Move Over Boba: There’s a New Tea in Town
Nayuki – Supreme Cheese Fruit Tea Series
In recent years, Asian Tea brands have turned drinking cold flavored teas into a culinary sport, boasting lines that go around the block and blowing up Instagram feed with crazy flavors. If you are still stuck on drinking Boba, we’ve got a treat for you.
Times are about to change as new tea brands seek to expand their reach in the west. These brands boast a dizzying array of flavors and a long menu of snacks. We gathered a list of our favorite modern tea brands you may soon line up for. Did we mention cheese?
Nayuki
The concept of Nayuki is straightforward and so simple, that’s why it’s a surprise no other brand has capitalized on it before. If it’s your first time hearing about Nayuki, it’s a tea and bakery lifestyle brand that boasts more than 200 stores in China. This Chinese brand imports from Japanese aesthetics while formulated their own taste profile. It has become so successful the media has dubbed it “Nayuki Veloci-tea.” It has recently launched their first outlet in Japan.
The brand fuses European-style baking goods which perfectly complements its special fruit-based cheese teas. Once it’s available in your area, make sure you don’t miss out on ordering the fresh cream strawberry bread paired with their Supreme Cheese Strawberry tea.
HeyTea
Originated from China, the HeyTea brand is dubbed as the original creator of the famous cheese tea, mixing New Zeland cheese and fresh milk to create a decadent lightness texture. Their teas are so good people are willing to line up hours for it. One customer even queued for 7 hours just to get their hands on a heavenly cup of tea.
We look forward to HeyTea going into North America’s market, however, the company currently does not operate as a franchise, with locations only in China and Singapore.
Gong Cha
Founded in Taiwan, Gong Cha has expanded to 15 countries worldwide. Fresh tea is brewed every 4 hours. Drinks are offer in 6 series, Milk Foam, Milk Tea, Slush, Creative, Coffee and Tea Latte with a variety of toppings from Oreo crumbs to Basil seeds.
This Taiwanese brand has stolen the hearts of millions of people since its inception in 2006. One of the most loved items on their menu is the Earl Grey Milk Tea with 3Js, which beautifully blends Taiwanese oolong tea with pearls, pudding & Herbal jelly. Gong Cha is available in New York, Texas, Massachusetts and New Jersey.
Tiger Sugar
This famous Taiwanese bubble tea brand has become the drink of choice of many people since it launched in 2017, and is one of the very few brands that need no introduction. You’ve probably even seen a photo or two of its photogenic signature brown milk tea on social media.
The brand is aptly named Tiger Sugar because of how its drinks look when served to the customers. The cups are coated with delicious brown sugar that looks like tiger stripes after the milk is poured. Their best-selling Brown Sugar Boba Milk with Cream Mousse is a cult favorite. Thankfully, you don’t have to wait long before you try this infamous tea, with current locations in Las Vegas and Dallas and coming to Boston, Miami and Houston.
Urban Tea/ Meno
Fresh off the boat, this newcomer originates from the Chinese specialty tea brand. (Buoyance Manor) It recently opened a branch in New York under a new name MENO, located in West Village, Manhattan. Customers may be curious to try the wild combination coffee meets juice 😳 menu, as well as fresh milk teas that can be served both hot or cold. All their teas have undergone microbial fermentation and are made with organic whole milk. Some of their best-sellers are honey-flavored black tea, peach-flavored oolong tea, and Jasmine-flavored green tea.
The Tea Craze Won’t Be Over Anytime Soon
People’s obsession with flavored tea is back and booming, and with all pioneer brands soon to be available in the US, people will have a broader choice of players. Despite long lines, every delicious cup will surely be worth the wait.