LiHo bubble tea says hello to Hong Kong

Known for its cheese teas, Singapore bubble-tea brand LiHo has opened its first overseas outlet in Hong Kong.

Its Yuen Long store will be followed by another in Kwun Tong on November 1, says the parent company RTG Holdings. Both outlets offer the full menu including smoothies and the new Avocado and Summer Passion beverages.

RTG Holdings MD Rodney Tang says this is a first step in building LiHo into a global brand. It is partnering with Milky Way Synergy for the Hong Kong stores, and is looking at opening 20 more in the territory within the next five years.

Tang says there has also been “preliminary interest” from potential partners in Japan, Korea and London.

RTG ventured into the bubble-tea business with the Gong Cha brand in 2009. This year it replaced Singapore’s Gong Cha outlets with LiHo after Gong Cha’s parent company sold the business to Unison Capital, a Japanese private equity firm.