Gong Cha, a Taiwanese bubble tea chain that runs more than 1650 shops in twenty countries, is coming to Belgium. Ten shops are planned, the first being in Brussels shopping centre Docks Bruxsel.
Bubble tea
In just a few decades, bubble tea has grown to become more or less Taiwan’s national drink. A combination of tea, milk (or ice), fruit syrup and tapioca balls, people drink it with a straw. Recently, the trend has also been making a steep ascent in Europe, where several local bars already offer it.
They will now face tough competition as the Taiwanese original – founded in 1996 – is also coming to Belgium. Gong Cha wants to open ten Belgian stores before the end of this year, creating fifty jobs, franchise partner Mad Vision told press agency Belga. The first shop will open within a few weeks in the Dockx Bruxsel shopping centre. After that, branches will follow throughout the country, with certainty already in Antwerp, Genk, Ghent and Tournai.
