Gong Cha Australia

What Gong Cha Australia does

Gong Cha Australia Pty Ltd is the Australian master franchisor of the Gong Cha bubble tea brand, operating since 2012 and headquartered in Sydney. The company runs Australia's largest bubble tea chain by store count, with over 170 franchised and company-owned retail locations across every Australian state and territory — from CBDs such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Canberra to regional towns including Hobart and Darwin. The company serves more than 15 million drinks annually and targets the mass consumer market (students, professionals, families) seeking freshly brewed and customizable beverages, alongside franchisees seeking an established brand and turnkey operating model.

The product portfolio centers on freshly brewed teas organized into categories — Milk Teas (including Royal Pearl Milk Tea, Pearl Milk Tea, Earl Grey Milk Tea, Taro Milk Tea, Matcha Red Bean), Brewed Teas, Creative Mix, Milk Foam, Health Teas, Smoothies, and Yoghurt — all customizable with toppings (tapioca pearls/3Js, red bean, aloe, basil seeds). Supporting consumer technology includes the Gong Cha Australia mobile app (iOS and Android) for membership management, points-based loyalty (1 point per drink, 10 points for a free drink), order-ahead, and digital gift card management; a Redcat-powered online ordering system; and a co-branded merchandise line (Snoopy stainless steel tumblers, Peppa Pig bottles and tumblers, Gong Cha mascot plush keychains) sold via the website storefront. Operations are supported by a centralized ingredient warehouse in Yennora, Sydney that supplies the entire franchise network.

Gong Cha Australia's revenue model combines four streams: (1) direct beverage retail sales through franchised and company-owned stores, augmented by digital order-ahead; (2) franchise fees and ongoing royalties from over 170 franchisees, plus centralized ingredient supply to the network; (3) merchandise sales of branded drinkware and collectibles; and (4) digital and legacy physical gift cards. The business is a privately held proprietary limited company (Pty Ltd) domiciled in New South Wales, with no disclosed external investment, parent entity, or institutional ownership.

Name

Gong Cha Australia

Legal name

Gong Cha Australia Pty Ltd

Website

https://gongchatea.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Gong Cha Australia Pty Ltd is the Australian master franchisor of the Gong Cha bubble tea brand, operating 170+ stores nationwide since 2012 and generating revenue through franchise fees, centralized ingredient supply, merchandise, and direct beverage sales via a mobile-app loyalty program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Beverages (Bubble Tea Retail)

akta.pro primary industry

Bubble Tea (Boba) Shops (THAFAKAC)

Keywords

• Bubble tea retail
• Beverage franchise
• Specialty tea beverages
• Tea house chain
• Franchise operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Beverage Retail Sales: Primary revenue from direct sales of bubble tea and other beverages through 170+ franchised and company-owned stores across Australia. Customers customize drinks from various categories including milk teas, creative mixes, brewed teas, and milk foam series.
2. Franchise Fees and Royalties: Revenue from franchisees including initial franchise fees and ongoing royalties based on store performance. The franchisor provides ingredients for the whole network and operational support.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including tumblers, plastic bottles, and accessories. Products include Snoopy tumblers ($29-$35), Peppa Pig bottles ($29), and plush toys ($12).
4. Gift Cards: Digital and physical gift cards providing prepaid revenue for future drink purchases. Digital cards sold via app/website; physical cards valid at all Australian stores.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gong Cha Australia operates the largest bubble tea franchise chain in Australia with over 170 stores nationwide, selling freshly brewed and customizable bubble tea beverages including milk teas, brewed teas, creative mix drinks, milk foam series, smoothies, and yoghurt drinks. The company also generates revenue through franchise fees and royalties, branded merchandise (tumblers, plushies, keychains), digital and physical gift cards, and a mobile-app-based loyalty program.

Product overview

Gong Cha Australia is a bubble tea retail chain operating over 170 stores nationwide, offering freshly brewed teas and customizable beverage creations. The product portfolio centers on the core beverage offerings including Milk Teas (such as Royal Pearl Milk Tea, Earl Grey Milk Tea, Matcha Red Bean, Taro Milk Tea, Pearl Milk Tea), Brewed Teas, Creative Mix (fruity teas), Milk Foam series, Health Teas, Smoothies, and Yoghurt drinks—all customizable with toppings like tapioca pearls, red bean, aloe, and basil seeds. Supporting services include a Digital Gift Card system (via Redcat platform), Physical Gift Cards (legacy), a Mobile App-based Membership/Loyalty Program (collect 1 point per drink, free drink at 10 points), Online Ordering, and a Franchise Program. The merchandise line includes branded drinkware (Snoopy Tumblers in L/XL sizes, Peppa Pig Plastic Bottles, Peppa Pig Stainless Steel Tumblers) and collectibles (Peppa Pig Keychains, Gong Cha Pink and Milk Tea Plushies). The company also offers store finder functionality across all Australian locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Milk Teas Signature milk tea beverages including top sellers such as Royal Pearl Milk Tea, Earl Grey Milk Tea, Matcha Red Bean, Taro Milk Tea, and Pearl Milk Tea. Customizable with various toppings and tea bases, targeting tea-drinking consumers in Australia.
• Brewed Teas Base brewed teas offering straightforward, simple tea options that customers can customize with toppings and sweetness levels.
• Creative Mix Collection of fruity, refreshing teas including Lemon Roasted Melon Tea with Basil Seeds, Grape Green Tea with Basil Seeds, Mango Alisan Tea, Lychee Oolong with Aloe, and QQ Passionfruit Green Tea.
• Milk Foam Series Milk foam beverages featuring a creamy salty milk foam topping, including Milk Foam Green Tea. Available in Regular and Large sizes.
• Health Teas Health-focused tea beverages including lactose-free, non-dairy, and vegan options such as Lemon Roasted Melon Tea with Basil Seeds.
• Smoothies Blended frozen beverage options available as part of the menu offerings.
• Yoghurt Drinks Yoghurt-based beverage offerings available in the menu selection.
• Digital Gift Card Fully digital gift cards purchasable online via browser or the Gong Cha Australia app. Redeemable in-store by scanning the barcode or online via app or website. Valid at all Australian Gong Cha stores.
• Physical Gift Card (Legacy) Legacy physical gift cards no longer sold but still accepted at all Australian Gong Cha stores. Used like an EFTPOS card by swiping and entering PIN. Valid for 36 months from purchase.
• Membership & Loyalty Program Mobile app-based loyalty program where members collect 1 point per drink purchased, with 10 points automatically converting to a free drink coupon. Includes exclusive offers, order-ahead functionality, and SMS/email verification.
• Franchise Program Franchise opportunities for prospective store owners. Gong Cha Australia operates over 170 stores nationwide and is expanding across metropolitan and regional Australia. The franchisor provides ingredients and operational support.
• Online Ordering In-app and website ordering system allowing customers to place orders online and pay with gift cards or other payment methods. Integrated with the membership program for rewards redemption.
• Gong Cha Australia Mobile App Mobile application available on Apple App Store and Google Play for membership management, digital gift card purchases, online ordering, and rewards redemption.
• White Snoopy Tumbler (XL) Snoopy-branded stainless steel tumbler, 700ml capacity. Keeps beverages hot or cold for up to 8 hours. Features classic Peanuts Snoopy illustration. Retail price AUD $35.00.
• White Snoopy Tumbler (L) Snoopy-branded stainless steel tumbler, 500ml capacity. Keeps beverages hot or cold for up to 8 hours. Features classic Peanuts Snoopy illustration. Retail price AUD $29.00.
• Peppa Pig Plastic Bottle (Green) Peppa Pig-themed 500ml Tritan plastic water bottle with silicone seal. Suitable for liquids from -5°C to 95°C. Features Peppa Pig characters and includes straw. Retail price AUD $29.00.
• Peppa Pig Plastic Bottle (Pink) Peppa Pig-themed 500ml Tritan plastic water bottle with silicone seal. Suitable for liquids from -5°C to 95°C. Features Peppa Pig characters and includes straw. Retail price AUD $29.00.
• Peppa Pig Stainless Steel Tumbler (Green) Peppa Pig-themed 550ml stainless steel tumbler with double-walled vacuum insulation. Keeps drinks hot up to 3 hours or cold up to 6 hours. Made with 304 stainless steel. Retail price AUD $29.00.
• Peppa Pig Stainless Steel Tumbler (Pink) Peppa Pig-themed 550ml stainless steel tumbler with double-walled vacuum insulation. Keeps drinks hot up to 3 hours or cold up to 6 hours. Made with 304 stainless steel. Retail price AUD $29.00.
• Peppa Pig Keychain Peppa Pig-inspired keychain shaped like a Gong Cha drink with translucent container and black tapioca pearls. Features metal keyring and pink rubber attachment. Retail price AUD $6.00.
• Gong Cha Pink Plushie Gong Cha pink-colored plush toy featuring the brand mascot with a smiling and winking face, complete with black tapioca pearls and a vibrant red lid. Retail price AUD $12.00.
• Gong Cha Milk Tea Plushie Gong Cha milk tea-colored plush toy featuring the brand mascot with a smiling and winking face, complete with black tapioca pearls and a vibrant red lid. Approximately 11cm wide and 14cm tall. Retail price AUD $12.00.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15 million+ drinks served annually across 170+ stores

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KOI Thé Australia: Singaporean-origin bubble tea chain with Australian presence. Comparable in offering milk teas and specialty bubble tea drinks, franchise retail model, and serving similar young consumer demographics in metropolitan Australia.
• Chatime Australia: One of the largest direct bubble tea franchise competitors in Australia, operating hundreds of stores nationally. Closely comparable to Gong Cha Australia in product offering (milk teas, brewed teas, toppings), franchise-led GTM, and target consumer segment.
• The Alley Australia: Taiwanese-origin bubble tea chain with multi-store Australian presence. Directly comparable menu (signature milk teas, creative mixes), franchise/store model, and Australian consumer targeting.
• Happy Lemon Australia: Asian-origin bubble tea franchise operating stores in major Australian cities. Comparable in beverage categories (milk teas, specialty drinks with toppings), franchise-led GTM, and student/young professional customer base.
• Share Tea Australia: Established Taiwanese bubble tea brand with Australian franchise operations. Directly overlaps on product mix (milk teas, fruit teas, customizable toppings) and franchise-driven multi-state expansion strategy.
• Yi Fang Australia: Taiwanese fruit tea specialist with Australian franchise stores. Comparable franchise model, customizable tea menu, and metropolitan/retail-mall store format targeting bubble tea consumers.
• CoCo Bubble Tea Australia: Major global bubble tea brand with substantial Australian franchise presence. Directly comparable in menu, customization model, and franchise-led retail expansion strategy targeting the same Australian consumer base.
• Tiger Sugar Australia: Premium-positioned Taiwanese bubble tea brand with stores across Australian capital cities. Competes with Gong Cha for the same customizable bubble tea consumer, with a differentiated tiger-stripe brown sugar fresh milk focus.

Broad incumbents

• T2 Tea: Australia's largest specialty tea retailer with owned retail stores nationwide. Adjacent rather than direct — overlaps on tea-based beverage consumption occasions and Australian retail footprint, but focused on loose-leaf retail rather than fresh bubble tea service.

Emerging players

• HEYTEA: Premium Chinese-origin tea brand with global ambitions and emerging presence in select Australian markets. Comparable fresh cheese-foam tea and fruit tea product lines targeting higher-end bubble tea consumers, representing the premium competitive threat to established players like Gong Cha.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gong-cha-australia

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Gong Cha Australia