Gong cha Accelerates U.S. Expansion with Three New Master Franchisees

Gong cha, a leading bubble tea brand with more than 1,670 locations worldwide, is accelerating its rapid U.S. expansion with the signing of three new master franchisees (MFs), awarding territory rights for the states of Louisiana, Colorado and Michigan.

Together, the deals alone are projected to grow the brand’s U.S. footprint by an additional 60 stores over a period of five years.

Gong cha currently has more than 150 stores across 11 states and Washington, D.C., including New York, New Jersey, Texas, California and others.

The first of the new stores are set to open in New Orleans in spring of 2022.

“We look forward to welcoming many new business owners who are ready to realize the untapped potential of these new markets,” said Andrew Sternburg, Gong cha’s chief development officer. “The strength and global appeal of this brand, paired with the rapidly growing popularity of bubble tea in the U.S., makes this an exciting opportunity for potential franchisees.”

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Across the U.S., Gong cha is projected to exceed 500 stores by 2025. To fuel their aggressive growth goals, Gong cha employs an innovative master franchise model that allows seasoned entrepreneurs with enterprise-level experience to develop a large territory.

The latest territory rights have been awarded to principals Daniel Tsang, Ping Wen Bai, Ashraf Salem and Abdel Raouf Mousa in Louisiana; Nam Vo and Phuong (“Mindy”) Thai in Colorado; and Robert Song in Michigan.

The principals for each territory will develop a dynamic network of sub-franchisees, opening the door to entrepreneurship for individuals who dream of owning a business.

Overall, bubble tea is a rapidly growing category in the beverage/fast casual space. Orders of bubble milk tea shot up 505 percent during the first half of 2021 (per Grubhub’s “State of the Plate” report, 2021), and the global bubble tea market is projected to reach $3.39 Billion by the end of 2027 (per Fortune Business Insights Report).

Globally, the Gong cha brand store count grew 17 percent year-over-year from 2020-2021. In the United States, yearly store growth has nearly tripled since 2018 (2021 openings were more than double that of 2019 and 2020).

Gong cha will also open its first five corporate-owned U.S. stores in the Chicagoland area in early 2022 with the long-term goal of opening more than 50 throughout downtown Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.

Founded in Taiwan in 1996, Gong cha means “to offer the best tea to the emperor from all of one’s possessions.”

To learn more, visit GongchaFranchising.com.

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