Abdulwahab Ilyas Galadari (centre) and Bryan Loo (right) signing the Tealive UAE master franchise agreement | Photo credit: Tealive

Malaysian bubble tea chain Tealive has signed a master franchise agreement with Dubai-based Eureka Restaurant & Café to launch in the UAE. 
 

Tealive, owned by food and beverage group Loob Holding, will open a flagship store in Dubai in early 2025 before adding a further four sites across other major UAE cities before the end of 2025. 

In a press release, Tealive said the UAE market could also be a ‘stepping stone’ for further expansion across the Middle East, where the chain has identified a ‘growing thirst for bubble tea and lifestyle beverages’. 

“The UAE is an exciting market with a dynamic food and beverage landscape, and we are thrilled to introduce Tealive to this region. Partnering with Eureka is key to bringing our Tealive experience to the UAE, blending our innovative offerings with the local culture. We are confident this partnership will be the stepping stone to a successful Middle Eastern expansion,” said Bryan Loo, CEO, Loob Holding. 

Founded in 2017, Selangor-based Tealive now operates more than 1,000 stores across six East Asian markets, alongside international sites in Mauritius and Canada, where the bubble tea chain debuted in July and November 2022. 

Tealive’s master franchise agreement comes three months after Taiwanese bubble tea chain Gong cha made its Middle East debut with a store in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Gong cha is seeking to open more than 300 outlets across the Middle East region in partnership with master franchisee Shahia Foods. 

Founded in 2010, Dubai-based Eureka Restaurant & Cafe is led by Abdulwahab Ilyas Galadari, part of the Galadari Brothers Group. Alongside food & beverage brands, the group also has interests in technology, trading, commodities and investments.