SINGAPORE: When Singapore introduced a 'circuit breaker' in April to limit the spread of COVID-19, people had questions about the implications. ...
What would it mean for work and family life? What about school?Bubble tea.
Another bubble tea lover who needs a regular fix is Ms Joyce Tan. While she was not one of those who queued when the announcement about store closures was made, both she and her husband spent half an hour on their apps trying to order the drink. They did not manage to. Demand had outstripped supply.A few weeks ago, exhausted at the end of a long day, she fell asleep at 8pm, declining an offer from husband Raymond Wong to get her bubble tea.
“It was something new, and everybody wanted to try bubble tea,” she said, speaking to CNA from her Woodlands flat. During the circuit breaker when Ms Tan did not manage to have bubble tea, Mr Wong said she was"more spicy", referring to her quicker temper when she was not getting enough of her favourite drink.
"My sense is that the perception that bubble tea is a 'fun and affordable treat,' coupled with a scarcity-driven appeal Another factor that could have driven the circuit breaker-fuelled bubble tea mania was a fear of missing out, given the viral posts online about bubble tea stores closing. Some consumers may also see drinking bubble tea as a fun social activity to do with their friends, he said.
Dr Emily Ortega, head of the Psychology Programme at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, said that bubble tea is"very much a social experience for many people". "Bubble tea allows people to make the drink their very own and they can change their drinks to suit their mood or to even alleviate their negative moods," she said.
From humble beginnings, the bandwagon gained momentum as new players entered the market to try to exploit what seemed to be an insatiable demand for bubble tea. She added that some bubble tea sellers were also focused on rapid growth and franchising, with lack of attention to staff training, focusing on quantity over quality.
“I still remember, my rental was S$8,000 to S$9,000. One day we only over S$100,” the 70-year-old industry veteran said. “Cold brewing is a method of preparation that isn’t new to cafes but still fairly new for bubble tea brands,” a spokesperson said. She explained that in this method of preparation, tea leaves are steeped in cool water for 10 hours.
“The objective was to allow bubble tea lovers to be able to enjoy bubble tea in the comfort of their homes and bond with their loved ones while doing it,” said a spokesperson.Each-a-Cup, on its part, sells more than 100 varieties of drink, and is constantly updating its offerings, said Mr Chua.READ: Ode to bubble tea
“This ultimately labelled bubble tea as a sugary beverage. It adds empty calories to an individual’s diet and they provide very little nutritional value,” she said. It could take an estimated 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise such as high-knee running, mountain climbing or one hour of low-impact exercises such as swimming or walking to burn about 250 to 350 calories, Ms Shim said. The number of calories burnt depends on the duration of the exercise, the pace, intensity and a person’s weight and height, she explained.
“If you do indulge in the occasional high sugar, high fat versions, do at least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise to burn off the additional calories,” she said.Attempting to make it in a market that is filled with big brand names from Taiwan and China is homegrown label Bober Tea. Its founders’ decision to enter the market would most accurately be described as a whim.
“If we were to actually take a franchise business, the whole thing will be very rigid. We wouldn’t be able to change a lot of stuff to what we like and they may not know what the Singapore customers will like,” he said. “Mall managements are skeptical, they want big brands. Even their business or sales numbers may not be good, they still want the big brands,” said Mr Oh.
Ms Tay said that in the near-term, she does not think Singapore is likely to see another fall in the industry as there have been many"case studies" related to the bubble tea collapse in the early 2000s.
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