Episode

Sharing Boba Tea, Sharing Taiwan

Podcast: Strait Forward
Published: Jul 7, 2026
Duration seconds: 2161
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Summary

It's Taiwan's most famous export in a cup, but behind every chewy tapioca pearl is a global business story of culture, competition, and surprising technology. In this episode, host Channing Lee talks about all things boba with Greg Chen, CEO of International Business and Chief Investment Officer for the group behind Sharetea and Unique Green (UG) Tea, two of Taiwan's biggest bubble tea brands. They cover where boba came from, how the drink became a worldwide phenomenon and a symbol of Taiwanese culture, why Chinese chains flooding the market pose a growing competitive threat, and how AI-powered machines are helping stores leap from 100 cups a day to thousands. Producer Bobby Owens also tries boba for the very first time.