By Joanna Harris, Staff Reporter

A popular bubble tea store is opening a new location in Berwyn on April 17. Kung Fu Tea is a Taiwanese inspired bubble tea brand founded in Queens, New York, in 2010, and the company has grown to become a major bubble tea brand with around 300 locations across the US, Canada, Cambodia, Taiwan and Japan. 

A majority of the franchise’s locations in the area are situated around Philadelphia. The goal of the Berwyn addition is to expand its outreach through the area and promote authentic Taiwanese bubble tea.

Tommy Zhang, the owner of the Berwyn location, has managed three Kung Fu Tea stores prior to this one. He shares the objective of adding a new store. 

“As it’s getting more popular in America, the idea is to try to spread it as far out as possible… The goal right now is to try to spread boba out, let everyone know what it is. And we make sure that our product is good. So when people try it, they like it and get recognized,” Zhang said.

Kung Fu Tea’s social media based promotions on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, increasing media presence and popular interest. The brand also appeals to customers by frequently introducing new flavors and seasonal promotions. Zhang expressed his belief that the success of Kung Fu Tea is directly related to its strong marketing strategies. 

“The brand Kung Fu Tea does really well with marketing. They do TikTok and Instagram, and everything else. They do a lot more than other brands. That’s how I believe Kung Fu Tea is so large now,” Zhang said. 

Kung Fu Tea sources all their products from Taiwan, purchasing high quality milk powder, tea leaves and boba. In order to keep their products fresh, tea is brewed every three hours. The boba is also replaced every two hours to maintain a warm temperature and chewy texture in each drink. In addition, Zhang places emphasis on the quality of the milk powder used.

“What’s unique about it is milk powder. It’s so high quality compared to a lot of other places. We pay a lot of money for it, so I feel like that’s what separates us and other brands,” Zhang said.

Conestoga students also expressed their interest in the upcoming store due to the location’s convenience. They are optimistic about the new Kung Fu Tea and look forward to visiting the shop.

“I think that I will definitely be going there a lot, and I do think that it’s going to get super busy,” junior Ellie Lutz said. “It’s going to be insane.”

Joanna Harris can be reached at [email protected].