KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 — A Canada-based bubble tea company has come under fire online for cultural appropriation after an appearance on the show Dragons’ Den.
Also targeted is ‘dragon’ Minhas Breweries & Distillery creator Manjit Minhas, who serves on the panel of the show as one of the investors of the reality TV show similar to the British production that originated from the original Japanese series.
And at the center of it is Canadian actor Simu Liu, 35, who served as a guest ‘dragon’ on the popular Canadian reality series this week.
It all began when the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings star, was less than amused by a bottled ready-to-drink boba beverage from a Caucasian couple who claimed they made the drink of Asian origin “better”.
Liu accused the pair of taking ”something that’s very distinctly Asian in its identity” and failed to include where it came from in the pitch and criticised the duo for “profiting off of something so dear to his cultural heritage.”
The entrepreneurs from Quebec had sought C$1 million (RM3.11 million) for an 18 percent stake in their drink company — not so creatively named, Bobba.
Initial reservations about the product escalated to concern from Liu when Jessica began the pitch with, “You know that trendy sugary drink you are queueing up for, but you’re not quite sure about its content?”
“Those days are over with Bobba. We have transformed this beloved beverage into a convenient and healthier, ready-to-drink experience,” claimed Sebastien, explaining that their version of bubble tea was made up of “three simple ingredients,” including “high quality tea, fruit juice, and the famous popping boba.”
The beverage which comes in watermelon, dragon fruit, and peach, and retails for about C$3.99 (RM12.43) at “major grocers across Canada, the US, and Europe.”
Liu, who was born in China had explained to another ‘dragon’ that, “People have tried to bottle it up [in the past] but it’s very difficult to maintain the flavor. ”
Unamused he noted that, “There’s an issue of cultural appropriation here. There’s an issue of taking something that’s very distinctly Asian in its identity and quote ‘making it better’.
“I thought [the taste] was fine, but I’m concerned about this idea of disturbing bubble tea because it’s something that’s very near [to my heart].”
Bubble tea — a beverage that contains tapioca balls called boba — originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s, has been a global phenomenon, and is closely associated to Asian culture.
If the trainwreck of a presentation wasn’t bad enough, Sebastien hit back at Liu saying that the product had become so beloved all around the world that it’s not “ethnical” anymore.
He revealed that the brand had made C$2.2 million (RM6.86 million) in sales in the first year, followed by C$4.6 million (RM14.33 million) in its second year, and were set to make C$7 million (RM21.81 million) this year and C$14 million (RM43.63 million) next year.
“Clearly you’re doing very well. But what respect is being paid to this very Asian drink that has blown up around the world?
“And is it in your teas, your product development? Who is on your staff, who is on your cap table that is providing that for you?”
The confusing answer that followed had Liu seething as Sebastien said a partner in Taiwan “makes the recipes and the boba” to which Liu pointed out that there was nothing on the can that told customers where it came from.
“I started my venture company for many reasons, but primarily to uplift minority entrepreneurs.
“Not only do I feel like this is not happening here, but I would be uplifting a business that is profiting off of something that feels so dear to my cultural heritage.
“I want to be a part of bringing boba to the masses, but not like this,” he finished rejecting the pitch.
In the end, Jessica and Sebastien accepted Manjit’s offer of C$1 million (RM3.11 million)for 18 percent.
Manjit herself has come under fire for being tone-deaf, despite being a person of colour.
“It doesn’t mean that they don’t have the opportunity to change and [start promoting boba’s Asian connection],” she fired back at Liu during his questioning of the pitch.
“They didn’t say no. If nobody else has told them that before, you can’t put that all on them.”
Bobba, Jessica and Sebastien as well have Manjit have come under fire on all social media platforms with Bobba and Manjit limiting comments on posts on Instagram as well as blocking negative comments.
Dragon’s Den Canada’s official TikTok meanwhile posted a statement from Liu, further upsetting many, with nothing said by the production itself or Manjit.
Liu has since come out on his personal TikTok calling for a stop the bullying and harassment against the company on TikTok despite agreeing that the business owners deserved criticism and that everyone was right to be vocal about their disagreement.
