Starbucks is known for its deliciously creative coffee creations but does Starbucks have boba? Boba tea is quickly gaining popularity as another favorite drink of people who want something sweet and refreshing in the middle of the day or right before going to work. Boba or bubble tea originated in Asia and comes in different flavors.
A distinct characteristic of boba tea is the little balls of tapioca or jelly which add chewiness to an otherwise straight drink.
Does Starbucks Have Boba?
Despite its popularity, Starbucks doesn’t have boba tea on its menu yet. However, there’s no telling if Starbucks will soon succumb to the bubble tea craze. After all, Starbucks adopted several non-coffee drinks like the Chai Tea Latte and the Pink Drink.
The popularity of milk tea allowed it to reach a value of over $2 Billion in 2019! Bob tea on the other hand is an equally complicated drink. The tea itself is made by combining black tea, condensed milk, and syrup for added sweetness.
The tapioca pearls are added in for that extra chewy texture allowing you to enjoy both solid and liquid at the same time. The drink is typically served with an extra-large straw so the tapioca pearls can get through and be part of the whole drinking experience.
Currently, there are two popular versions of boba tea – black pearl milk tea and green pearl milk tea. Other versions are available which helps add variety to the flavor. Regardless of the taste, however, boba tea almost always has tapioca pearls which make it stand out from the rest of the refreshing drinks available today.
Why Does Starbucks Not Sell Boba Tea?
Starbucks doesn’t have bubble tea on its menu yet. There’s a chance they’ll add this to their offerings as soon as they figure out the logistics.
Currently, the primary reason why Starbucks doesn’t have boba is the additional strain it will put on the chain. Rolling out boba as an additional drink on the menu may be incredibly expensive for the coffee giant. This is because preparing boba tea is not as seamless as preparing coffee.
The tapioca pearls add an extra step that would require putting in additional equipment and retraining their people. Since Starbucks is already doing well with some of its drinks, the added cost of putting Boba Tea on the menu may not be worth the effort.
Of course, there’s no telling if Starbucks will continue to deny boba tea a place on their menu. There’s always hope if bubble tea becomes even more popular. Right now, there are tea alternatives you can order from Starbucks like black tea or their iced matcha options.
You can also try making your own tapioca pearls which can be conveniently purchased through shops. Once you have your own tapioca pearls, you can add them to any tea of your choice, put in a bit of condensed milk, and enjoy!
