Vending

Bobacino to launch automated tea bar

Bobacino automated tea bar (photo provided).

November 17, 2020

Boba tea startup, Bobacino is using AI, automation and robotics to bring boba tea to the market, which should hit $8.4 billion by 2024, according to a company press release.

Bobacino, which is hoping to raise $3 million on the equity crowdfunding platform, StartEngine, is a fully automated boba tea bar offering multiple flavor options, as well as fresh and organic ingredients in a standalone machine. So while many QSRs have cut back menu item offerings to stay profitable amid the industry-threatening pandemic, the tea bar strives to provide more options, the company said. The system also eliminates some of the safety and hygiene concerns of human-operated tea bars, like social distancing and long drive-thru lines.

The global boba tea market is currently worth over $5.3 billion, with the Tea Association of the U.S.A. reporting that 87% of American millennials drink tea. Additionally, a recent study on delivery orders found that brown sugar milk (bubble tea) was among the most ordered food items in the U.S. in 2019, growing 281% from the previous year.

"We are seeing robots and automation offer a path for operators facing pandemic challenges and the ordering concerns customers have today," Darian Ahler, CEO of Bobacino, said in the release. "Through Bobacino's fully automated boba tea bar, consumers are able to enjoy a beverage prepared by an entirely touchless and AI-powered robot — minimizing exposure to pathogens, while providing them with a drink designed to taste the way they want it to taste.

"Bringing a beloved beverage together with robotics is truly exciting. We want to make boba more accessible to those who regularly enjoy the boba experience and open the door for more consumers to give boba a try, without concerns of contamination."

Bobacino is backed by lead investors Wavemaker Partners, a global venture capital fund with $400 million assets under management, and Wavemaker Labs, an automation-focused venture studio, and Embark Ventures, a venture capital firm in Los Angeles with a strong focus on AI and Robotics. The company features a seasoned team of robotics and food experts made up of executives and founders from Miso Robotics, SpaceX and Microsoft.

The company is targeting $3 million for its seed capital raise.