Viral Food Trends in 2025

• Matcha: A growing trend in North America
• Dubai Chocolate Crumble Cookies: A new viral food trend with a strong following
• Bubble Tea: A Taiwanese beverage with tapioca pearls, becoming ubiquitous in North America
• Global Bubble Tea Industry
• Google Trends: Shows a steady rise in searches for „boba“ and „bubble tea“
• Pearl Drinks: Introduced by Starbucks last summer; limited and not widely adopted
• Established Players in the Market
• Gongcha (over 2,100 stores)
• Cha Time (over 3,500 stores)
• Sonic, Duncan, and Baskin-Robbins: Had boba offerings but were limited and not widely adopted
• Bubble Tea’s Rise to Popularity
• Origin: Bubble tea originated in the 1980s
• Expansion: Multi-location chains expanded in the mid-2000s
• Appeals: Mainly to younger, female consumers due to visual appeal, customization options, and viral social-media content
• Bubble Tea’s Franchise Model
• Low Startup Costs: Individual operators can start shops with low startup costs
• Growing Demand: 330% increase in boba supply exports since 2018 (source uncertain)
• Future Innovations and Growth
• Examples: Dubai chocolate bubble teas and boba-infused cookies
• Visual Distinctiveness: Customization options, cultural roots position bubble tea for continued growth

link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd-qeVEPwys