A Different Competitive Arena Since 2001 (2/18)

The battlefield has changed over the years, with different challengers coming to and leaving Singapore. When the drink first became a phenomenal hit in 2001, the major chains included Cool Station, Quickly and Milk Girl Ice Cup. Perhaps the more memorable ones from the late 90s were Each-a-Cup and Sweet Talk, both of which still remain in town today. Even hawker centres started selling the drink, and because of the huge competition and price wars, the bubble burst among many customers by 2003. Still, many outlets persisted, and a decade after it first became immensely popular, the bubble floated back to the surface in 2011. There were 500 outlets retailing the chilled drink, including newer brands like Gong Cha and Koi. As of 2019, the arena is flooded with dozens of brands from Taiwan, China, Thailand and Korea. If you can recognize the above logos, chances are you have already tried a cuppa!