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Lollicup Coffee & Tea facts for kids
Lollicup Coffee & Tea, also known as Lollicup Fresh, is a popular chain of shops that started in Chino, California. It was founded in 2000 by Alan Yu and Marvin Cheng. Lollicup is famous for its yummy bubble tea and coffee. The company also makes many ingredients for drinks, like tea leaves, drink powders, and syrups. They even supply most of the boba pearls used in the United States! Lollicup also has a part of their company called Karat. Karat makes disposable cups for other businesses.
Contents
The Story of Lollicup
How Lollicup Started
In the 1990s, bubble tea became very popular in Taiwan. Alan Yu, one of the founders of Lollicup, wanted to bring this fun drink to North America. The very first Lollicup shop opened in San Gabriel, California, in 2000. At that time, there were not many boba tea shops in the United States. People quickly loved Lollicup, and its popularity spread by word of mouth.
Growing Across the Country
Because it was so popular, five more Lollicup locations opened within just three months! By 2015, the company had opened more than 70 new franchise stores in only three years. A franchise means that other people can open a store using the Lollicup name and ideas.
For a while, Lollicup had a special program. It let people open their own Lollicup stores without paying a regular fee. By 2004, over 150 stores had opened across the country. However, because there were so many different owners, the quality of the drinks and service was not always the same. So, Lollicup decided to stop this program.
In 2014, Lollicup opened a very large factory in Chino, California. This factory helps them make and send out all their products. Lollicup USA, Inc. has even been recognized as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America!
Where to Find Lollicup Stores
Locations in the US and China
As of November 2013, there were 38 Lollicup stores open in the United States and China. Most of these stores, 36 of them, are in the United States.
Lollicup opened its first international store in Chengdu, China, in 2012. This was a big step for the company! Many of the newer Lollicup stores have a modern and cool design. They often have digital menu boards and screens that show special promotions.