A group of teens excitedly picked up their candy-colored bubble tea from Ume in downtown Mountain View. But before they took a sip, they each peeled open the bottom of their paper cups to reveal a cute little plushie inside. “Our tea is not only pretty but also fun,” said Jiachun Li, CEO and co-founder of Ume Tea, in an interview with TechCrunch.
While bubble tea has been in the U.S. since the 1990s, its popularity has largely remained among Asian Americans with a few brands occasionally breaking into other segments. Ume is the latest boba venture aiming to reach a wider demographic, this time by adding mystery toys to the sweet and chewy experience.
The tactic seems to be working so far. On TikTok, a search for “Ume”, which is short for “u & me”, shows several hundred results, many of which are young users posting the surprise plushie bu...
