Bobba: The Rise of Ready-to-Drink Bubble Tea in North American Markets

When he started to present his product, ready-to-drink bubble tea, Sébastien Fiset bumped his nose against many doors.

“Nobody wanted to do it. It was too complicated,” he confides.

Appearing in Taiwan in the 1980s, pearl or bubble tea was originally prepared with a tea base, hot or cold, to which tapioca balls and flavored powder were added.

After months of research and development, he found the right formula to adapt the Asian version to North American tastes with the help of a Taiwanese supplier.

Founded in 2021 by Sébastien Fiset and Jessica Frenette, the company immediately appealed to consumers. Often imitated, but not identical, Bobba conquered Canada and penetrated the American and European markets in an unprecedented time.

“Our competitors are far behind us. We produce a quality product with very little sugar. We also use real tea leaves and a glass bottle. We have 2,000 points of sale in France and we have signed up with the American brand Costco,” he rejoices with Mr. Fiset.

One million dollars

If the beginning was difficult – he financed his own product – investors’ ears are now open. Bobba’s products are aimed at young consumers, but also at adults with alcoholic versions.

A group of investors, including Etienne Plourde, Jonathan Roy (founders of WeCook) and Bernard Prevost (founder of Miss Fresh) joined the young entrepreneur in his conquest of the market by financing him to the tune of a million dollars.

“This money will allow us to cover the costs of bringing our drinks into all the American chains. We currently have 400 points of sale and we are aiming for 10,000 by the end of 2025,” said Mr Fiset.

Five turns then… sell

In addition to the United States, France, Belgium and Italy, Sébastien Fiset would like to see his bubble teas appear on the shelves of Greece and Saudi Arabia.

In their boxes, they also prepare a new recipe based on the original version. “There are opportunities in Asia. We have talks in South Korea and Japan. We want to launch Bobba using tapioca, but also introduce our fruit juice pearls,” said the entrepreneur.

And for West, what will the next Bobba look like? “Secret,” replied Mr. Fiset. But I can tell you one thing: in business, we must innovate. We have to step out of our comfort zone and create recipes that don’t exist to stand out from the competition.”

However, every effort to become a leader in your sector requires a lot of time and energy from the entrepreneur. When he has multiplied Bobba’s turn four or five times, Mr. Fiset will sell to a big player.

“I’m taking care of everything right now, the goal is to be able to have fun with other small projects,” he explains.

Sébastien Fiset says he is ready, on the other hand, to sell his first entrepreneurial success, Cookie Bluff, if the opportunity arises.