Hong Kong distributor of popular Taiwanese bubble tea brand Xing Fu Tang shocks customers by suddenly shutting store amid bitter court battle with founding firm
- Hong Kong distributor Tenpence International makes surprise announcement on its Facebook page
- It opened its Causeway Bay store last August
The Hong Kong distributor of a popular Taiwanese bubble tea brand shocked customers on Tuesday when it announced it would close its Causeway Bay store from Wednesday amid a bitter court battle with the founding company over copyright infringement.
“Thank you everyone for your unfailing support. Tenpence International Limited’s Causeway Bay store will officially cease to operate from January 2, 2019,” it said on its Facebook page on Tuesday morning.
Taiwanese brand Xing Fu Tang is popular for its brown sugar bubble milk tea, which is made with stir-fried black tapioca pearls.
Since its founding in January 2018, more than 60 Xing Fu Tang franchise stores have opened in Taiwan and cities such as Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Manila and Vancouver.
The Hong Kong distributor, Tenpence, opened its store in Causeway Bay in August. Two franchise stores, in Yuen Long and Tsim Sha Tsui, followed.