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.
Taiwan’s Hand-Shaken Drink Culture: A Cup a Day, 16,113 Bubble Tea Shops and a Drink-Shop Industry Worth Over NT$130 Billion
Key answer
Taiwan’s hand-shaken drink culture is a “cup a day” habit: according to the Ministry of Finance, Taiwan had 28,788 drink shops at the end of September 2025, 16,113 of them bubble tea shops (56%); the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ statistics department says drink-shop revenue topped NT$130 billion in 2024. Customers choose their own sugar, ice and toppings, and shops make every cup to order — the defining feature of Taiwanese hand-shaken drinks. Tang Sugar supplies tea, pearls, syrups and other bubble tea ingredients to bring this Taiwanese everyday ritual to the world.
One every few steps: Taiwan’s drink-shop density
In Taiwan, next to schools, at MRT exits and in night markets, there’s a drink shop almost every few steps. Ministry of Finance business statistics show Taiwan had 28,788 drink shops at the end of September 2025, including 16,113 bubble tea shops, with Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung and Taipei among the cities with the most. In recent years about 40 new bubble tea shops have opened each month on average, and competition is fierce (further reading: bubble tea culture).
A NT$130 billion business
The Ministry of Economic Affairs’ statistics department says drink-shop revenue has mostly grown since 2005, dipping only in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic; it topped NT$130 billion in 2024 and grew another 7.2% in the first ten months of 2025. Collaborations, seasonal specials and new flavors are key drivers of that growth.
Five features of Taiwan’s hand-shaken drink culture
Choose your sugar and ice: full, half, light or no sugar; regular, less, no ice or warm (further reading: how sugar and ice levels work).
Add your own toppings: pearls, nata de coco, grass jelly, pudding, aiyu, taro balls.
Made to order: tea freshly brewed, pearls freshly cooked, every cup made to SOP (further reading: Taiwanese hospitality and service).
Constant new products: fruit teas, brown sugar milk, cheese foam and less-sugar drinks take turns (further reading: the less-sugar trend in bubble tea).
Takeaway culture: sealed cups, wide straws and drink carry bags — sip as you walk.
Indicator
Figure
Period
Drink shops
28,788
End of September 2025
Bubble tea shops
16,113 (56%)
End of September 2025
Drink-shop revenue
Over NT$130 billion
2024
Revenue growth
+7.2% year on year
January–October 2025
From Taiwan’s streets to the world
One after another, Taiwanese drink brands have gone abroad — Chatime, Gong Cha, The Alley and Tiger Sugar all have overseas stores (further reading: Chatime, Gong Cha, The Alley) — and Taiwan’s hand-shaken drink culture has been seen by the world along with them.
Tang Sugar: bringing Taiwan’s “cup a day” overseas
Caitang International Co., Ltd. (brand name Tang Sugar) is proud of Taiwan’s hand-shaken drink culture and helps drink shops and tea brands overseas bring Taiwanese flavors and methods over in full:
This article belongs to Stop 2, Bubble Tea, of the Taiwan Stories series. Series opener: Tang Sugar brand philosophy.
FAQ
How many bubble tea shops are there in Taiwan?
According to the Ministry of Finance, Taiwan had 16,113 bubble tea shops at the end of September 2025, 56% of its 28,788 drink shops.
How much do Taiwan’s drink shops earn a year?
The Ministry of Economic Affairs’ statistics department says drink-shop revenue topped NT$130 billion in 2024 and grew 7.2% year on year in the first ten months of 2025.
What is 手搖飲 in English?
手搖飲 is usually called hand-shaken drinks or hand-shaken tea; 珍珠奶茶 is bubble tea or boba.
What makes Taiwan’s hand-shaken drink culture special?
Above all, you can choose your sugar, ice and toppings, drinks are made to order, and new products come out very quickly.
What do you need to open a Taiwanese bubble tea shop overseas?
Tea, pearls, syrups, dairy and other ingredients plus measuring equipment, along with standard operating procedures so every cup tastes the same.
