Tapioca (bubble tea) exports decrease to 36% in 2020

Tapioca, also known as bubble tea’s raw material boba, originated from Taiwan in the 1990s and became popular worldwide in the recent years. Taiwan is the largest Tapioca exporting country with the export value reaching 102 Million USD in 2019, and drastic decrease of -36% in 2020 at 65 Million USD. The top three destinations of Taiwan’s tapioca are the United States, Japan, and South Korea, with yoy growth of 21%, -68% and -9% respectively. The US market remains strong amid the pandemic.

The tapioca is in raw form and has to be cooked before serving to consumers. As retail store closed due to the pandemic, the demand decreased drastically. The manufacturer of tapioca in Taiwan has developed ready-to-eat packs for retail consumers in the late 2020, and are now available in retail stores or e-commerce platforms.