---
title: "Gong Cha plans for aggressive North American expansion"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/1f4e2bf7-0f49-40b2-a568-1dabed1e7a33
source: "Global Franchise"
original_url: https://www.global-franchise.com/news/gong-cha-plans-for-aggressive-north-american-expansion
author: "Kieran M"
category: "Coffee & tea"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Coffee & tea"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit"]
published: 2020-11-18T10:30:00.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T17:14:54.963Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1555396273-367ea4eb4db5?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# Gong Cha plans for aggressive North American expansion

**TL;DR:** Gong Cha, a Taiwanese bubble tea brand, plans to expand its presence in the US through additional franchisees. The brand was recently acquired by TA Associates, a global growth private equity firm.

*By Kieran M, originally published in Global Franchise on 2020-11-18. [Read the original](https://www.global-franchise.com/news/gong-cha-plans-for-aggressive-north-american-expansion).*

## Story

Gong Cha, a Taiwanese bubble tea brand which translates as “tribute tea for the emperor”, is actively seeking additional U.S. franchisees to expand its presence within this prime market.

Founded in 2006, the brand currently has a global footprint of more than 1,300 stores across 19 countries, including Taiwan, Korea, Mexico, Australia, the U.K., and Canada. This presence is only set to increase, with the global bubble tea market expected to double in size by 2027.

“I am excited to share the Gong Cha opportunity with interested potential franchisees,” said Einar Gustafsson, the recently appointed Gong Cha CEO, Americas & Europe. “Gong Cha is a leading brand in a fast-growing category, and the unit model economics are very attractive. With a fairly straightforward operating model and relatively low upfront capital requirements, a Gong Cha franchise investment is compelling.”

Gong Cha’s bubble tea is infused with pearls, flavored with fruit and other toppings, and typically served over ice. Using premium ingredients, the brand served freshly-brewed drinks which can be customized to create 600 combinations.

Gong Cha was also recently acquired by TA Associates, a global growth private equity firm. TA has invested in more than 500 companies around the world, and has raised $33.5bn in capital since its founding in 1968.

## Entities

- Restaurants (sector)
- unit expansion (topic)
- Global Franchise (publication)
- private equity (topic)
- Kieran M (person)
- franchisees (topic)
- global growth (topic)
- Gong cha (company)
- TA Associates (investor)
- TA Associates acquisition of Gong cha (deal)

---
Originally reported by Kieran M, Global Franchise (https://www.global-franchise.com/news/gong-cha-plans-for-aggressive-north-american-expansion). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/1f4e2bf7-0f49-40b2-a568-1dabed1e7a33).