Food is a medium that brings people from diverse backgrounds together, yet it can also be a battleground for issues like authenticity and cultural appropriation.
Recently, Bobba, a Canadian popping boba company, appeared on an entrepreneurial show hoping to secure $1 million in investments for their business. Their take on the popping boba drink caught the attention of many—but not for the right reasons.
Viewers criticized Bobba for describing their version of boba as “cleaner” and “not ethnic,” implying that traditional boba has peculiar contents that need to be “healthified” to appeal to the Western market.
Food carries memories, culture and a representation of who we are.
Villainizing boba for being “foreign” is harmful, especially when Asian cuisines are already viewed with skepticism due to their unfamiliar ingredients. Not everything has to be made healthier or “better”; such attempts strip away the unique flavor and history of a dish.
Take, for example, the recent popularity of turmeric as a health superfood, which led to the “invention” of the so-called “golden latte,” a drink made from turmeric and milk.
However, this same drink, “haldi doodh,” has existed for thousands of years in India as a medicinal remedy. Rebranding “haldi doodh” as a trendy latte erases its rich cultural history, reducing it to just another food fad.
It’s easy to borrow the most appealing parts of other cultures to make foreign elements more palatable. Yet when food is disconnected from its roots, it erases the significance of the original communities behind it.
Finally, foods should not be seen as mere trends to capitalize on. When asked about their inspiration for Bobba, the founders stated, “I was looking at the data and popping boba was rising everywhere… so I was like, ‘I need to come out with something.’”
This response reveals that their product was not born out of genuine love or appreciation for the Taiwanese drink; rather, it was seen as a quick opportunity for profit.
With the global boba market valued at nearly $2.5 billion, it’s no surprise that Bobba sought to jump on the bandwagon and profit from the drink’s success.
However, by using insensitive marketing and prioritizing profits, their approach misrepresents what boba truly is and leaves a bad taste in consumers’ mouths.
While trying ethnic foods can bring people from around the world closer, it’s essential to be respectful of the cultures they originate from.
Learning the history behind a dish, giving proper credit to its origin and supporting authentic local restaurants are all ways to celebrate international foods with respect.