Gong cha, the world’s leading bubble tea brand with nearly 2,200 locations across 33 international markets, is expanding its nontraditional presence through a new Proud to Serve partnership with Ladle & Leaf at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and UC Berkeley.
The locations are now serving Gong cha’s freshly brewed, customizable beverages alongside Ladle & Leaf’s menu of scratch-made soups, salads and sandwiches. The partnership gives students, faculty, healthcare professionals and campus visitors convenient access to Gong cha while demonstrating how the brand can enter high-traffic university and healthcare environments beyond the traditional storefront.
Expanding Gong cha’s Proud to Serve Model
Gong cha’s Proud to Serve program allows established foodservice operators to add the brand’s freshly brewed teas within their existing venues, creating new points of distribution while maintaining the product quality and consistency associated with Gong cha.
The licensing model enables operators to activate an additional revenue stream with a globally recognized beverage brand using minimal equipment and a format that integrates seamlessly into their existing footprint and operations.
“The Proud to Serve program is an important part of how we are building Gong cha’s presence beyond the traditional storefront,” said Michael Nedelkovich Jr., Vice President of U.S. Non-Traditional Franchise Development at Gong cha. “UCSF and UC Berkeley are the types of high-traffic, community-driven environments where Gong cha can become part of consumers’ daily routines. Our partnership with Ladle & Leaf demonstrates the flexibility of this model and creates a blueprint for expanding into more campuses, hospitals and other nontraditional destinations nationwide.”
Guests at Ladle & Leaf’s UCSF and UC Berkeley locations can choose from a variety of Gong cha offerings, including premium milk teas, fruit teas, freshly brewed teas, matcha beverages and the brand’s signature milk foam teas. Each beverage is handcrafted and can be customized by sweetness, ice level and toppings.
Gong cha is known for sourcing premium teas from leading tea estates in Asia, brewing its teas fresh throughout the day and preparing its tapioca pearls daily. The brand’s emphasis on quality and freshness complements Ladle & Leaf’s existing focus on wholesome meals made with premium ingredients.
“Our goal has always been to provide delicious, wholesome food made with care,” said Steve Sarver, Chief Executive Officer of Ladle & Leaf. “Adding Gong Cha allows us to pair our fresh soups, salads, and sandwiches with one of the world’s leading premium bubble tea brands. We believe it’s the perfect refreshing complement to our menu.”
Creating a Blueprint for Nontraditional Growth
The openings reflect Gong cha’s broader strategy to reach consumers across more of the places where they study, work, travel and gather. Through Proud to Serve partnerships with established foodservice operators, Gong cha can expand into new venues while offering operators an established global brand with a flexible, complementary beverage platform.
The model also enables Gong cha to build awareness among new consumers and establish a repeatable pathway into similar university, healthcare and institutional environments. Alongside its expanding presence on campuses, Gong cha is pursuing additional opportunities across hospitals, airports, restaurants and other high-traffic destinations.
Supporting Gong cha’s Broader U.S. Expansion
Nontraditional development complements Gong cha’s continued franchise growth as the brand works toward surpassing 500 locations across the Americas by 2028.
Ranked #1 in the Tea category on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list for five consecutive years, Gong cha operates more than 240 locations across 24 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, and continues to seek experienced multi-unit operators to support its expansion across existing and emerging markets.
The brand’s modernized operating model, including its Gong cha 2.0 platform, is designed to support higher throughput, streamlined operations, and improved franchisee performance through digital ordering, automation, and optimized store design.
For more information on franchising with Gong cha, visit https://gongchausa.com/franchise-opportunities/.
