Meet the man who quit his job at Apple to bring Bubble Tea to Wales
Celebrating 10 Years of Bubble Tea In Cardiff
Bubblebase, the very first business to bring Taiwanese bubble tea to Wales, is celebrating its 10th anniversary of their Cardiff kiosk in Queens Arcade.
In 2012 bubble tea barely existed in the UK, with the tea alternative only being adopted in Asia. Since then the global bubble tea market has grown to 2.02 billion USD with a projected 3.39 billion value by 2027.
Bubble tea is a unique spin on traditional tea, with a plethora of names such as ‘boba tea’ and ‘boba juice’ being associated with the drink. It is made using various ingredients such as fruit powder and tapioca.
With a clear vision in September 2012, Kishan Varsani was the very first entrepreneur to fill the bubble tea gap in the Welsh market after first discovering his love for the drink while on holiday in Singapore.
“When coming back to the UK I found no local places to try the drink. Fast forward a couple years and I wanted to drink Bubble Tea again but had to travel to London or Birmingham at the time. The idea spawned from there!” – Kishan, founder of Bubblebase explains.
Prior to opening Bubblebase, Kishan worked at Apple as a Business Specialist, which initially sparked his interest in opening up his own business. “Seeing so many customers setting up new businesses or helping with established businesses got me thinking – why don’t I do something for myself!? In February 2012 I decided I wanted to open Wales’ First Bubble Tea Bar, I left my job at Apple in May and opened Bubblebase in September”.
Over the past 10 years, Bubblebase has become one of Wales’s favourite bubble tea bars, and during the lockdown of 2020, they used their time to rebrand. “The look and feel of the brand is much more polished. We serve some of the best drinks in Cardiff and have truly established ourselves as a premium brand”.
When asked for his best advice to budding entrepreneurs and trendsetters in Wales, Kishan replied “some of the best ideas don’t necessarily need to be brand new, but an improvement on an already existing product. We took a massive risk bringing an Asian drink to the Welsh market but it paid off and we are lucky. The drinks market is huge and growing, so this could be the best time to start your new line of coffees or soft drinks”.
Kishan is not wrong, with 7.2% market growth expected over the next 5 years, there’s no surprise that the amount of bubble tea cafes in Cardiff alone has doubled in the past 5 years. The industry still serves as a huge opportunity for budding entrepreneurs and drinks enthusiasts.
What you can expect when visiting Bubblebase:
- A wide selection of refreshingly tasty bubble tea in several unique flavour combinations & toppings, as well as a range of coffee, smoothies and delicious snacks straight from South-East Asia
- Only the best quality ingredients
- Vegan-friendly and gluten free options
- Service with a smile!
For more information on Bubblebase, visit https://www.bubblebase.co.uk/.
About Bubblebase: Established in 2012, Bubblebase is a proudly independent, family-run bubble tea and espresso bar in St. David’s, Cardiff and the very first of its kind in Wales. The brand strives to put their local Welsh community at the heart of the business and aims to continue to deliver the highest quality of service to them.