2024 Year in Review with Better Boba

2024 was a year of exciting milestones for better boba! From winning a FedEx Small Business Grant to expanding our wholesale partnerships, we’ve experienced significant growth and achievements. Our journey is a testament to the incredible support we’ve received from our loyal community, which has been crucial to our success. As a small but mighty business, we rely on the dedication of our customers and partners to help us thrive. We are excited to see more demand in the marketplace for all-natural products, like our vegan/gluten-free/non-GMO/kosher boba pearls!

Let’s review the highlights:

Featured Boba at The Republic of Tea

Our all-natural classic pearls are the featured boba at The Republic of Tea, one of the largest national premium tea retailers. Similar to better boba, they use non-GMO ingredients and support ethical sourcing practices. 

250+ Wholesale Accounts

WIth your support, we now serve over 250 wholesale accounts. These partnerships span across various sectors, including cafes, restaurants, and retailers, allowing us to bring our premium boba pearls to a broader audience. 

Recipient of the 2024 FedEx Small Business Grants Program

Ten US-based businesses were selected from 3900+ applications, and we were honored to be recognized for our innovation, passion, and social responsibility.

Semi-Finalist in the Whole Foods Leap Program

Our commitment to quality and innovation was recognized when we were selected as a Semi-Finalist in the Whole Foods Leap Program, a competitive initiative aimed at discovering the next generation of emerging food brands. 

Introduced Three New Flavors of All-Natural Pearls

Innovation is at the heart of our journey at better boba. This year, we introduced three NEW flavors of all-natural boba: strawberry, mango, and ube! 

“Top 15” Boba Brand on Amazon

Our all-natural pearls have gained significant traction on Amazon, where we are now a “Top 15” boba brand. This recognition is a reflection of consumers requesting healthier options in the marketplace and the increasing popularity of boba tea in the United States.

Successfully Planted and Grew Cassava in Our Greenhouses

It’s not just about sourcing better ingredients; it’s also about growing better ingredients! Together with local farmers, we planted cassava in greenhouses adjacent to our production facility near Salem, Oregon. This testing allows us to explore the viability of growing cassava in the region’s unique climate. While we are not yet growing it for full production, this early-stage experimentation is crucial to understanding how the crop can thrive in Oregon’s environment. 

Launched at Market of Choice, a Chain of Premium Oregon Grocery Stores

Our all-natural classic pearls have officially launched at Market of Choice, a beloved chain of premium grocery stores in Oregon. This expansion into a new retail market is an exciting development in our journey, as it brings our product to the shelves of high-end grocery stores. Find our pearls in the tea aisles at the Belmont, West Linn, and Cedar Mill locations. 

We’re so grateful for your support in our journey to create a better boba. Your belief in the benefits of all-natural boba fuels everything we do, and it’s because of this amazing communiTEA that we’re able to thrive—one pearl at a time. Cheers to 2025!