Gong cha to Launch First U.S. Airport Bubble Tea Shop in Phoenix

The expansion arrives via a partnership with Kind Hospitality, an operator led by President and CEO Nava Singam. This move aligns with Gong cha’s broader initiative to penetrate non-traditional environments—such as transit hubs and compact retail spaces—where speed is a primary driver of customer satisfaction.

Central to this launch is the brand's 2.0 operating platform, which prioritizes throughput in footprints as small as 150 square feet. By utilizing automation that can produce drinks in under a minute, the model eliminates the need for typical kitchen infrastructure like ventilation hoods or walk-in refrigerators. According to Michael Nedelkovich, Vice President of U.S. Non-Traditional Franchise Development, the design allows the brand to maintain quality and consistency in fast-paced settings without requiring large footprints. The company is currently scouting further partnerships to replicate this model at other airports nationwide.