The owners of boba milk tea brand Twrl have a chance to pitch a pretty well-known investor, actor Simu Liu. It came after they posted a video in support of Liu calling out the white owners of a boba drink brand for cultural appropriation on “Dragons’ Den,” the Canadian version of “Shark Tank.
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This “Dragons’ Den” episode backlash struck a nerve in the ongoing debate on how someone who sells something specific to a culture that isn’t their own walks the line between appropriation and appreciation. There is no business manual on exactly how to do it. It also highlighted how when someone who doesn’t have personal ties to a product inextricably linked to a culture profits, it can exacerbate disparities with businesses from marginalized or overlooked groups.
Boba’s origin story actually goes back centuries and can be traced outside of Taiwan, according to Juily Phun, an assistant professor in Asian American Studies at Cal State LA who curated an exhibit on the beverage’s history and impact. The root vegetable cassava, which is used to make tapioca starch, the main ingredient in boba, started in South America. Colonization led to cassava being exported to African nations, Pacific Islands and parts of Asia.
“It shows the folly of these big corporate things that think they can attract us by one thing,” Phun said. “It’s not just about authenticity. What I’ve noticed is the younger generation is they put their money where their values are.” “He went into the business because he saw a market opportunity, which I agree with. ... But it didn’t come from a place of, ‘I really love boba tea,’” she said. “I wish there would be an appreciation or a story or an acknowledgment.”“The most powerful marketing for consumer products comes from personal stories and the most compelling marketing is usually very personal,” Ruan said.
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