Australian farmers are aiming to seize the opportunity presented by the booming Asian bubble tea market. The popular drink, known as bubble tea, boba, or pearl milk tea, has its origins in Taiwan and has gained widespread popularity worldwide since the 1980s. However, concerns have been raised about the high sugar content in traditional bubble tea, which can contribute to health issues such as diabetes, obesity, and poor dental health.
In response to these concerns, researchers from the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) have developed a healthier version of bubble tea by incorporating oat-derived beta-glucan, a soluble fiber, into the drink. By blending this fiber with tapioca, the sugar content in the tea is reduced without altering its flavor profile. This innovation not only offers a healthier alternative for consumers but also opens up new opportunities for Australian oat producers to enter the lucrative bubble tea market.
Mr. Jack King, the barley and oat quality program manager at AEGIC, expressed optimism about the potential of oat-based products in the market. The success of creating oat-based alternatives such as noodles and rice products has laid the foundation for exploring oat-infused bubble tea. With the global bubble tea market valued at over $4 billion and the Australian market expected to surpass $90 million by 2023, the introduction of oat-based bubble tea could provide a significant boost to Australia's cereal producers.
The initiative to introduce oat-based bubble tea is welcomed by cereal growers like Nick Panizza, who sees it as a promising opportunity to strengthen and stabilize the smaller oat market. As projections indicate consistent growth in the bubble tea market, farmers like Panizza believe that embracing oat-based products could bring more stability and growth to the oat industry. This innovative approach not only addresses health concerns associated with traditional bubble tea but also presents a promising avenue for Australian farmers to tap into the lucrative Asian market.