Tea chain opens 1st outlet in Cebu

ENCOURAGED by the positive market feedback it got since its introduction in the Philippines last year, Teabros Corp. plans to have 50 Chatime outlets by the first quarter of 2013.

Teabros Corp. founder Johnlu Koa said they plan to open four or five outlets in Cebu, two of which will be located in Cebu’s two major malls.

Some 20 outlets are also in the drawing board.

The company officially opened yesterday its first outlet in Cebu, located in eBlock 2 of Cebu IT Park, through its Cebuano business partner Teabuds Corp.

Koa says Chatime’s entry into the Philippines will also complement the offerings of The French Baker, a company that he also owns.

Bright colors

“Tea is an alternative drink for people who adopted a certain lifestyle. And younger people these days are also on the lookout for alternative venues where they still get connected with friends. Chatime offers both and this is a venue that you can call an extension of your living room,” Koa said.

He said the company opted to adopt bright and vibrant colors to distinguish its look from coffee outlets.

Chatime has 30 outlets, 29 of which are in Metro Manila.

Koa said they first put up a Chatime outlet in a neighborhood in Pasig City to test whether the product will hit it with the middle class market. Soon after it gained market acceptance, the company opened outlets in other areas.

The company will also be opening an outlet in Davao City.

Chatime is a Taiwanese bubble tea franchise under the La Kaffa International Company. Teabros Corp. is Chatime’s master franchisee in the Philippines.

Chatime was established in 2005 and now has over 600 stores worldwide in 14 countries.

Chatime, according to Koa, is the only tea brand that is able to export technology in all parts of the globe.

Johnyan Koa, director of Teabros Corp., said Chatime Philippines produces tea drinks of similar quality with its counterparts abroad. He said all franchisees acquired the same machine and equipment.

“The tea drinks you order here in Cebu taste exactly the same with the tea drinks made other countries or in any Chatime outlets. Our machines are precise and the quality is consistent,” Johnyan said.

Michael Koa, director and president of Teabros Corp., said customers also have the option to customize their tea drinks in terms of ice and sugar level.

Chatime’s franchise fee ranges from P4 million to P6 million, depending on the store size. Prices of its tea drinks range from P70-P95.