What Boba Guys does

Boba Guys is a privately held, founder-controlled specialty bubble milk tea retailer founded in 2011 by Bin Chen and Andrew Chau in San Francisco's Mission District. The company operates approximately 19-20 company-owned (no franchising) cafés across three US metros — the SF Bay Area (10 stores), Los Angeles (4 stores), and New York — plus a Square-powered Order Ahead channel, DoorDash delivery, an e-commerce storefront selling merchandise, Tea People loose-leaf tea, The Boba Kit DIY product, and eGift cards, and a quote-based catering service for events. Core products are premium bubble milk tea drinks (10-30% above category pricing) built on Straus Family Creamery organic milk, Five Mountains heirloom organic loose-leaf tea, housemade syrup and almond jelly, and Grade A tapioca balls; adjacent menu items include matcha lattes, real-fruit drinks, and savory items such as onigiri and Asian toast. The company serves more than four million drinks annually and targets Gen-Z and millennial consumers, foodies, and culturally diverse communities, with no enterprise or B2B revenue concentration.

Name

Boba Guys

Legal name

Boba Guys Inc.

Website

https://bobaguys.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Boba Guys is a privately held specialty bubble milk tea retailer operating approximately 19-20 company-owned cafés across the SF Bay Area, Los Angeles, and New York, serving premium drinks made with organic ingredients and housemade tapioca to Gen-Z, millennial, and foodie consumers via in-store, Order Ahead, DoorDash, and catering channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Tea Retail

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Bubble Tea (Boba) Shops (THAFAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Milk Tea & Flavored Tea Beverage Shops (Non-Boba) (THAFAKAI)

Keywords

• Bubble tea retail
• Milk tea cafes
• Specialty beverages
• Boba restaurants
• Tea retail chain

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Store Sales (Bubble Milk Tea & Food): Boba Guys generates the majority of revenue through company-owned retail stores serving bubble milk tea, matcha lattes, and food items. They operate across SF Bay Area, Los Angeles, and New York. Drinks are priced 10-30% above average boba shops, reflecting premium ingredients (Straus organic milk, real loose-leaf tea, housemade syrup, real fruit). Their topping prices remained unchanged from 2011 until recent increases.
2. E-commerce (Merchandise, Tea, eGift Cards): Boba Guys operates an e-commerce storefront selling premium loose-leaf teas from Tea People, tea ware, artisanal snacks, and signature merchandise (apparel, accessories). They also sell eGift cards redeemable in-store and online. Shipping is available within the US (no international shipping at time of data).
3. Catering: Boba Guys offers catering services for events. Interested parties can fill out a form on the catering page and a team member follows up. This is a service-based revenue stream targeting corporate and private events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Boba Guys operates company-owned cafes serving premium bubble milk tea, matcha lattes, and food items, made with Straus Family Creamery organic milk, homebrewed heirloom organic tea from Five Mountains, housemade syrup and almond jelly, and Grade A tapioca balls produced in-house at their US Boba Co factory in Hayward, California. The company also runs an e-commerce shop selling loose-leaf teas (Tea People), a DIY boba kit, branded merchandise, and eGift cards, plus a catering service for events.

Product overview

Boba Guys is a premium bubble milk tea retail chain operating as a unified brand across 15+ retail locations in the SF Bay Area, Los Angeles, and New York. The core offering is freshly prepared bubble milk tea using high-quality ingredients (organic milk, premium loose leaf tea, housemade syrup). The company operates several related product lines: Tea People (premium loose leaf tea brand), The Boba Kit (at-home bubble tea supplies), The Boba Book (published book), and US Boba Co (proprietary tapioca manufacturing facility in Hayward, CA). Additionally, Bloom with Boba Guys is an accelerator program supporting underrepresented small businesses with mentorship and retail placement. The company also offers a loyalty program (Passport) and eGift Cards. All products emphasize quality ingredients, transparency, and cultural bridging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tea People: Premium loose leaf tea company sourcing teas from around the world
• The Boba Kit
• The Boba Book
• Bloom with Boba Guys
• Balls for All

Products and services

• Premium Bubble Milk Tea (Core Cafe Offering) Premium bubble milk tea, matcha lattes, and specialty beverages served at company-owned cafes across SF Bay Area, Los Angeles, and New York. Made with Straus Family Creamery organic milk, homebrewed heirloom organic tea from Five Mountains, housemade syrup and almond jelly, and Grade A tapioca balls. Includes food items such as savory onigiri and Asian toast at flagship locations.
• Catering Services Event catering service providing bubble milk tea and related offerings for corporate functions and private events. Event organizers submit inquiries via an online form and the team responds with a custom proposal.
• E-commerce Storefront (Teas, Merchandise, eGift Cards) Direct-to-consumer e-commerce store selling premium loose-leaf teas from Tea People, tea ware, artisanal snacks, Boba Guys signature merchandise (apparel and accessories), and eGift cards redeemable online and in-store.
• Tea People (Premium Loose-Leaf Tea Brand) Premium loose-leaf tea brand supplying teas to Boba Guys cafes and sold as a standalone brand via its own website and the Boba Guys e-commerce store. Teas are sourced globally and brewed in-house at Boba Guys locations.
• The Boba Kit (DIY At-Home Bubble Tea Kit) DIY at-home bubble tea kit allowing customers to recreate Boba Guys drinks at home. Available in matcha, amber, and rock sugar variants, sold through the dedicated The Boba Kit website and Boba Guys e-commerce store.
• The Boba Book A book co-authored by Boba Guys co-founders Andrew Chau and Bin Chen, telling the company's origin story, its mission to bridge cultures, and offering a guide to bubble tea. Sold via Amazon and other book retailers.
• Boba Guys eGift Cards Digital gift cards redeemable for in-store orders and Square Order Ahead purchases at Boba Guys cafes. Sold through the Square gift card platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving over 4,000,000 drinks annually across their store network
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bloom with Boba Guys — Class of 2021 (BEVEY, It's Nola, Kola Goodies, Shima's Jerky Chips, WalStreet Candles)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 March 2021Boba Guys runs an accelerator/mentorship program for small businesses with a focus on marginalized and underrepresented communities. For each season, five businesses are selected and receive $1,000 in initial product purchases, bi-weekly mentorship from Boba Guys co-founders, and their products are sold in Boba Guys' 10 Bay Area and 4 Los Angeles stores as well as online. The Class of 2021 included BEVEY (organic cocktail base), It's Nola (vegan granola snacks), Kola Goodies (South Asian wellness blends), Shima's Jerky Chips (crispy beef jerky chips), and WalStreet Candles (handcrafted candles).
• Tea PeoplecoreTechnology or IntegrationTea People is Boba Guys' tea supply partner, providing all loose-leaf teas used in their drinks. Boba Guys exclusively uses real tea leaves from Tea People — no powders. Some teas are blended by Boba Guys themselves. Tea People is also available as a separate brand in Boba Guys' shop.
• US Boba CocoreOthersUS Boba Co is Boba Guys' proprietary in-house tapioca ball factory located in Hayward, California. It is a separate business entity ([email protected]) that manufactures Grade A tapioca balls exclusively for Boba Guys locations. This vertical integration enables complete quality control over the core ingredient in their bubble tea.
• Sunday BirdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunday Bird is a Korean fried chicken concept co-developed with Chef Deuki Hong, hidden behind the Boba Guys Fillmore store in San Francisco. It was also referenced as a not-for-profit job training and rehabilitation business (Sunday Gather) that Boba Guys helped launch, focused on employment for marginalized communities.
• Balls for All Community Partners (Asian Inc., CAAM, APEX for Youth, Hamilton Families, and 40+ others)coreOthersBoba Guys' Balls for All community giving program partners with over 40 non-profit and community organizations annually, donating $50K-$100K per year since 2017. Partners include: Asian Inc., Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), APEX for Youth, Hamilton Families, National ACE, Upwardly Global, ACLU Foundation, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, National Black Justice Coalition, Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula, and many more.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Happy Lemon: Global bubble tea chain with a US footprint serving milk teas, fruit teas, and specialty drinks with cheese foam. Directly comparable on product mix and target demographic.
• Quickly: US bubble tea chain founded in 1995 with broad menu of milk teas, smoothies, and coffee. Direct competitor at more accessible price points, contrasting with Boba Guys' premium positioning.
• Kung Fu Tea: One of the largest US-headquartered bubble tea chains with 250+ locations. Directly competes with Boba Guys on bubble milk tea, custom toppings, and counter-serve format, though at more accessible price points.
• Tiger Sugar: Taiwanese brown sugar boba brand known for premium positioning and signature tiger-stripe drinks — directly comparable to Boba Guys' premium, brand-led, Instagram-friendly approach in the same specialty boba category.
• Lollicup Fresh: US-based boba and coffee cafe chain operating company-owned and franchised stores; offers a similar bubble tea-plus-coffee menu targeting younger consumers in shopping centers.
• CoCo Bubble Tea: One of the largest global bubble tea chains (3,000+ stores worldwide) with significant US presence. Directly competes with Boba Guys on milk tea and fruit tea offerings, though positioned more in the value-to-mid tier.
• 7 Leaves Cafe: US-based Vietnamese-American cafe chain serving premium coffee, tea, and boba with a strong community-driven brand. Highly comparable to Boba Guys on diaspora-driven premium positioning and Southern California footprint.
• Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea: Taiwanese fruit tea chain with US locations emphasizing real fruit and loose-leaf teas. Comparable to Boba Guys on premium fruit tea positioning and brand-led store experience.
• Gong Cha: Global Taiwanese-origin bubble tea chain with hundreds of US stores offering premium milk teas and fruit teas. Directly comparable to Boba Guys on product category, target customer (Gen-Z/millennial), and counter-serve retail format.

Broad incumbents

• Starbucks: Global coffee chain and the benchmark for premium third-place cafe experiences. Relevant as the 'specialty coffee' analog that Boba Guys explicitly tries to replicate in bubble tea — and for beverage retail scale comparisons.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bobaguys

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Boba Guys