Which Boba Cup is Best Suited for Bubble Tea Shops?

This complete guide covers all boba tea cup options and compares their advantages and disadvantages to help you pick the right one for your business.
 

A boba cup is more than a packaging solution. It’s a reflection of your brand, your drink quality, and your customer experience. With options ranging from transparent plastic to eco-friendly paper, the selection process can become confusing. 
In this article, we highlight different boba cup options and break down the strengths of each type.

What Makes Bubble Tea Cups Special?

Boba tea containers are part of the drinking experience. They strike a delicate balance between design and functionality.
Here are four reasons that make bubble tea cups special.

1. Transparency

Transparency is a non-negotiable element of boba cups. Customers should be able to see those beautiful tapioca pearls in their tea. Many boba shops utilize this transparency to their advantage. 
Whether it's blueberry, matcha, or caramel syrup, shop owners often don't mix the bubble tea. That’s how you get an aesthetic layered presentation of flavours. Tapioca balls rest at the bottom, milk tea sits in the middle, and colorful flavoring floats on top. 

2. Insulation

Insulation is also a very important part of the boba drinking experience. Whether you serve the boba cold or hot, customers need to be able to hold the cups in their hands. 
A good bubble tea cup should have decent thermal insulation. Alternatively, you can use a coffee cup sleeve. It's a two-inch ring of paper that covers the outside of the buba cup.

3. Watertight Seal

Almost every boba drink bought is a takeaway. Whether you’re buying it in the streets of Hong Kong or in a nice cafe in the States, boba is best enjoyed while walking around. This means your boba cups should have a good leak-proof seal. 
Bubble tea shops can choose between two types of seals. 
1) A plastic lid to cover the plastic boba cup. The cup has a small cutout for the boba straw.
2) A thin sheet of plastic is heat-sealed to the cup. Then just punch the straw through the seal. 
While both options are equally capable, heat seals are more effective and less costly in the long run. 

4. Handleability

As a portable drink, your boba cups need an ergonomic shape. If it's too wide, it will be hard for customers to carry. If it's too tall, it will be top-heavy and won't sit upright on a table. 
A simple solution is to use a conical boba cup design that is narrow at the bottom so it's easy to hold. The top is wider, so there is more internal volume for large servings.
Similarly, your boba cup lids should firmly hold the straw so it doesn't move around too much.

5 Types of Disposable Boba Cups

Most disposable boba cups are made from PET or PP plastic. But that isn't your only option. Here are five boba cup options that you should consider.

1. PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)

PET plastic is one of the most popular disposable containers for beverages. It’s clear, sturdy, food-safe, and completely recyclable. PET is slightly more expensive than other boba cup options.
It has a low resistance to heat. So, hot drinks are out of the question. You also can't and instead rely on traditional press-fit plastic lids.

Table 1 - Comparing the pros and cons of PET-based boba cups.

2. PP (Polypropylene)

Polypropylene seems similar to PET, but chemically it's a completely different material. PP is a heat-resistant material ideal for hot and cold drinks. It gives bubble tea shops a lot of flexibility. The same cups can be used for different beverages.
It’s less recyclable than PET, so many eco-conscious brands may avoid it. However, it's still one of the best-performing and most affordable boba cups.

Table 2 - Comparing the pros and cons of PP-based boba cups.

3. PS (Polystyrene)

Polystyrene is an opaque plastic foam with excellent heat resistance. It has a thicker construction with lots of air gaps that maintains the drink's temperature. Polystyrene is by far the most affordable material for boba cups. 
However, price isn't everything. It’s generally a less durable material. While polystyrene is a good insulator, it melts quickly when exposed to a heat-sealing machine. It’s also more difficult to recycle.
PS boba cups are only recommended for short-term savings. The opaque design is less popular with customers and hurts your brand.

Table 3 - Comparing the pros and cons of PS-based boba cups.

4. Paper Cups

Paper cups are a tried and true solution for beverages. They are strong, heat-resistant, and biodegradable. As more and more brands shift away from single-use plastic, paper is gaining popularity as an eco-friendly alternative.
The biggest drawback of paper cups is opacity. Boba tea is a visual drink. In the age of social media, everyone wants to post pictures of aesthetically pleasing boba cups. So, a flat paper cup might not fit your boba brand aesthetic. 
However, paper cups are incredibly customizable. Unlike plastic, you can print full-color designs and patterns on paper cups. So if you can position your bubble tea shop as a green business, the paper cups can become a competitive advantage.  

Table 4 - Comparing the pros and cons of paper boba cups.

5. Bagasse Cups

Plastic pollution is a growing concern for many consumers. To address this ongoing issue, several eco-friendly materials have popped up to replace single-use plastics. 
Out of the many proposed solutions, bagasse has quickly become the go-to material for disposable cups, bowls, and other tableware.
Bagasse is a byproduct of the sugar refining process. It's an all-natural material that would otherwise go to waste. The best part of bagasse is that it's compostable. Meaning you don't need to recycle this material, it naturally decomposes into a nutrient-rich fertilizer.
Unfortunately, it results in an opaque boba cup, which does hurt your beverage presentation. However, the environmental benefits are well worth the trade-off.
You can also pair your compostable boba cups with some eco-friendly bamboo straws. 

Table 5 - Comparing the pros and cons of bagasse-based boba cups.

Using Bubble Tea Cups for Other Beverages

Versatility is a core element of a good beverage container. Bubble tea cups are designed to hold liquids and tapioca balls. So their design can be easily adapted to other hot and cold drinks.
1) Slushies & Smoothies - Transparent boba cups are great for showing off colorful slushies or fruit smoothies.
2) Milkshake & Dessert Drinks - The wider boba straws are great for thick creamy drinks like milkshakes.
3) Iced Coffee & Frappes - Iced coffee drinks, especially frappes and lattes, are visual delights. A transparent boba cup shows off the coffee color and its various toppings.
4) Fresh Juice & Soda - Fresh-squeezed juices and colorful sodas look great in a tall bubble tea cup.
5) Hot Tea & Coffee - Boba cups have good thermal insulation, making them a great choice for hot drinks. Although you should avoid PET and PS plastic cups for hot beverages.

 

7 Factors to Consider When Selecting Boba Cups

Boba cups are fun, practical, and versatile. With so many material options and designs, choosing the right one for your business can be challenging.
Here are seven factors to consider when choosing a boba cup.

1. Durability

Durability should be your number one priority. A filled boba cup should feel sturdy and retain its shape. It shouldn't bulge or buckle when pressed from the sides. Additionally, the lid should form a tight, leak-proof seal to prevent spills.
 

2. Straws

Boba cup straws should be 8mm-12mm in diameter. So the tapioca pearls don’t get stuck in the straw. Straws are one of the biggest contributors to plastic pollution. So, we recommend switching to a paper or bamboo boba straw.
 

3. Lids

Lids allow you to fill the boba cup to the brim, giving customers more bang for their buck. There are three lid options for boba cups.
1) Sealing Film - Heated and pressed onto the boba cup.
2) Dome Lids - Useful when adding whipped cream, foam, and toppings.
3) Flat Lids - Low-cost and easy-to-use boba cup lids. 
It should be noted that your choice of lid will also affect your banding options. Flat and dome lids are standard plastic caps that are not customizable. By comparison, a sealing film offers flexibility. You can print your logos, designs, and other information on top. 

4. Sleeves

Sleeves are generally recommended for hot beverages. They insulate the customer's hands from the hot drink and provide extra space for branding. An affordable option is to use a generic beverage cup and use a custom-branded sleeve. 

5. Sustainability

Eco-friendly materials help your business stand out from the competition. Paper and biodegradable plastic (PLA) are the two most popular options.
However, bagasse (sugarcane fiber) is the most environmentally friendly. Of course, you should pair your eco-friendly boba cup with an equally eco-friendly paper or bamboo straw. 
Alternatively, you can use recyclable or recycled plastic. It’s a great way to have the best of both worlds. It reduces your business’s reliance on single-use plastics and retains all of the benefits of clear plastic cups. 

6. Serving Size

You can sell a beverage in any size you want. However, the boba industry has some standard cup sizes. 
12 oz - Small
16 oz - Medium
20 oz - Large 
24 oz - Extra Large
The more size options you offer, the more complex your packaging process will become. Less variety means more control for the kitchen team. It also means fewer cup variations to order, store, and manage. 
We recommend new bubble tea businesses stick to two standard cup sizes and make up for the variety with boba flavours and toppings. 

7. Cost

Bubble tea shops are low-margin businesses. Meaning you can’t always afford an expensive beverage cup. Small businesses should continue using disposable cups that balance sustainability and cost to avoid additional fines and waste disposal expenses.
However, as your business grows and you sell more boba teas per day, shifting to a more premium material is recommended.

 

3 Ways to Customize Your Bubble Tea Supplies

Customization is a great way to elevate your brand, attract new customers, and make your bubble tea business stand out. With a few simple changes, you can transform a basic boba cup design into something unique and fun. 
 

1. Shape & Design

Play around with the boba cup design. You can change the shape of your small and large servings to be different from your competitors.
For small servings, go for a rounded cup design that emphasizes cuteness. For larger servings, be bold and offer an extra-tall cup. Everyone loves boba tea, and if you have an XL serving, it will help attract more customers. 
You can pair your boba cups with spiral straws to stand out from the competition. 
 

2. Color & Branding

Branding is very important with boba. Customers roam around a shopping district with a boba cup in hand. That is a valuable marketing opportunity for your business. Use unique colors and designs to make your boba cups memorable.
You can also add taglines, fun quotes, and patterns to make your cups photogenic.
 

3. Serving Size

Standard bubble tea servings range from 12 oz to 24 oz. While these are great sizes, you can offer an XL or XS serving to catch customer attention. Offer 8-10 oz kids cups and pair them with your other menu items. Or go all out with a signature extra-large 30 oz. cup for those hardcore boba fans.
The idea of large serving sizes is to portray yourself as a better value for your customers. In the age of social media, a bubble tea shop with a giant serving is bound to give your business a boost.

Conclusion

There is a lot more to boba cups than size and design. Your choice of packaging materials, cup lid, customization option, and branding affects your brand’s perception. Clear plastic cups are generally the best option for bubble tea. However, their environmental impact is also concerning. Use the various tips and tricks shared in this article to inform your next boba packaging decision. 

Buy High-Quality Bubble Tea Cups from Ancheng!

Ancheng is a leader in the sustainable disposable tableware industry. We specialize in eco-friendly bamboo, wood, and bagasse-based tableware and cutlery. We pride ourselves on the top-notch quality of our products. You are welcome to review our certifications and visit our factory to observe the detailed production process. Our MOQ ranges from 20,000 to 1,000,000 units and can be adjusted based on your order.
Get fully compostable boba cups and straws at market-competitive prices. Contact us now!