From a single tea leaf, a cup of bubble tea and a bowl of douhua to the lights of the night market — sail six stops along Taiwan's coast to meet its flavors and people, and see how a Taiwanese food company carries them to the world.
Along Taiwan's coastline — setting off from the tea hills and finally sailing from the harbor to the world.
Brand Philosophy
Tang Sugar Brand Philosophy: Taiwanese Food and Taiwanese Service, Bringing the Flavors of Taiwan to the World
From the Formosa Oolong that sailed to New York in 1869 to bubble tea loved around the globe, Taiwan has long been sending great flavors to the world. Tang Sugar (Caitang International) is a Taiwanese company proud of the food Taiwanese people make and the service they provide. With consistent ingredient quality, clear partnership terms and verifiable supply capability, we…
It introduces Taiwan's tea, bubble tea, night-market food, fruit and sugar, everyday life and Made in Taiwan, and shows how Tang Sugar brings these flavors and Taiwanese service to partners around the world.
How is Taiwan Stories different from the blog?
Taiwan Stories covers culture, origins and Taiwan through foreign eyes; the blog covers drink recipes, ingredient dosage and sourcing. The two link to each other, so you can go from a story to a recipe.
Bubble Tea Culture: Why Do Foreigners Love Bubble Tea? Taiwan’s Gift to the World, from Foam-Tea Shops to a Global Market
Key answer
Bubble tea was born in Taiwan: the foam-tea shops of the 1980s were the forerunners of today’s drink stands, where Taiwanese people shook tea, milk, sugar, ice and chewy tapioca pearls into one cup — and then took it to the world. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan had 16,113 bubble tea shops at the end of September 2025; according to Grand View Research, the global bubble tea market was worth about US$3.3 billion in 2025. Tang Sugar considers bubble tea the Taiwanese flavor it most wants to share, and as a bubble tea ingredients supplier helps partners worldwide get authentic Taiwanese ingredients.
A drink that set out from Taiwan
Ask people to pick one drink that represents Taiwan and most will say bubble tea. It traces back to the foam-tea shops of the 1980s, where staff shook black tea, sugar and ice in a cocktail shaker into a fine foam; later someone added cooked tapioca balls to milk tea, and bubble tea was born. Chun Shui Tang in Taichung and Hanlin Tea Room in Tainan both claim to be the inventor and even went to court; in 2019 a court ruled that bubble tea was not patentable and there was no need to decide who invented it — but either way, the answer is Taiwan (further reading: the origin of bubble tea, the history of foam black tea).
The liveliest sight on Taiwan’s streets
In Taiwan, hand-shaken drinks are part of daily life. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan had 28,788 drink shops at the end of September 2025, 16,113 of them bubble tea shops — about 56%. Customers choose their sugar level, ice level and toppings, from full sugar to sugar-free and regular ice to no ice, so one drink can come in dozens of combinations (further reading: Taiwan’s hand-shaken drink culture, how sugar and ice levels work).
Taiwanese bubble tea in every corner of the world
Bubble tea has long been more than a Taiwanese drink. Grand View Research estimates the global bubble tea market at about US$3.3 billion in 2025, projected to reach US$8.3 billion by 2033, with North America accounting for about 35.6% (further reading: bubble tea market trends). Taiwanese ingredients went abroad too: Business Today reported that 87% of the pearls Japan imported from January to July 2019 came from Taiwan, and Liberty Times, citing Bloomberg, reported that Taiwan made up 69% of US tapioca pearl imports (further reading: Taiwan’s bubble tea exports, bubble tea in the US, bubble tea in Japan).
In English, 珍珠奶茶 is called bubble tea, boba or pearl milk tea (further reading: what bubble tea is called in English). Whatever the name, drink shops overseas often write “Taiwanese” on the menu — the word Taiwan itself is a mark of quality.
Tang Sugar: your supply-chain partner for authentic Taiwanese bubble tea ingredients
To make authentic Taiwanese bubble tea overseas, the key is the ingredients. Caitang International Co., Ltd. (brand name Tang Sugar) considers bubble tea the Taiwanese flavor it most wants to share, and supplies everything a cup needs:
Ingredient
What Tang Sugar supplies
Further reading
Pearls
Large, medium and small pearls; white, golden and brown sugar pearls; frozen and shelf-stable pearls
Yes. Bubble tea originated in Taiwan, and the foam-tea shops of the 1980s were the forerunners of today’s drink stands. In 2019 a court ruled that bubble tea was not patentable and there was no need to decide who invented it.
How many bubble tea shops are there in Taiwan?
According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan had 28,788 drink shops at the end of September 2025, including 16,113 bubble tea shops — about 56%.
How big is the global bubble tea market?
Grand View Research estimates the global bubble tea market at about US$3.3 billion in 2025, reaching US$8.3 billion by 2033.
How can overseas drink shops get Taiwanese bubble tea ingredients?
Buy directly from a Taiwanese bubble tea ingredients supplier or through a local distributor. Tang Sugar quotes pearls, tea, syrups, creamer and toppings together, ships them consolidated and provides export documents.
What is bubble tea called in English?
The most common name is bubble tea; on the US West Coast people say boba or boba tea, and more formally it is pearl milk tea or tapioca milk tea. In Taiwan it is often shortened to “zhen nai”.
