Founder of Mr Bean is bringing back bubble tea Gong Cha to Singapore

The man who founded the popular soy milk brand, Mr Bean, will be bringing back bubble tea Gong Cha to Singapore.

The Taiwanese bubble tea will be helmed by Mr Kang Puay Seng, the former co-founder and managing director of Mr Bean.

Gong Cha officially closed down in Singapore on 5 June after food and beverage group RTG Holdings discontinued its franchise here. The firm then replaced all its 86 outlets with its own made-in Singapore creation, LiHo.

Royal Tea Taiwan, the company behind the Gong Cha brand, said in a statement on Friday (4 August): “The appointment of the new master franchisee is the first step in our quest to bring back the old Gong Cha that everyone knows and loves, but in a better way than before.

“Singapore has always been a key market for Gong Cha. Since the end of our previous franchise agreement, we have emphasised that we very much intend to continue to have a presence here,” the company said.

Gong Cha received more than 100 applications for the master franchise for the Singapore market. The bubble tea brand operates more than 1,300 stores globally and is eyeing an expansion in the Singapore market.

It plans to launch its first store in the third quarter of this year, with the aim of opening multiple outlets in the following months.

Gong Cha is also planning to unveil a fresh look for its stores in Singapore as well as new offerings on the menu, in addition to the well-loved original favourites.

Top image via Gong Cha Singapore Facebook page.