Want to open your own bubble tea shop or start a bubble tea branch in your town? Bubble tea is one of the fastest-growing drinks in India, and in most Tamil Nadu towns there is still little or no competition. This guide gives you a simple cafe business plan for a bubble tea shop – location, menu, equipment, licences, costs and marketing – and explains the two ways Hooba Boba can help you start.
Want to start a bubble tea branch? Two ways to begin with Hooba Boba
Hooba Boba is not a franchise – we do not sell branches and do not charge franchise fees or royalties. Instead, there are two clear paths:
| Your own bubble tea shop (with our training) | Hooba Boba brand partner counter | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand name | Your own | Hooba Boba |
| Best for | New shops, kiosks, cafes, stalls, home and event businesses | Hotels, resorts, malls, multiplexes, airports, hospitals and corporate cafeterias |
| Menu and prices | You decide | Agreed together |
| What we give | Hands-on training and startup support; equipment and materials quoted separately | Brand, recipes, imported ingredients and training |
| Read more | bubble tea training | brand partner counter |
Bubble tea shop business plan: step by step
1. Choose your concept
Decide what you want to be: a takeaway stall or kiosk, a small bubble tea cafe with seating, a counter inside an existing restaurant or bakery, or an event counter business. A kiosk is the easiest way to open a cafe with a low budget.
2. Pick the right location
- Near colleges, schools, coaching centres and IT offices
- Busy shopping streets, malls and food courts
- Tourist spots and weekend destinations
- Good visibility, parking or easy walk-in access
See our city guides for Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem and Trichy, and tourist towns.
3. Plan your menu
Start with 15–25 drinks made from a few bases: milk bubble teas, fruit teas with popping boba, bubble coffees and one or two dessert drinks. Signature flavours like Taro and Matcha help you stand out. Then keep adding new drinks to the line – at Hooba Boba we keep developing new drinks through our own R&D, and we are also working on a sugar-free drinks concept (coming soon). Read best bubble tea flavours.
4. Set up equipment
An ice cube machine, cup sealing machine, shaker, fructose dispenser, refrigerator, induction or gas stove and pearl cooker are the basics. Full list: bubble tea equipment list.
5. Get your licences
- FSSAI food licence or registration
- GST registration (as needed for your turnover)
- Trade licence from your local body
- Shop and establishment registration where applicable
Rules differ by town and business size, so confirm with your CA or local office.
6. Make a full cost list
Many people ask how much it costs to start a cafe. The honest answer: it depends on your city, rent, size and equipment. Before you sign anything, write down every cost:
- Rent, advance and deposit
- Interiors, counter, signage and seating
- Equipment
- First stock of ingredients, cups, straws and sealing film
- Licences and registrations
- Staff salaries
- Working capital for the first few months
Take advice from your CA before you invest.
7. Price your drinks
Price for your town and your customers. Work out the cost of every cup – base, milk, pearls, cup, straw and seal – then add rent, salaries and electricity before you fix a selling price.
8. Market your shop
- A Google Business Profile with real photos and reviews
- Instagram reels of drinks being made
- WhatsApp orders and a broadcast list for regulars
- Food delivery apps once your service is steady
- College and office tie-ups, combos and loyalty cards
9. Add event income
Birthdays, weddings, kitty parties and corporate events bring extra income beyond the shop. See birthday party ideas, wedding food stall ideas and corporate event ideas.
Why bubble tea is a smart cafe business
- Young, loyal customers – students and young professionals keep coming back.
- Small space – a kiosk or counter is enough to start.
- Big menu from a few bases – milk teas, fruit teas, coffees and desserts.
- Low competition in most Tamil Nadu towns.
- Instagram-friendly – customers promote you for free.
What our training covers
- Cooking, soaking and storing tapioca pearls
- Milk tea bases – classic, taro, matcha, Thai and Indian flavours
- Green Tea Popping Magic Fruit Teas and boba sodas
- All 7 Cappuccino Bubble Coffees – Cold, Espresso, Irish, Mocha, Caramel, Hazelnut and Vanilla Cappuccino Bubble Coffee
- Consistency, hygiene, daily routines and rush-hour workflow
- Menu building, branding and marketing tips
Training is hands-on at our working shop in Vellore. Equipment and materials are quoted separately, based on your needs. Details: bubble tea business training.
Full Hooba Boba menu you learn from
- Milk bubble teas: Classic Milk Bubble Tea, Vanilla Bubble Tea, Mango Bubble Tea, Cardamom Almond Bubble Tea, Oreo Chocolate Bubble, Oreo Chocolate & Cheese Bubble Tea
- Signature Boba: Taro Bubble Tea, Thai Bubble Tea, Honeydew Bubble Tea
- Kyoto Matcha Bliss: Matcha Bubble Tea and Matcha Banana
- Premium Bubble: Cold Chocolate Bubble, Irish Cheese Bubble, Red Velvet Bubble, Hazelnut and Mocha
- Banana Bubble: Classic Banana, Chocolate Banana and Matcha Banana
- Cappuccino Bubble Coffees: Cold Cappuccino Bubble Coffee, Espresso Cappuccino Bubble Coffee, Irish Cappuccino Bubble Coffee, Mocha Cappuccino Bubble Coffee, Caramel Cappuccino Bubble Coffee, Hazelnut Cappuccino Bubble Coffee and Vanilla Cappuccino Bubble Coffee
- Bubble Magic (boba sodas): Passion Fruit Blast, Masala Bubble Blast and Kiwi Magic Blast
- Green Tea Popping Magic Fruit Teas: Mango, Kiwi, Guava and Jamun Fruit Tea with popping boba
- Dessert favourites: Oreo Milkshake with Boba and Tiramisu
Sugar-free bubble tea is coming soon.
A note from the people behind Hooba Boba
We started Hooba Boba from one shop in Vellore and learned every lesson behind our own counter. We would rather train you properly and help you build your own business than sell you a franchise. Put taste and customers first, and the business follows.
Sathiya Panneer Selvam, Founder & CEO · Raju Inkarsal, Head of Operations – Hooba Boba
Why learn from Hooba Boba
- Our own shop opposite VIT 3rd Gate, Vellore, rated 4.9★ on Google
- Recognised by StartupTN and GST-registered
- Premium ingredients imported from Taiwan, China and Japan, with our own formulations
- Famous for Taro, Hazelnut and Kyoto Matcha
- Training, equipment and ingredients from one team
Related reading: food franchise business in India · small business ideas · home business ideas for women · bubble tea ingredients · low investment business ideas · cafe name ideas · business ideas in Tamil · best bubble tea near me
Frequently asked questions
How do I start a bubble tea shop in India?
Get hands-on training, choose your model (stall, kiosk, small cafe or counter inside an existing business), pick a location with young footfall, register with FSSAI, set up the equipment, and launch with Instagram, WhatsApp and Google.
Can I open a Hooba Boba branch?
Hooba Boba is not a franchise and does not sell branches. You can start your own bubble tea business with our training and startup support, or – if you run a hotel, mall, resort, hospital or corporate cafeteria – serve Hooba Boba drinks through a brand partner counter.
How much does it cost to start a bubble tea cafe?
It depends on your city, rent, shop size and equipment. Make a written cost list covering rent and deposit, interiors, equipment, first stock, licences and working capital before you decide, and take advice from your CA.
Can I open a cafe with a low budget?
Yes. A bubble tea stall or kiosk needs far less space than a full cafe, and you can also begin with event counters or a counter inside an existing shop, then grow.
What should a cafe business plan include?
Your concept, location, target customers, menu, equipment, licences, a full cost list, pricing, a marketing plan and a plan for daily operations and staff.
Do I need experience to start a bubble tea business?
No. Our training starts from the basics and you make every drink yourself at our working shop in Vellore.
Start your bubble tea shop with us
📞 Call or WhatsApp 90929 39697 for training and brand partner enquiries.
Visit our shop opposite VIT 3rd Gate, Chennai Salai, Katpadi, Vellore (open daily 11 AM – 10 PM) to taste the drinks and see a working counter. See training, partner with us or contact us.