Chinese-Canadian actor Simu Liu criticises boba brand for appropriating Asian culture

Canadian boba tea brand Bobba has issued a public apology after Marvel actor Simu Liu accused the company of cultural appropriation during an appearance on CBC’s Dragons' Den. 

Boba tea, also known as 'bubble tea,' originated in Taiwan's tea shops in the 1980s and rapidly gained popularity as a beloved beverage. Typically served in grab-and-go setups, these shops became known for their fast service. Over time, boba tea evolved into a global phenomenon, with its signature chewy tapioca pearls—known as ‘bubbles’—featured in a wide variety of creative drinks, from rose-flavored lattes to more unusual innovations like pizza toppings. Global brands like Chatime, CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice, and Gong Cha have played a key role in boba tea's meteoric rise, making it a staple across various cultures.

On the show, Bobba’s founders, Sébastien Fiset and Jess Frenette, pitched their simplified three-ingredient version of boba tea. They claimed their approach was disrupting the traditional bubble tea market by making the beverage ‘convenient and healthier’.

@cbcgem This bottled bubble tea business pitches to celebrity Dragon Simu Liu and the rest of the Dragons (��: Dragons' Den) #dragonsden #simuliu ♬ original sound - CBC Gem

However, Liu, who is Chinese-Canadian and was guest-starring as a 'dragon' or investor, voiced concerns about their pitch, particularly their attempt to 'disrupt' a drink with deeply rooted Asian cultural significance.

Liu questioned whether Bobba’s founders had anyone on their team who truly understood the cultural background of boba tea, highlighting the importance of cultural respect and awareness.

In response, Fiset stated that their ‘best partner’ was based in Taiwan, responsible for developing their recipes and the boba itself. Nevertheless, Liu’s critiques sparked a wave of social media backlash, with some viewers accusing the founders of cultural insensitivity.

After a clip of the episode went viral on TikTok and caused backlash, Bobba soon issued an apology on social media, acknowledging Liu’s points on cultural appropriation and promising to reconsider their branding and marketing strategies to better reflect boba’s Taiwanese origins and cultural context.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by BOBBA (@bobbaofficiel)

Liu also addressed the reaction, condemning the harassment and threats directed at the founders, urging fans to engage constructively rather than with hostility. He expressed gratitude for the discussion on cultural respect but discouraged any bullying or harassment.

“I want to say that I think we hit on a really important discussion about cultural appropriation, what it is, how is something exploitative rather kind of paying homage and paying respect, when is that line crossed, and in that conversation, by the way, I’ve experienced a massive wave of positivity and support from people from every community and I just think that’s really incredible and I really appreciate that,” said Liu.

“On the flip side, I’ve been made aware that the business owners have received a lot of death threats and harassment and otherwise just kind of bullying and dogpiling, and I just want to say that, full stop, it’s never okay to make threats. It’s never okay to bully and harass online.”

@simuliu

some thoughts on boba/bobba ��lets be kind to each other!

♬ original sound - Simu Liu

Another 'dragon' on the show, Manjit Minhas (co-owner of Minhas Breweries & Distillery) initially backed the Bobba brand and appeared to question Liu's concerns, agreeing to invest $1 million for an 18% stake. She noted that new takes on traditional products could be valuable. 

However, in light of the ensuing controversy, Minhas reversed her decision, stating she had reconsidered after ‘reflection and due diligence’. She added that she had faced online abuse over her investment decision and similar to Liu, reiterated that threatening messages to the entrepreneurs were unacceptable.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Manjit Minhas (@manjit.minhas)

Backlash against brands being accused of appropriating culture is not new. Dolce & Gabbana and Cadbury have both been called out in the past for co-opting traditional foods or practices without acknowledging their cultural significance.

In 2018, Dolce & Gabbana was forced to cancel its first fashion show in Shanghai after its online marketing campaign was deemed racist by Chinese social media. it was removed from Weibo within 24 hours and Chinese retailers from Lane Crawford to JD.com promptly pulled the brand from its sites. The brand issued a video apology, but the company posted an expected decline in sales in the APAC region in 2019 following the scandal.

Cadbury faced similar backlash in India in 2019 after releasing its Unity Bar to coincide with Independence Day. Designed with four chocolate varieties—dark, blended, milk, and white—the bar was intended to symbolise India’s diversity. The campaign, produced by Ogilvy, was heavily criticised on social media with many consumers seeing it as a shallow or impractical approach to addressing complex issues like colourism and racism in India.