Taiwanese tea brand Gong cha is ‘seeking additional franchisees’ to further grow its US presence as part of a wider North America expansion.

Gong cha bubble tea has been in use since 1980.

The company claims that it has ‘become a daily treat’ for US consumers.

With an attractive business model, Gong cha franchisees have flourished as the company employs a ‘mostly take-out model’.

Under the company’s business model, bubble tea is offered both through delivery and in-store pickup.

Despite the existence of the novel coronavirus pandemic across the world, Gong cha continued to open new stores around the world, including in the United States.

Currently, Gong cha operates more than 1,300 stores across 19 countries.

Gong cha Americas & Europe CEO Gustafsson said: “I am excited to share the Gong cha opportunity with interested potential franchisees.

“Gong cha is a leading brand in a fast-growing category, and the unit model economics are very attractive. With a fairly straight-forward operating model and relatively low upfront capital requirements, a Gong cha franchise investment is compelling.”

Gong cha’s bubble tea is a milk tea prepared with pearls (delicious chewy pearl-shaped tapioca) and flavoured with fruit and other toppings. This tea is usually served over ice.

Pearl Milk Tea and Brown Sugar Milk Tea are Gong cha’s top flavours. The company also offers seasonal products such as ‘Mango Milk Foam Slush’ and ‘Crème Brulee’.

Einar Gustafsson recently joined as CEO of Gong cha Americas & Europe.

In November last year, private equity firm TA Associates made an undisclosed strategic growth investment in Gong cha Group.