Tea & Coffee Trade Journal: TeaJoy wins startup of the year

Tea & Coffee Trade Journal reported on 16 July 2025 that TeaJoy had won London Food & Drink Startup of the Year at the UK StartUp Awards 2025, presented at Vue Cinema in London's West End. The piece traces the brand's growth from a lockdown kitchen project at MamaLan restaurant to a supplier for more than 800 UK foodservice partners, and names founder Ning Ma.

The journal reported TeaJoy's canned bubble tea was scheduled to launch that August, and set the win against a bubble tea market it said was projected to exceed $4.2 billion globally by 2028. TeaJoy had competed against entries from ten UK regions across 35 categories to take the regional title, and advanced as a regional winner to the UK national final, due later in 2025 at Ideas Fest in Tring, Hertfordshire. The UK StartUp Awards run across the country each year, judging entries by region before a national final. Founder Ning Ma said the win was "entrepreneurial spirit that's been part of TeaJoy since day one." Read the piece on Tea & Coffee Trade Journal. See where to find us on our where to buy page.

What the award recognised

The London Startup of the Year award sits within the UK StartUp Awards, which celebrate the country's most exciting new businesses. The Food & Drink category recognises founders who have built something genuinely new in a competitive market. TeaJoy was chosen for combining product innovation with rapid commercial growth — from a single kitchen to hundreds of locations in just a few years. The judging panel praised the brand's bold approach to a crowded beverage category.

Why the tea and coffee trade took notice

Tea & Coffee Trade Journal has covered the global tea and coffee industry for over a century. Its readership includes buyers, distributors, and operators across the sector. For TeaJoy, being featured in its pages was a signal to the trade that ready-to-drink bubble tea is no longer a niche trend - it's a category worth stocking.

Where TeaJoy is going next

Since the win, TeaJoy has continued to expand its ready-to-drink range. With flavours including Peach & Mango and Passionfruit & Strawberry, the cans are low in sugar, vegan, and made with real fruit juice. The brand now sells online, on Amazon, and through retailers and hospitality partners across the UK.

About TeaJoy

TeaJoy was founded by Ning Ma, a former restaurateur who was frustrated by the complex, time-consuming process of serving bubble tea. She developed her own recipes to make it simple, consistent, and joyful. Today, TeaJoy has sold over 2.5 million drinks and is served in more than 800 UK locations.