What are the origins of pearl tea?
Pearl tea was born in Taiwan in the 1980s. Several tea houses claim to have invented it, but they all tell the same original story: combining a cold tea base with tapioca pearls to give the tasting experience an unprecedented texture.
Tea-based drinks were already deeply rooted in the country's habits. To stand out, retailers began adding indulgent ingredients to their recipes.
Adding tapioca pearls is an instant hit. Consumers love the contrast between the freshness of the tea and the soft texture of the pearls sipped through a straw.
Within a few years, the phenomenon spread across Asia, then crossed the Pacific to North America before becoming established in Europe.
Bubble tea is now one of the most recognisable symbols of contemporary Asian food culture.
What exactly are bubble tea pearls?
Contrary to popular belief, the pearls in pearl tea are not compressed tea balls.
They are made from cassava starch, also known as tapioca, extracted from the root of this tropical plant grown in several regions around the world.
Once cooked, the pearls take on a soft, elastic, slightly chewy texture — it is precisely this distinctive chewiness that makes bubble tea so appealing to its fans.
The different varieties of pearls
The pearl tea market has diversified considerably. Today, you can find:
| Type of pearls | Composition | Texture |
|---|---|---|
| Classic tapioca pearls | Cassava starch | Soft and elastic |
| Black pearls | Tapioca and brown sugar | Indulgent and caramelised |
| Flavoured pearls | Flavoured tapioca | Varies according to flavour |
| Popping pearls (popping boba) | Jellied shell and syrup | A burst of flavour |
| Fruit jellies | Jellied fruit juice | Meltingly soft |
This variety makes it possible to create an almost tailor-made drink, whatever your tastes.
Which teas are used in it?
The choice of tea is no minor detail: it provides the essential aromatic profile of the drink. Specialist brands generally work with several bases.
Black tea. The historic benchmark of bubble tea, its malty, full-bodied notes naturally pair well with milk and tapioca pearls.
Green tea. Fresher and more vegetal, it brings lightness and pairs well with fruity recipes or iced versions.
Oolong tea. Highly prized in Taiwan, it strikes a balance between the character of green tea and black tea, with often floral or lightly roasted notes.
Fruit infusions and creations. Many brands now offer tea-free recipes made with infusions, fruit juices or plant-based bases.
How do you make pearl tea?
The recipe follows a few simple steps, but each one matters.
The tapioca pearls are first cooked until they achieve their characteristically soft texture, then often coated in brown sugar syrup to intensify their flavour.
The tea, meanwhile, is prepared separately and then chilled.
Depending on the recipe, the following are then added:
- milk or a plant-based drink;
- syrup;
- fruit purée;
- ice cubes;
- tapioca pearls.
Everything is shaken in a cocktail shaker before being served in a large cup, with a wide straw essential for sipping up the pearls at the bottom of the glass.
The main families:
If pearl tea has won over the world, it is largely thanks to the richness of its variations.
Milk tea. This is the original bubble tea: black tea, milk and tapioca pearls. The brown sugar used to coat the pearls gives it a flavour that can sometimes recall certain caramel milk drinks.
Brown sugar bubble tea. Highly fashionable in recent years, it showcases pearls coated in brown sugar for an indulgent result with caramelised notes.
Fruit tea. Lighter, it combines green or black tea with fruity flavours — mango, passion fruit, lychee and peach.
Cheese tea. A more surprising version, topped with a lightly salted creamy foam that contrasts with the sweetness of the tea.
Pearl tea shop: where can you buy it?
At Kusmi Tea, we offer a selection of quality teas that are perfectly suited to making homemade bubble tea. Black tea, green tea, jasmine tea or fruity blends: our recipes make it easy to create a personalised bubble tea to suit your tastes. To complete your preparation, discover our fruit pearls and flavoured syrups for a delicious, refreshing drink. If you prefer to enjoy your drink without the preparation step, most of our Kusmi tea boutiques offer takeaway bubble tea during the summer season. Find your bubble tea shop here!
