The appeal of tropical flavors is undeniable, especially in the food industry, where they feature prominently in both desserts and beverages. Mango stands out as one of the most popular options, making it an ideal base for crafting a refreshing bubble tea. Here is how to create the perfect mango boba.
The bubble tea trend
This sweet tea drink, also called boba, first emerged in Taiwan in the early 1980s. It usually contains milk, sweeteners, and flavorings. Its star ingredient is tapioca pearls, which have a gelatinous texture when bitten (Mathieu Teisseire, n.d.; Fortune Business Insights, 2024).
Today, it is a popular beverage worldwide. In fact, the global bubble tea market reached a value of $2.46 billion in 2023, with projections to hit $4.78 billion by 2032 (Fortune Business Insights, 2024). Its appeal lies in its innovative nature, which differentiates it from other beverages. Some of its additional attributes include (Fortune Business Insights, 2024):
- Novel flavors.
- Low fat and calorie content.
- Nutritional value.
Mango Boba: an innovative option
The bubble tea market offers a wide range of flavors, from chocolate to coffee, but fruity varieties dominate. Experts expect this to be the fastest-growing boba segment over the next few years for the following reasons (Fortune Business Insights, 2024):
- Higher nutritional content compared to other flavor profiles.
- The strong demand for fruit-based tea beverages.
- Consumer preference for tropical, refreshing options.
Popular fruit choices include peach, strawberry, lychee, banana, passion fruit, plum, and mango (Fortune Business Insights, 2024). The latter tropical fruit is widely consumed worldwide for its sweet taste and nutritional value. It is usually eaten fresh, canned, dehydrated, and as an ingredient in food products. For example, it is not unusual to find mango desserts or mango cake. It is also often used to make jams, chutneys, smoothies, and different types of drinks (Research and Markets, n.d.).
Mango boba is emerging as a very popular product among consumers. This fruit can be the dominant flavor in a delicious tropical bubble tea. It can also be part of a different blend to create a unique drinking experience (World Tea News, 2023).
Mango boba recipe
In essence, this drink contains tea, milk, sweetener, and tapioca pearls. For the boba, you can use fresh fruit. However, doing so requires additional processing steps to ensure the drink has the right texture. For this reason, mango purée is a more convenient input, as it is practical and provides the flavor and quality of fresh specimens. With this in mind, you only need to follow four steps:
- Prepare the tea of your choice. Ideally, the preparation should be loaded so it does not get lost in the mango boba. Allow it to cool to room temperature. Keep in mind that for every cup of milk in the boba, there should be half a cup of tea.
- Prepare the tapioca pearls by boiling them according to package instructions. There are standard or fast-cooking pearls. Pay attention to both active cooking (on the heat) and passive cooking (off the heat, covered) times to achieve the right texture.
- Once cooked, rinse the tapioca under cold water for about 30 seconds to stop the cooking process. Gently stir to prevent the pearls from sticking, then let them rest at room temperature with a bit of sugar or syrup.
- Add the mango purée to the milk. Blend the ingredients well, and taste the mango boba to adjust the intensity of the flavor.
Serving and customizing your boba
The only thing left to do is to serve the drink. Start by placing the tapioca pearls at the bottom of the glass, followed by the tea and a spoonful of syrup. Then, stir gently in circles with a spoon. Finish the mango boba by pouring in the flavored milk. To create an even more eye-catching product, you can customize it with flavored syrups or alternative types of milk. And that is it! You now have a tropical drink that is sure to captivate your consumers.
Bibliographic references
- Chang, T. (n.d.). How to make bubble tea. Good Food.
- Fortune Business Insights. (2024, August 26). Bubble Tea Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Black Tea, Green Tea, Oolong Tea, and White Tea), By Flavor (Original, Fruit, Chocolate, Coffee, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032.
- Mathieu Teisseire. (n.d.). The Constantly Growing ‘Bubble Tea Market’.
- Research and Markets. (n.d.). Mango.
- World Tea News. (2023, August 2). The Bubble Tea Market Continues to Experience Strong Demand and Rising Popularity.
