The Bizarre Journey of Boba

Submitted by Will Chen

Boba has turned into a worldwide phenomenon over the last decade. It has grown to be the perfect drink to grab on the go and is beloved by the younger generation. Here at the University of Delaware, we have a handful of boba shops such as Comma Cafe, Kung Fu Tea, TBaar, and Tiger Sugar. With such a large popularity, let’s take a dive into the origin of boba. 

Where did it all start?

  The origin of boba is often debated. However, it is widely believed that in the early 1980s, the owner of a tea store in Taiwan wanted to experiment with serving cold tea with fen yuan, also known as sweetened tapioca pudding. After being introduced to the menu in the shop, a trend sparked all across Taiwan. From the 1980s to the 1990s, boba tea exploded in popularity in Asia. 

Boba’s Journey Around the World

Thanks to globalization, boba tea has traveled all across the globe, spawning in small shops for everyone to enjoy. Right now, the boba tea market is valued at $2.63 billion and will grow to $4.78 billion by 2032 with a compounded annual growth rate of 7.81%. It seems to be getting more and more popular in the United States day by day. With tremendous economic growth, it seems that boba has become a mainstay in our daily lives. 

Go Grab a Cup!

As the weather warms up here at the University of Delaware, there is no better way to chill than getting a cup of boba from your favorite tea shop!

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