Jakarta (ANTARA) – Boba drink or what is often called bubble tea (pearl milk tea) has become a global phenomenon in recent years. The drink is known for its characteristic chewy balls made from tapioca.
The versatility of taste, unique texture and visual appeal make this drink popular with a wide range of people, from children to adults.
However, before becoming a global trend, boba had a long journey from its initial appearance in Taiwan to various countries.
The following is a brief history and origins of the boba drink that made it popular in Indonesia
The history of the beginning of boba worldwide
The history of the most well-known boba drink has two main stories, which occurred at almost the same time but in different locations in Taiwan. Boba drinks first appeared in Taiwan in the 1980s. At that time, tea had become an important part of drinking culture in Taiwan, but the innovation of milk tea was not widely known.
Initially, this drink was created in a tea shop called Chun Shui Tang in Taichung city. One of the employees there, Lin Hsui Hui, tried adding tapioca balls to iced milk tea. This experiment was successful in attracting the interest of many people, and the boba drink was born.
Then in 1986, Tu Tsong He, founder of Hanlin Tea Rooms, just experienced failure in the hot pot restaurant business. Later, he went to the Yamuliao traditional market in Tainan and found white tapioca balls, a snack that reminded him of his childhood.
From that moment, he got the idea to create a boba drink. Until now, Hanlin Tea Rooms offers a variety of boba choices, from white boba to black pearl a more modern one.
Although there are different stories, both agree that this drink was first introduced in Taiwan in the 1980s. Drinking milk tea with boba is increasingly popular and is quickly spreading to various regions in Taiwan, as well as to other countries in East Asia, such as Japan and Korea.
Then in the late 1990s, this drink began to become known in the United States, especially in large cities with large Asian populations, such as Los Angeles and New York. Since then, its popularity has continued to increase and spread to various countries around the world.
History of boba in Indonesia
After achieving success in Taiwan and various countries, boba drinks were introduced to Indonesia by brand Quickly. This multinational company opened its first outlet in 2001 at Plaza Indonesia.
The presence of this new type of drink was welcomed with great enthusiasm from the public. Even though the outlets at Plaza Indonesia have been closed, Quickly still exists and has expanded to various regions in Indonesia.
The boba trend is increasingly growing with the presence of local brands that create various flavor innovations, including boba with palm sugar or added sugar toppings other.
Until now, boba drinks have become part of a popular lifestyle in Indonesia, with many cafes and beverage outlets serving various boba variants in big cities throughout Indonesia.
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Reporter: Sean Anggiatheda Sitorus
Editor: Alviansyah Pasaribu
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