Gong cha England to open on Haymarket in next step of growth strategy
Gong cha England, the UK-based operator for the Gong cha brand, has selected Newcastle as its third city to open in as part of its launch strategy in England.
The city’s 42,000 student population and vibrant young professionals’ sector were the appeal to the Kaohsiung City-originating brand. It is the most recognised bubble tea brand globally with more than 1,400 outlets across 19 different territories as far reaching as Taiwan, Korea, New Zealand, and the USA.
Newcastle is only the third city in England to host a Gong cha store – with Manchester and Liverpool being the other two cities where Gong cha is currently available.
Gong cha uses only the highest-quality, premium tea sourced from the finest tea estates of the famous Alishan region in Taiwan and is a bubble tea store offering a wide range of bubble teas consisting of different textures and layers which can be enjoyed with and without milk. Gong cha’s “Signature Milk Foam”, “Pearls” (otherwise known as “Boba”) or jellies can also be added to give extra flavours and textures. Over 40 variations of tea drinks are available and are made individually to respond to customers’ requirements on sugar content, flavours, and toppings.
The interior at Haymarket takes influence from the brand’s modern, natural and comfortable style. Utilising Gong cha’s core colours through sourcing quality materials to bring the ritual of tea drinking into a contemporary and uplifting setting, seamlessly brought together by Tesh Chauhan Design. During the pandemic, the Gong cha team are following Government guidelines on social distancing and will be organising socially distanced takeaway service only upon launch.
Justin Liew, head of Gong cha England, said: “We have selected Haymarket for our next store as we are confident the people of Newcastle, who are keen to learn about new trends, will help us build the brand. The bubble tea trend has gripped Asia, Oceania and the US, where it is considered a Taiwanese speciality and now we are excited to introduce it to the city where we are confident the produce range will be very well received.”
The Haymarket store will be open Monday to Sunday from 11AM to 7PM at Haymarket, adjacent to Haymarket Metro station, with a proposed launch date of March 6th .
