Liu: Aliah Anderson/FilmMagic/Getty Images.
And the Bobba brand owners werethis closeto getting it.
But after actor and potential investor Simu Liupolitely raised a few relevant red flags, their bubble finally popped.
Photo:Liu: Aliah Anderson/FilmMagic/Getty Images. EatingWell design.
What Happened?
And there are a few reasons for this.
The first is mob mentality and scapegoating.
Their biggest mistake?Spitting on the culture they were seeking to profit from.
The pair used the same gimmicky tone you might expect to hear on a late-night infomercial.
A great idea, yes, but healthier?
What Now?
We were presenting our newest Bobba formula, which hasnt been released everywhere yet, they explained.
In this version, weve removed all artificial colouring, flavouring and preservatives while maintaining a lower sugar content.
Since then, theyve vowed to rebrand and repackage to better illustrate the cultural roots of boba tea.
Wouldnt that then deceptively imply Asian ownership and further cultural theft?
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, no one owns boba.
Ive evenvolubly defended the authenticityof evolved Chinese dishes.
And I have no problem with cross-cultural knowledge sharing and the growth of an internationally informed culinary culture.
Ultimately, the source of the outrage around Bobba isnt about two white folks making boba their own.
Topfranchise.com.Top 11 bubble tea franchise opportunities in USA for 2024.
Eater.Starbucks is extremely late to the boba party.
Eater.Bursting Bubbles is what happens when boba goes mainstream.
Globe Newswire.Del Taco introduces new Independence Poppers drinks and announces partnership with the Gary Sinise Foundation.
American Chemical Society, Chemical & Engineering News.The science of spherification.
Google Patents.Popping boba, beverage containing same and preparation method of popping boba.
Word In Black.The damage we do when we throw around terms like crazy.
NPR,Code Switch.Columbusing: the art of discovering something that is not new.
Eater.Andrew Zimmern and the Lucky Cricket controversy, explained.
Vice.We dont need a white wellness savior to fix Chinese food.
What is this white nonsense?
:So-called Queen of Congee accused of cultural appropriation of Chinese food.
Buzzfeed News.After another white food blogger whitewashed an Asian American dish, people want more than just damage control.
The Guardian.Trademark bully: Momofuku turns up heat on other selling chili crunch.
