Planning for Multi-Location Bubble Tea Business Growth. From One Store to Many

Opening your first bubble tea shop is a huge achievement. But what comes next? If your first store is running smoothly, you may be wondering whether it’s time to grow. Expansion can be exciting, but scaling from one location to two or more brings a completely new set of challenges.

This guide is designed to support bubble tea shop owners who are ready to take that next step. It outlines the planning, structure and practical steps needed to scale your business successfully. With the right approach, growth doesn’t have to mean losing quality or control.

Deciding When You're Ready to Expand

Not every busy shop is ready to open a second one. Expansion should come from a place of stability, not stress. Before taking the leap, consider whether your first location has reached a point where it can operate reliably without your constant presence.

Some key signs of readiness include:

Consistent monthly profitability,
A reliable and trained team in place,
A strong local customer base that returns regularly and
Processes that don’t rely on one person to run smoothly.

You also need systems that can be repeated. If success so far has relied heavily on your personal involvement or energy, that’s not something you can replicate at scale. Before you grow, make sure your business is running on structure, not just instinct.

Clarify Your Growth Model

There’s more than one way to grow a bubble tea brand. It’s important to decide which model best suits your goals, your resources and your appetite for complexity. Some of the common options include:

Opening a second location yourself: Full control but higher risk and investment.
Taking on a partner or investor: Speeds up growth but may mean shared decisions.
Licensing your brand: Other operators use your brand under agreed terms.
Franchising: Offers rapid expansion but requires strong systems and legal setup.

Each option comes with its own trade-offs in terms of control, cost and consistency. Be honest about your long-term ambitions and choose a model that allows you to grow at a pace you can manage.

Standardise Operations for Replication

Growth is easier when your operations are clearly defined. If you can’t explain how your shop runs, you can’t expect someone else to run it the same way.

Start documenting your key processes now:

How drinks are prepared and presented,
Customer service standards and routines,
Training guides for new staff and
Stock ordering and supplier coordination.

Use tools like staff playbooks, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and even training videos. These will help new team members understand your expectations and maintain consistency across all locations. The more you can standardise, the easier it becomes to hand over day-to-day responsibilities.

Build a Scalable Supply Chain

Managing ingredients and stock across more than one shop is a big shift. What once worked on a small scale may no longer be efficient or cost-effective.

A reliable, flexible supply chain is essential. You’ll need:

Regular deliveries that align with each store’s needs,
Bulk pricing or consolidated orders to save on costs and
Stock tracking tools to avoid over-ordering or shortages.

This is where working with a supplier like Taipec can help. We support growing bubble tea businesses with scalable product supply, helping you manage stock across multiple sites with ease. Whether it’s a second shop or your fifth, we can help you grow with confidence.

Staffing Strategy and Leadership Development

A second location means you can’t be everywhere at once. That’s why having the right people in the right roles becomes even more important.

Start by identifying team members with leadership potential. These could be existing staff who understand your standards and culture, or new hires with proven management experience. Train them to lead, not just manage.

Consider:

Leadership development programmes or mentoring,
Performance tracking systems across locations and
Tools for staff communication and shift scheduling.

Strong local managers free you up to focus on the business, not just the day-to-day running of a single shop.

Location Planning and Market Research

Choosing the right site for your next store is critical. Success in one neighbourhood doesn’t guarantee it in another, so take the time to do proper research.

Evaluate:

Footfall and visibility,
Local demographics and spending habits,
The competitive landscape (including other bubble tea shops),
Delivery radius and potential for digital orders and
Community events and partnership opportunities.

Always visit potential sites in person. Speak to nearby business owners and observe traffic patterns at different times of day. A good location will serve your brand and your business, not just your budget.

Brand Consistency and Customer Experience

As you expand, your brand must stay clear and consistent. Customers visiting a new location should have the same positive impression they got from your original store.

Key elements to keep aligned:

Logo, signage and store design,
Uniforms and packaging,
Menu layout and product names and
Tone of voice on social media and in-store.

At the same time, allow room to adapt to local preferences. A suburban location may have different peak times or customer needs than a city centre shop. Flexibility is fine, but don’t lose sight of what makes your brand recognisable and trusted.

Monitor, Learn and Refine

Even with all the best planning, not every location will perform the same way. That’s why it’s important to track performance individually and review it regularly.

Set up monthly or quarterly reviews for:

Profit and loss by store,
Inventory usage and wastage,
Customer feedback and reviews and
Staff performance and turnover.

Look for patterns, but also be open to local variation. A slower start doesn’t mean failure. With the right adjustments, many locations find their footing over time. Use what you learn in one store to improve the others.

Ready to Grow? Taipec Can Help

Expanding your bubble tea business is a big step, but it’s one you don’t have to take alone. As a reputable bubble tea supplier, Taipec work with businesses across the UK to support smart, sustainable growth. From product sourcing to supply chain support, we help brands scale without sacrificing quality.

Planning your next location? Speak to Taipec about supply partnerships and business support for growing bubble tea brands. With the right systems and support, your next store could be the start of something even bigger.