Bobba Bubble Tea Faces Backlash After Dragons’ Den: Cultural Appropriation Controversy Sparks Apology
A Quebec-based bubble tea company, Bobba, has come under fire following their appearance on the popular show Dragons’ Den. The company, which sells a bottled version of the popular Taiwanese drink, faced accusations of cultural appropriation from celebrity judge Simu Liu, a Chinese Canadian actor, during their pitch. This led to a significant backlash on social media, prompting Bobba to issue a public apology.
The Controversial Pitch Entrepreneurs Sebastian Fiset and Jessica Frenette appeared on Dragons’ Den seeking a $1 million investment in exchange for 18% of their business. They pitched their product as a “convenient and healthier ready-to-drink” version of traditional bubble tea, featuring popping boba pearls and an alcoholic version. However, their pitch was met with criticism from Liu, who expressed concerns about cultural appropriation. He stated that the attempt to “disrupt” a traditional Taiwanese beverage felt insensitive, especially given the drink’s cultural significance.
Liu remarked, “I want to be a part of bringing boba to the masses, but not like this.” Despite Fiset explaining that Bobba works with a supplier and recipe developer in Taiwan, Liu chose not to invest in the company.
Social Media Backlash and Apology Following the episode, clips went viral, and many users on social media voiced their disapproval of the company’s approach. Accusations of cultural insensitivity quickly gained momentum, leading Bobba to issue an apology on Instagram. The company stated, “At no point did we mean to harm or disrespect the community that created and popularized this beloved drink.”
They clarified that they did not intend to suggest their bottled version was superior to traditional bubble tea.
Marketing Experts Weigh In Amid the controversy, branding expert Aleena Muzhar Kuzma suggested that the company may need to rebrand to recover from the backlash. “Apologizing is a good start, but they need to clarify how they’re respecting the culture and potentially involve advisers from the Asian community to navigate this issue,” she noted.
Dragons’ Den investor Manjit Minhas, who initially showed interest, later pulled her investment in response to the growing criticism.
Cultural Appropriation Debate The bubble tea industry, originating from Taiwan in the 1980s, has seen significant growth in North America. However, as the beverage gains mainstream popularity, issues of cultural appropriation arise when companies, often from outside the originating culture, modify or commercialize traditional products. Food writer and equity consultant Carmen Cheng weighed in, highlighting how people of certain ethnic backgrounds have historically been mocked for their cultural foods, only to see those same foods transformed and commercialized by others.
While Bobba’s apology addressed the concerns raised, the company also revealed they had faced hate speech and threats in response to the controversy.
In a statement, Dragons’ Den defended the discussion as an important conversation but condemned the online bullying directed at the show’s participants.
Source: Swifteradio.com
