh said potential franchisees had been in contact asking him to open stores in the South Island. He plans on opening three more stores next year, including in Wellington and Christchurch.

    Gong Cha will hire 20 staff in addition to the team of 30 already working for the company.

    The company was recently voted the most popular food and beverage brand in Singapore, and was also named the most popular tea brand in Korea.

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