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Before we sold millions of cans, we almost went bankrupt trying to perfect just one. Here’s the wild story of how 2,200 pounds of tea and relentless testing would create the most delicious milk tea—or could have cost us everything.
Before we sold millions of cans, we almost went bankrupt trying to perfect just one. Here’s the wild story of how 2,200 pounds of tea and relentless testing would create the most delicious milk tea—or could have cost us everything.
You’re probably thinking, "Why on earth would someone need that much tea? Isn’t a few grams enough?" Believe me, I thought the same when this wild journey began. Like most bootstrapped entrepreneurs in the food and beverage world, my product started in the kitchen. Armed with nothing more than an Amex card and a dream, I scoured every grocery store in my city, buying up every single black tea I could get my hands on. I had to control the variables, so with a journal in one hand and a precision scale in the other, I broke down every tea bag, weighed out every gram of sugar, and measured every ounce of water and milk.
Hundreds of formulas later, I found myself on the cusp of something I really enjoyed. I was looking for a deep, golden honey flavor, with rich amber hues, and a sweet aroma that would invite you in, not push you away with that stereotypical grassy scent. The tea needed to be strong and flavorful, but never bitter. It had to hold its own against milk without being so astringent that it left your tongue dry. Yet, none of the teas from the grocery store checked all the boxes.
So, how did I end up with 2,200 pounds of tea? That’s when things got serious. I got connected with a tea distributor, and suddenly, I was exposed to a world I never knew existed—exotic teas from China, Japan, India, Indonesia—hundreds upon hundreds of options all with unique flavors. And I tried them all. I was so caffeinated for weeks, I thought I might have permanently wrecked my heart. But I couldn’t stop. I was chasing perfection, and some of these teas were getting close.
We discovered several teas that we believed were truly exceptional, but then we hit a massive roadblock that could have stopped us in our tracks. Here’s something they don’t tell you: making 12 ounces of milk tea in your kitchen is nothing like making it at a commercial scale. Heat, time, and agitation all become variables that can ruin everything. We tried to mimic the commercial process as much as possible—throwing bottles into a pressure cooker to replicate the high heat of the retort sterilization process (240°F and above). Luckily, we discovered that some of the best flavors were obliterated by the intense heat, forcing us to scrap entire batches and opt for different teas.
For anyone starting a food or beverage company, understanding the commercialization process is crucial. How will your product be made at scale? What equipment is required? What steps are involved? Every product you see on the shelf has undergone extensive testing to ensure it can be produced consistently at a large scale. Often, the constraints of factories—such as available machinery or production capabilities—will guide key decisions, from the ingredients you can use to the packaging format you’re forced to adopt. Knowing these limitations early on can make the difference between a smooth launch and costly setbacks. Also, it’s important to know where you’re ingredients come from, we visited many dairy farms evaluating different types of liquid milk.
After countless tests, we finally settled on a blend we believed in. But here’s the kicker: to commercialize it, we had to buy 2,200 pounds of it. That’s when the real fear set in. Was this the right decision? Or had we just made the biggest financial mistake of our young company’s life?
Our relentless testing finally paid off, but I’ll never forget the moment I received the first batch. I stood there, staring at the can, too terrified to open it. After months of painstaking work and sleepless nights, this was it. What if everything we had built came crumbling down with one sip?
As I hesitated, my mother walked into the kitchen. Without a second thought, she grabbed a can, cracked it open, took a sip, and said, almost casually, "It’s good," before walking away as if it was just another ordinary day. But for me, that simple, understated moment was everything. The final product was exactly what we had dreamed of—rich, flavorful, with a perfect harmony of tea and milk.
Years later, we haven’t stopped improving. We’ve refined the tea extracts, perfected concentrations, and even optimized the format of the tea we use. The pursuit of the perfect milk tea is a never-ending journey. Like coffee, tea is an art—a delicate balance of flavor, aroma, and color. And each day, we continue to perfect it, sip by sip.
In 2019, I made a decision that would put me $60,000 in credit card debt. I was consumed by a vision, I was chasing a dream. A dream I wasn't even sure would work.
This is the story of how I went all in to build Joy Milk Tea, and why I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Before we sold millions of cans, we almost went bankrupt trying to perfect just one. Here’s the wild story of how 2,200 pounds of tea and relentless testing would create the most delicious milk tea—or could have cost us everything.
Recent data reveals that 94% of consumers aged between 20 and 29 have purchased boba tea in recent months, underscoring its popularity and potential to boost retail sales
We love milk tea. We couldnt really imagine a world without it. It’s fitting since we found ourselves making milk tea for America. That love for milk tea, although unbreakable, really isnt what this is all about. For us, this is really about choice. It’s about small decisions in your everyday life that you have become numb to. Yeah, what you drink is a super small choice, but every little thing counts right? That’s where this all began, with a small choice. Another venti S******** iced americano or try something new? I chose to try something new… but quickly...
