Vancouver’s bubble tea scene has been seeing a lot changes recently.
For instance last year we saw major chains like Yifang and Machi Machi pulling out of BC.
Now, it looks like Xing Fu Tang’s Cambie Village location is facing some troubles.
We spotted lease termination notices plastered on the store, revealing that the popular Taiwanese bubble tea chain has failed to pay rent.
The notice, dated January 24, 2025, states that Xing Fu Tang Canada Franchise Inc. owes at least $34,951.41 in unpaid rent.
The lease has been officially terminated by the landlord and the business is now required to vacate the premises.
Xing Fu Tang first landed in Vancouver in January 2019, right at the peak of the brown sugar bubble tea craze.
The Cambie Village location was its very first in BC, drawing long lines of boba lovers eager to try its hand-crafted, wok-stirred brown sugar pearls.
Unlike many bubble tea chains, Xing Fu Tang’s appeal was in its live pearl-making process, where customers could watch as the sugar was browned in a wok before the pearls were added and stirred to perfection.
At one point, the brand expanded quickly across Metro Vancouver, but as bubble tea trends shifted towards fruit teas, some locations quietly disappeared.
The Cambie Village store had been listed as “temporarily closed” for most of 2024, leaving many to wonder about its fate.
Now, it’s clear that the closure isn’t temporary at all.
While we can’t confirm if other locations are facing similar issues, we’ve noticed that Xing Fu Tang’s Kingsway Burnaby location has also been mysteriously “temporarily closed” for months.
Whether it’s another lease issue or just a strategic pause, we’ll have to wait and see.
One thing that’s becoming increasingly common in Vancouver’s food scene is businesses having their lease terminated.
In just the past few months, both Gastronomy in Gastown and Bisou Bakehouse in Telus Garden had their leases terminated for unpaid rent or debt.
While Xing Fu Tang’s footprint in Vancouver seems to be shrinking, the bubble tea trend isn’t slowing down.
New players like Chahalo and YOTEA from China are entering the Richmond market this year.
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: 3432 Cambie Street, Vancouver BC