A future success built on fresh and focused
Real Fruit Bubble Tea plans to expand its presence to major metropolitan areas across Canada and the United States
To understand the Real Fruit Bubble Tea company’s passion and vision, you need to keep in mind two words — both conveniently starting with the same letter — fresh and focused.
The first is obvious to anyone who walks into one of the company’s 105 corporately owned locations across Canada and the United States. In a landscape where processed food is the norm, Real Fruit Bubble Tea puts freshness upfront. In fact, it is fresh obsessed.
Its countertops are a showcase of neatly cut pieces of mangoes, strawberries, bananas and other perfectly ripe fruits. Popular smoothies, slushes, fruit juices, crushes, sherberts and milk teas can all be customized to your taste and accompanied with a variety of toppings such as freshly cooked homemade tapioca.
“We always say, ‘It’s a process, never processed,’” said Real Fruit Bubble Tea Executive Director Jimmy Liu. “It’s made with nature and served with heart, so you can drink with confidence.”
With that belief, the Toronto-based company has grown to become the largest Canadian corporately owned and operated bubble tea chain in just over two decades. You can witness its tea culture and company history through the captivating 3D curved video display at its recently opened 100th store in Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
Its journey began in Markham, Ont., in 2002, when Founder Ken Yang, an Asian-Canadian immigrant, opened the first Real Fruit Bubble Tea location in Pacific Mall, one of the largest Asian shopping malls in North America.
Yang served customers various bubble teas blended with fresh fruits. It was the immense popularity of one drink, its house special Mango Diamond® Slush — made with juicy, golden mangoes and freshly chopped mango chunks — that led to the company’s success.
That iconic drink, still accounts for a whopping 45 per cent of the company’s sales, speaking to the power of those fresh ingredients. Its brand has gained fame due to its extensive knowledge of mangoes accumulated over more than 20 years of success. It has even coined the term “Mango Management” to describe its meticulous operational process. Its most experienced staff members can identify the perfect mango simply by touch.
Liu, who joined the company in the summer of 2016, was there to help lead Real Fruit Bubble Tea’s expansion based on that commitment to drinks made using only the best possible ingredients. It led to the opening of the company’s flagship store in 2018, at the Toronto Eaton Centre, a tourist attraction in the heart of Toronto and the busiest shopping mall in Canada. From there, the company grew rapidly, opening locations across southern and eastern Ontario, into neighbouring Quebec, and more than a dozen locations in the East Coast of the United States.
Which brings us to the second word — focused. Much of that expansion, an impressive 41 locations, took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, a three-year global
I believe it’s really about people, the product, the culture and the passion. Everyone loves what they do. — JIMMY LIU, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
health emergency that saw other companies downsize or close. “During COVID, we kept our doors open, we kept our employees (known as partners) employed, and we did whatever we could,” said Liu. “The reason why is because we are all corporate, we are not franchised. So, we were committed to all our partners. That’s part of our culture — we take care of our people as one Real Fruit Bubble Tea family.”
Liu credits that focus, the hard work and passion of its partners, for helping to accelerate the company’s growth, especially at a time when so many other businesses were suffering. In 2022, the company’s group revenues were $74 million.
“I believe it’s really about people, the product, the culture and the passion. Everyone loves what they do, and I think that’s a big part of our success,” he said. “Everyone runs the business like it’s their own and that goes from the front-line partners all the way to the top. Our Founder has a great business model, we have a great team, and we have an outstanding product. The quality tells the story.”
For its next chapter, Real Fruit Bubble Tea is now focused on expanding, with several locations in British Columbia planned for the end of 2023, and intends to open dozens of stores annually so it has a presence in all major metropolitan areas of Canada and the United States within the next three to five years. It is also looking for partners who share the company’s objective of taking the brand global.
“We are not for sale; however, we welcome the idea of investors who can become our strategic business partners or shareholders,” said Liu. He said the company’s vision is focused not only on the future, but on the consistency of its bubble tea business, which he believes will help take the company to even greater heights.
“Our brand is built to last, not built to sell. We are very proud of what we are doing and very excited about what Real Fruit Bubble Tea is going to accomplish in the coming years.”