How to Make Better Matcha Bubble Tea for Your Boba Shop

When a menu item is compromised by weak flavor, clumpy powder, watery milk and inconsistent tapioca pearls, it can result in a customer complaint. A boba shop should have a perfect recipe for making bubble tea, so that people working in the shop can make it in a rush.

Matchia is a company based in Hayward, California that sells matcha wholesale in the U.S. It assists cafés, boba shops, restaurants and beverage brands to choose matcha based on taste, color, use, how to prepare, and cost.

Why Can Matcha Bubble Tea Taste Weak?

Milk will loosen the tea, syrup will sweeten it, ice will dilute it and boba pearls will add another layer of flavor. The taste of the matcha powder could be good in warm water but not in cold milk.

Common causes include:

• The size of the cup is not properly matched with the amount of matcha.
• Dry powder can be directly mixed into cold milk.
• Excessive amount of syrup/brown sugar.
• Fluctuating milk and ice supply (milk and ice may be absent at certain points during the day)
• Sticky and hard tapioca pearls.
• A variety of scoops in between shifts.

The best results are achieved when the appropriate grade is chosen and a formula is established.

5 Ways to Make Better Matcha Bubble Tea for Your Boba Shop

Make your boba shop's menu better and gain more customer satisfaction by implementing the following 5 matcha bubble tea preparation, sourcing and flavor pairing tips.

1. Choose Matcha That Works With Milk and Boba

A latte-style matcha tea is a better option than a light matcha for making tea for boba, since it's better suited to be brewed into a latte. It must have an adequate body, green color and earthy taste that won't be lost with the addition of milk, sweetener and ice.

If you are using a high-volume bubble tea recipe, then you can use Latte Matcha. However, Premium Matcha might be suitable for a delicious signature beverage. A good choice for Ceremonial Matcha would be for straight matcha or lightly sweetened drinks that will allow a finer taste of the matcha.

Matchia's guide to the matcha grades will help you compare ceremonial, barista and culinary grades.

2. Matcha Bubble Tea Recipe for a 16-Ounce Cup

Use this tea recipe as a guideline and experiment with your milk, syrup, ice and menu price.

Ingredients:

• 3 grams matcha powder
• 60 milliliters warm water
• 150- 180 mL of liquid milk (of choice)
• 15 to 25 milliliters syrup
• The cooked tapioca pearls are 40-60 grams.
• Ice cubes.

Whole milk will give a fuller creaminess. Oat milk will add to the roundness; almond milk will create a lighter milk. Test one at a time, as the sweetness and intensity of the matcha will be different depending on the milk used.

i) Make a Smooth Matcha Base

Scoop the matcha powder into a matcha bowl or shaker. Beat in warm water until smooth and slightly frothy.

Either a bamboo matcha whisk or a small electric whisk/blender to prepare the matcha by hand may be more convenient during busy service. Don't put green tea powder into cold milk as it may clump.

ii) Make Soft Chewy Tapioca Pearls

Follow the instructions on the boba pearl package to cook the pearls. Drain and dip in brown sugar syrup or the shop's choice of sweetener.

Make up enough supplies to meet demand and adhere to the pearl supplier's holding advice. Tapioca pearls can get firm or sticky if left for an extended period of time.

iii) Mix the Matcha Boba Ingredients.

Fill the cup with the pearls and syrup. Pack with ice cubes, pour in the milk and top with the matcha base.

If the recipe specifies a "fully mixed cup," stir or shake before serving. Have uniform cup markings and portions for all orders.

3. Regulate the Sweetness and Texture

Brown sugar is good for use in boba tea, but can overpower the matcha. Make syrup to a medium consistency before adding milk, ice pearls, and taste the finished product.

Simple syrup is a neutral, easy-to-measure syrup for staff, and may be used to add softer sweetness to the maple syrup. The sweetness of a shop can be 50 percent, 75 percent or 100 percent; each level should be measured in pumps or milliliters.

Don't use a rounded scoop of matcha - use a gram scale. Make a recipe card that specifies quantities of powder, water, milk, syrup, boba and ice. Educate employees on identifying clumps, watery color, hard pearls and over-sweetness.

4. Keep Matcha Fresh During Service

When making a matcha base in advance of serving, make small quantities. Keep the powder away from air, heat, light and moisture; and close the container quickly after using it to measure.

Matchia's tips for freshness and vibrancy of matcha include more storage options.

5. Manage Cost Without Sacrificing Flavor

Find the price of matcha, milk, sweetener, boba pearls, cup, lid, straw and ice for each size. Compare to the menu price and target margin.

Try multiple grades of matcha on the same amount of matcha. The lower the price, the more grams might be needed to taste the powder, and the higher the grade, the fewer grams might need to be used to make a good drink. The samples give a better comparison than the dry colour or the price per kg of powder.

Why Boba Shops Choose Matchia for Wholesale Matcha?

Matchia specialises in wholesale / B2B supply. It provides its users with the ability to compare matcha by flavor, color, milk options, menu options and price.

The price of wholesale orders begins at 1 kg. Matchia also provides sample kits, weekly or monthly repeat supply and offers volume discounts.

Matchia is based in Hayward, California, and thus applies to boba shops throughout the SF Bay Area, Sacramento, California and the West Coast. The company is shipping from its own warehouse and has its own cold storage facility.

Matchia provides conventional latte-grade matcha wholesale to make the milk-based café and boba drinks.

Regular testing by the company for SGS can be provided, along with a COA document. Samples can be obtained for buyers to decide on a grade for repeat commercial use.

Conclusion

The key to a better matcha bubble tea is to consider the whole drink: preparation of a grade matcha that is ready to be mixed with milk, setting up a smooth base, managing the sweetness, soft tapioca pearls, measuring portions, and clear procedures by the staff.

Looking to create your boba shop menu with matcha? Matchia will be able to provide you with a comparison of grades as well as samples and a discussion about the 1kg+ wholesale supply for repeat business use.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which matcha is best for matcha bubble tea?

A “latte” style matcha is a good place to begin since its flavor should remain noticeable after milk, syrup, ice and tapioca pearls have been added.

How much to use for matcha powder in a boba shop?

There is a 16 oz. cup that is a good test amount for 3 grams. Tune after testing the grade, the milk, level of syrup, level of ice and desired strength.

Is it possible to prepare matcha with cold milk?

It may, but it will more likely clump. It's typically smoother to make the base by sifting the powder and whisking it with warm water first.

What type of milk should you use for matcha milk tea?

Whole milk will be creamier, oat milk will be more rounded and almond milk will make a lighter cup. Try each one with the formula.

How to keep boba pearls soft and chewy in the boba shop?

Cook and hold as per the manufacturer's instructions, dip cooked tapioca pearls in syrup and cook according to the number of items required.

Are there samples for boba shops at Matchia?

Yes. Matchia provides a sample program to be used by commercial buyers. Contact Matchia, and they will provide sample kits and wholesale quotes to boba shops.