Vegan Bubble Tea – Boba Without Animal Ingredients
Vegan bubble tea – everything without animal ingredients
The good news first: bubble tea can almost always be made vegan. The critical point is not the pearl but what you pour on top – condensed milk, milk powder or honey in the syrup. When you mix it yourself, that is entirely in your hands. In this collection you will find every vegan ingredient in our range: fruit pearls, tapioca pearls, powders and loose leaf tea. Shipped from Basel across Switzerland.
Are popping boba vegan?
Yes. Our fruit pearls are made by a family-run manufacturer in Brittany and consist of fruit juice, sugar and a shell of alginate – a gelling agent from brown seaweed. No gelatine, no milk, no animal colourings. According to the manufacturer all varieties are 100% vegan and gluten-free, from mango and lychee through raspberry and passion fruit to salted caramel. They come in the 240 g jar for home use and in the 1.5 kg pack, which you will also find in our bulk packs for catering.
Are tapioca pearls vegan?
Also yes. Tapioca pearls are made from tapioca starch, which comes from the cassava root. They are naturally vegan and gluten-free. They are cooked in water and steeped in sugar syrup – nothing animal about that either. It is only with ready-made bubble teas that it is worth asking, because sweetened condensed milk is often used there.
A vegan base: tea, powders and plant drinks
Pure tea is a plant infusion and therefore vegan. In our loose leaf tea collection you will find green tea, black tea and mate, all of which work as a bubble tea base. Among the powders, organic matcha, the purple ube powder from the yam root and the cocoa plant protein are purely plant-based. Instead of cow's milk, use oat, soy, almond or coconut drink – oat froths best, coconut suits tropical flavours such as mango or piña colada. One thing to note: with flavoured blends that mention milk, cream or caramel notes, it is always worth checking the ingredient list on the product page.
Recipe ideas and related collections
Concrete instructions for vegan milk tea, matcha latte and fruit tea are on our bubble tea recipes page. If you also watch your sugar intake, bubble tea without sugar will help. And as a vegan gift idea, the kits in bubble tea gifts work well – each set lists what is inside.
Frequently asked questions
Is bubble tea vegan? The core ingredients are: tea, tapioca pearls and popping boba contain no animal components. Bubble tea usually only becomes non-vegan through condensed milk, milk powder or honey. With a plant drink it stays vegan.
Do popping boba contain gelatine? No. The shell of our fruit pearls is made of alginate, a gelling agent derived from brown seaweed. No gelatine is used.
Which plant milk works best for bubble tea? Oat drink is the most versatile and froths well. Coconut drink suits tropical flavours, and soy drink delivers the most protein and a creamy texture.
Are tapioca pearls gluten-free as well? Yes. Tapioca starch comes from the cassava root and naturally contains no gluten. The same applies to our fruit pearls.
