Singapore has never had a shortage of bubble tea brands, and among the sea of options stands Woobbee—a homegrown brand founded in 2010, best known for its signature pei pa koa milk tea.
At the time of its launch, renowned names like Koi and Gong Cha were only beginning to gain traction in Singapore, and there was also a lack of local brands that specialised in bubble tea, especially in those that catered to Singaporean tastes.
Spotting a gap in the market, founder Irene Low seized the opportunity to carve out her own niche, and today, Woobbee has established a sizable presence across Singapore, with five outlets across the city-state.
How it all started
Woobbee is derived from the word ‘wu bi,’ which stands for ‘unbeatable’ in Chinese.
Prior to launching the brand, Irene experimented with her own recipes, inviting friends over for tastings to gather feedback. That was how she also got acquainted with Benjamin Lim, who later became her business partner and the manager of Woobbee.
While neither had extensive experience in the field, both Irene and Benjamin had previously taken on short stints in the F&B and service industries, giving them a foundational understanding of the business.
In total, it took roughly six months from the initial concept to the opening of Woobbee’s very first outlet at Tanjong Pagar Plaza.
“This included everything from recipe development and branding to operations planning and overseas sourcing of quality premium ingredients,” said Irene.
The venture was partially self-funded with additional support from private backers.
Carving a niche
But it wasn’t easy starting up—as an independent brand rather than a franchise, they had to build everything from the ground up, from standardising drink preparation processes to developing staff training protocols.
Despite these challenges, customer response to the outlet was surprisingly good. One drink in particular—Herbalmint—quickly stood out and has remained Woobbee’s signature best-seller since its launch in 2013.
The drink’s main ingredient is pei pa koa, a traditional Chinese natural herbal remedy used to relieve sore throat and coughs. Its inclusion was initially experimental, but it turned out to be a winning move.
“We both like pei pa koa. It was a stroke of genius when we added it to our milk tea,” said Benjamin Lim, Woobbee’s manager. “To our surprise, it tasted really good together!”
In late 2018 and 2019, the drink “really picked up steam as a company in the United States decided to sell it as their Christmas special,” which brought about a sudden wave of social media hype.
Apart from its Herbalmint drink, the brand has continued to introduce other flavours that appeal to Singaporean taste buds, including Pink Guava with Plums, and Grape Yakult. This, according to the brand, has helped it carve out a distinct identity in the market.
Quality is also another cornerstone of Woobbee’s appeal. From day one, each cup of its tea is freshly brewed, instead of using premixed milk teas. In additition, the drinks are made using only raw sugar, which generally involves less processing.
These efforts seemed to have paid off, with the brand successfully establishing five outlets across Singapore today. The company also claims to have served millions of cups across these outlets, and counts various corporate clients and event organisers among its partners.
“Innovation is non-negotiable”
Still, there’s no denying that Woobbee is operating in a highly competitive landscape, with major players, both local and international, dominating the scene.
Despite this, the brand remains confident in its ability to stand out through continued innovation.
Innovation is non-negotiable for us. We consistently push boundaries with new flavours, formats, and seasonal campaigns.
Irene Low, founder of Woobbee
To that end, Woobbee is currently in the works of developing bottled versions of its popular drinks and exploring vending machine concepts to enhance accessibility and convenience.
In the near term, the brand also aims to expand its physical presence, with plans to open more outlets, particularly in heartland areas across Singapore.
Utimately, Irene and Benjamin envision taking Woobbee global, entering regional markets and sharing the brand’s “uniqely Singaporean take” on bubble tea with the world.
Featured Image Credit: Woobbee
