BY NOW, it’s probably common knowledge that the milk tea community in Cebu is a continuously growing one: A good mix of homegrown brands and global franchises are setting up shop in the metro. Last June, Chingkeetea from Cagayan de Oro opened its doors in Cebu, and brought a breath of fresh air to the milk tea mania.
Chingkeetea is the brainchild of entrepreneur Sharee “Chingkee” Te-Motoomull’s business degree and love for tea. After graduating college in 2011, she went to Taiwan to study the basics of making authentic Taiwanese bubble tea. In 2012, Chingkeetea was born.
What makes a good cup of milk tea—the milk to tea ratio—is subjective. But for Chingkee, it’s all about balance.
“As a personal preference, I like it how we make it. It’s my idea of how a perfectly balanced milk tea should be,” she explained. All the teas and other base ingredients used by Chingkeetea are sourced from Taiwan.
Chingkee’s personal favorites on the menu are Wintermelon, Taro, Black Sugar, Chocolate and the Mango Fruit Tea, although there are still a few more products to be launched soon, including Chingkee Cheese, which is the brand’s take on the cult favorite Rock Salt & Cheese topping.
Currently, Chingkeetea has four stores in Mindanao. Just last June, Chingkeetea opened its first branch out of that region, in the Queen City of the South, no less. After requests from Kagay-anon patrons who are now based here in Cebu, the expansion eventually happened—bringing to Kagay-anons a familiar piece of home, and to Cebuanos, a new taste of Cagayan de Oro.
“Chingkeetea’s brand, recipes and interiors are very personal to me. I can only hope that the people will feel our passion through our creativity and authenticity,” Chingkee expressed.
From the beautifully calligraphed menus to the muted minimalist interiors, Chingkeetea stands out with its branding alone—presenting an aesthetic that’s rare and refreshing compared to its contemporaries.
One visit to Chingkeetea, and a person will realize that it is more than just one’s run-of-the-mill commercialized milk tea brand.
“We truly believe in our company tag line ‘Every cup is a new story.’ As long as there is a story out there waiting to be heard or told, wherever that may be, we want to be there to share a cup of happiness,” added Chingkee.
In Cebu, Chingkeetea is located on F. Ramos St., across Velez College. Store hours are from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m, Monday to Saturday.