If you were one of the many people who lined up for an hour on MACU Tea’s final day in Richmond last month, there is some news that might soften the blow.
A new independent fruit tea brand called Alfa Tea Concept is taking over all three former MACU Tea locations across Metro Vancouver.
I suppose you can call it a dupe.
The closure of MACU Tea hit hard for a lot of people in the city.
It was one of the most popular fresh fruit tea spots around, and the announcement that all three locations were shutting down left many fans scrambling for one last drink.
There has been no shortage of speculation about why MACU Tea closed, with rumours swirling about internal conflicts with the main license owners, financial issues, and more.
But while those questions remain unanswered, the physical spaces are already moving on.
The signs at the former MACU Tea units have already been swapped out to Alfa Tea, and the Burnaby location is well ahead in renovations.
Alfa Tea shared with Noms Magazine that they are a tea brand focused on fresh fruit and high-quality tea-based drinks, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients and clean, balanced flavours.
Their menu will include fruit teas, milk teas, seasonal fruit smoothies, and ceremonial Japanese matcha sourced from Shizuoka, Japan.
They are launching with four locations in total: Burnaby, Richmond, Lougheed, and Downtown on Robson Street.
The Burnaby location will be the first to open, with the team saying it should be ready within the next two weeks.
We took a peek at the Richmond location, and that still needs about a month or two of renovation work before it is ready.
The team shared that the Downtown Robson location will serve as the flagship, introducing a new concept they are calling “Day Tea, Night Bar,” which promises a completely different experience from day to night.
For anyone who loved MACU Tea’s popular mango drinks, Alfa Tea confirmed they will also be carrying mango beverages and will be fully stocked as we head into mango season.
So those long lines during summer aren’t going away.
Similar to Macu Tea, the seasonal menu rotates throughout the year, with a Mango Series running from March to September, a Strawberry Series from February to December, and other rotating lineups including Avocado, Kyoho Grape, and Shine Muscat Grape.
Whether it tastes similar to Macu Tea – or better – will be the big question.
Alfa Tea now joins other upcoming food spots in Metro Vancouver like Meros, Captain’s Boil Gilmore, and Lucy’s.
For more new and upcoming food spots in Metro Vancouver, take a peek at our tracker here, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Address:
-8368 Capstan Wy Unit1316, Richmond, BC V6X 4B6
-1331 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6E 2B1
-4429 Kingsway #6, Burnaby, BC V5H 2A1