Gong cha, one of the world’s largest bubble tea chains, has opened its first outlet in the United Arab Emirates, its second market in the Middle East, World Coffee Portal reports.
The regional expansion began in January 2024, when the company signed the largest master franchise agreement in its history with Shahia Foods Group, the region’s Dunkin’ licensee, targeting at least 300 outlets. The first store opened in Riyadh about seven months later, and Bahrain and the UAE were originally scheduled for 2025.
Progress has been slower than expected, however: only 12 Gong cha outlets operate in Saudi Arabia so far. The Middle East nevertheless remains central to the company’s plan to quadruple its global network over the next five years.
Source: World Coffee Portal