Bamboo Tube Milk Tea Goes Viral on Social Media! But Are They Using Moldy Bamboo Tubes?

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Recently, a netizen reported to the media that employees at a bubble tea shop in Tangqi Ancient Town, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, were seen cleaning moldy bamboo tubes in a back alley, preparing to use them for making bamboo tube bubble tea.

In the reported video, a box of bamboo tubes waiting to be cleaning all showed signs of mold growth. Some bamboo tubes were soaked in stagnant, non-flowing water, which appeared extremely unpleasant.

After the incident was exposed, the market supervision bureau of Linping District, where the scenic spot is located, quickly launched an on-site investigation and initiated a formal inquiry. Currently, the involved bubble tea shop has suspended operations, and the market supervision bureau stated that follow-up investigation results will be promptly announced to the public.

Following the incident, market supervision departments in other regions also took action, conducting random inspections of bubble tea shops that use bamboo tubes. Currently, besides the shop exposed by the netizen, no similar incidents have occurred in other regions. Local market departments have also required bubble tea shops to ensure proper staff training, maintain dry storage conditions for bamboo tubes, use only clean, mold-free bamboo tubes, and only use them for service after cleaning, disinfection, and drying.

Why Have Bamboo Tube Bubble Teas Become So Popular?

As Chinese-style designs regain popularity, products that represent Chinese culture have naturally gained favor among consumers. From Chinese-style interior decoration and product names to Chinese-style packaging, as long as there are Chinese elements or elements that can represent a region, they immediately attract young consumers, and similar products and stores quickly proliferate.

When beverages themselves cannot be differentiated, packaging becomes the key to attracting attention for different brands. After all, people rarely choose a brand just for a simple bubble tea, but they might buy a drink for its attractive packaging. From 3D cup sleeves and 3D cups to uniquely shaped cups or cups made from alternative materials, besides being unique and eye-catching, brands are more focused on young people's hobby of collecting and creating secondary works. This way, through various DIY sharing by consumers, brands also gain opportunities for secondary promotion.

The popularity of bamboo tubes can be attributed to several factors: first, bamboo is a plant that strongly represents Chinese style; second, it's an alternative material, not commonly used for beverage containers, making many consumers think about reusing them as pen holders after drinking. The combination of Chinese style + novelty + physical positioning (labels on beverages and packaging that can represent a region) + potential for secondary DIY has allowed bamboo tube bubble teas to immediately attract people to try them upon launch.

Consumer Feedback and Product Issues

Despite their popularity, it seems few people drink them a second time. "The beverage tastes terrible," "The bottom of the bamboo tube is uneven and easily tips over," "The product doesn't justify such a high price"... besides taking photos for social media check-ins, consumer feedback across various social platforms is almost unanimous.

Even consumers who were initially attracted by the potential for secondary DIY projects mentioned that after drinking, seeing the sticky residue of cream and bubble tea inside the bamboo tube made them want to throw it away immediately. Some netizens who insisted on taking them home reported that after bamboo tubes get wet, they are extremely difficult to dry completely. Even when the surface appears dry, they start growing mold within a few days.

Product homogenization + inconsistent quality + pricing higher than similar products - although many internet-famous products are criticized by consumers, despite no second-time purchases, as long as they look good and generate traffic, they remain profitable.

Image source: Internet, Qingjiao Video

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