The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to sell bubble tea for the first time

Ceylon Milk Tea with Brown Sugar Boba is CBTL’s first bubble tea beverage | Photo credit: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Californian café chain The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) has launched a new pilot tea menu in the US to tap into rising demand for bubble tea and matcha beverages. 
 

Initially launched across nine stores in Southern California and Arizona, the World of Tea programme includes Ceylon Milk Tea with Brown Sugar Boba – CBTL’s first bubble tea beverage. 

Los Angeles-based CBTL said the move seeks to tap into ‘surging tea popularity’ across the US and expand its market leading position in the tea industry. 

“The rise in specialty teas and new flavours is an emerging trend in the US and around the world. Our new World of Tea collection is a natural evolution for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf,” said Sanjiv Razdan, President, Americas & India, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.  

The World of Tea collection also includes Matcha Cream Strawberry Latte, Oolong Tea with Strawberry and Cream Cap and Chai with Salted Caramel Cream Cap.  

World Coffee Portal researchfound that 19% of US coffee shop consumers drink hot tea on a daily basis, while 25% drink iced tea at least once a day. Additionally 14% of those surveyed had ordered iced tea from a coffee shop over the last 12 months. 

Founded in 1963, CBTL operates 139 stores across the US and more than 1,000 across 24 international markets. The brand was acquired by Filipino quick-service restaurant group Jollibee Food Corporation for $350m in July 2019.