Vancouver’s bubble tea scene is undergoing significant changes, with a major shakeup affecting the popular Taiwanese brand, Xing Fu Tang. The Cambie Village location has been hit with a lease termination notice due to unpaid rent, totaling over $34,000. The notice, dated January 24, 2025, confirms that the business must vacate the premises after failing to settle the debt.
Xing Fu Tang, which opened in Vancouver in 2019 during the peak of the brown sugar bubble tea trend, quickly became known for its unique live pearl-making process, where customers could watch as the brown sugar syrup was wok-stirred to create the signature pearls. Despite initial success and rapid expansion across Metro Vancouver, the brand has struggled as consumer preferences have shifted toward fruit teas, leading to the closure of several locations.
This particular store had been listed as “temporarily closed” for much of 2024, and it’s now clear that the closure is permanent. As of now, there’s no confirmation on whether other locations, such as the Kingsway Burnaby site, are facing similar challenges.
While Xing Fu Tang’s presence in Vancouver is shrinking, the bubble tea craze continues to thrive, with new entrants like Chahalo and YOTEA from China gearing up to take over the Richmond market.
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