Archive · 24 Dec 2025
Young Indians Shift to Boba, Matcha
In India, young people are starting to like cold drinks like boba tea and matcha more than the traditional hot teas their parents and grandparents used to drink.
Boba tea comes from Taiwan and has chewy tapioca balls, while matcha is a green tea powder from Japan.
Even old tea companies like Wagh Bakri are adding these new drinks to their menus to attract younger customers.
Cold drinks are growing much faster than hot ones, and they are becoming popular all year round, not just in the summer.
This change is happening because young people enjoy trying new things and find cold drinks a better match for their outings with friends and family.
Companies are also innovating with more varieties of cold drinks to keep up with this trend.
Young Indians are increasingly preferring cold beverages like boba tea and matcha over traditional hot teas.
Boba tea, originating from Taiwan, features tapioca pearls, while matcha is a finely ground green tea powder from Japan.
Companies like Wagh Bakri and abCoffee are adding cold beverages to their menus to attract younger consumers.
Cold beverages are growing 60% faster than hot drinks, with matcha and boba seeing significant traction.
The trend is driven by Gen Z's willingness to experiment and their preference for cold drinks as food accompaniments.
- Who
- Young Indians, particularly Gen Z
- What
- Shift in consumer preferences from traditional hot teas to cold beverages like boba and matcha
- When
- Ongoing trend with significant growth in recent years
- Where
- India, with notable demand in Mumbai and other urban areas
- Why
- Younger generation's willingness to experiment and preference for cold beverages as food accompaniments
- Beverages
- Boba tea, matcha
- Origin
- Taiwan (Boba), Japan (Matcha)
- Consumer Shift
- Gen Z prefering cold beverages
- Growth Rate
- Cold beverages growing 60% faster than hot drinks
- Search Interest
- Matcha up 11-fold, boba up 4-fold in 5 years
- Company Response
- Wagh Bakri, abCoffee adding cold beverages
- Market Insight
- Mumbai: Cold beverages over 50% of sales year-round
- Future Outlook
- Boba and matcha likely to remain permanent fixtures