The bubble-tea craze is showing no sign of letting up with yet another overseas entrant about to make its debut on the streets of Hong Kong.
The latest brand comes not from Taiwan, but from Thailand. Cha Tra Mue, described by Time Out as “one of Thailand’s most popular and beloved tea brands,” will open its first store in Hong Kong this Saturday (April 27), in Causeway Bay.
Cha Tra Mue (which translates to Number One Brand) was launched more than 70 years ago as a packaged consumer goods brand and in recent years expanded into fresh tea shops. It is known for its sweet, smooth Thai-style milk tea and green-tea drinks. It has already expanded into Malaysia, South Korea, Mainland China (Beijing) and Singapore.
The Hong Kong outlet, at 49 Jardine’s Bazaar, will use only tea leaves, coffee beans, lime and honey imported fresh from Thailand. It will also offer a pandan-flavoured bubble tea.
Besides serving fresh beverages, the Cha Tra Mue cafe will sell packaged tea including family-sized packs of tea bags, and most likely soft-serve tea-flavoured ice cream.