As the hot days of summer approach, few things hit the spot quite like a tall, ice-cold cup of bubble tea.

2324 is a bubble tea shop that has found success honoring the tastes and techniques of the traditional recipes whilst finding innovative ways to incorporate new tastes and ingredients.

At its helm is Joyce Tsang, who juggles not one but two businesses—her bubble tea brand 2324 and boutique consultancy Joyce Tsang Content Marketing (JTCM). She has worn many hats, from dance instructor to journalist and editor, and now as a content marketing guru in Hong Kong.

Joyce regularly shares her insights on being a content marketer and small business owner through webinars that empower others to thrive as slashers and entrepreneurs.

The Beat Asia caught up with Joyce to hear more about her mission to make the best bubble tea in town and her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs aiming to make a mark in the F&B industry.

What inspired you to acquire 2324?

In April 2024, I acquired 2324 Bubble Tea from two local entrepreneurs. My only F&B experience was working as a barista in university, and I hadn’t planned to enter the field.

Having run Joyce Tsang Content Marketing as a solopreneur for four years, I was eager to find ways to reduce my working hours while maintaining the quality of my services so I could scale.

However, anyone capable of taking over the work was either running their own business or beyond my hiring budget. As a result, I began exploring existing business systems that I could acquire and leverage to grow both my business and the entrepreneurial lifestyle I envisioned.

After considering common alternatives like affiliate marketing, e-commerce, drop shipping, and app development, I stumbled on business acquisition platforms. That’s when I came across 2324 Bubble Tea, which aligned perfectly with my criteria in terms of ease of takeover and budget.

Since the shop already had staff in place and I saw an opportunity to grow the brand using my marketing expertise—while also turning it into a case study for my consultancy—I took the leap and acquired the business.

Do you follow the traditional Taiwanese style bubble tea or are you branching out?

As a bubble tea shop owner, I believe it is important to honor the origins of the drink. That’s why we have preserved the traditional Taiwanese tea-mixing technique in our beverages.

For instance, we blend two different tea leaves for our signature black tea to enhance its depth of flavor—an approach widely used in authentic Taiwanese bubble tea. Additionally, our brown sugar formula is also derived from Taiwan.

Looking ahead, we aim to introduce more innovative drinks that stay true to the foundations of traditional Taiwanese bubble tea while incorporating local influences.

This means experimenting with flavors, introducing new ingredients that appeal to local tastes, and, most importantly, integrating elements of local culture. For example, many of our drinks are positioned as afternoon tea options, inspired by Hong Kong’s British afternoon tea tradition.

Tell us about your ingredients... Can bubble tea be a healthy option?

Our team is committed to delivering authentic flavors using real ingredients. We source our ingredients from a variety of suppliers to ensure consistent stock levels and maintain quality, even if one supplier runs out. We do not use any powdered flavorings—and we never will. While we understand the convenience of such products, this commitment is what sets us apart, even if it means higher costs for us.

When it comes to our fruit teas, you can expect real fruits and syrups—no artificial powdered formulas. The same goes for our cream cheese. Our staff prepares it from scratch, never relying on artificial powders. Our mixed fruits are sourced from Italy, and our cream cheese comes from Australia.

The bubble tea industry is highly competitive— how does 2324 stand out from the crowd?

For us, the attraction isn’t flashy promotions or discounts—it’s the experience of enjoying a bubble tea in a community-focused space. Our staff are friendly and attentive; they don’t just serve drinks—they build connections.

Customers recognize our staff and often stay to chat. This is the atmosphere we aim to create, which is why we have a bar table at the front of the shop to make it clear that we welcome people to linger, relax, and connect.

Our entire team understands that although we serve bubble tea, we are not interested in having a shopfront cluttered with posters, promotions, and an overwhelming number of drink options. This is why our shopfront is much cleaner than the typical bubble tea shop and why our menu is streamlined into five main categories. 

Which bubble teas are your stand-out drinks on the menu at 2324?

One of the most exciting drinks on our menu is our French Toast Special Drink. Inspired by the local French toast flavor, my staff crafted a beverage version of it—allowing locals to experience a familiar taste in a new way. For tourists it’s an easy, on-the-go version of a dish they might want to try.

To celebrate the first anniversary of our rebrand since my takeover, we’ll be launching a Happy Birthday Cup.

This special release reimagines the tradition of buying and enjoying a birthday cake by transforming it into a convenient, drinkable format. I’m incredibly excited about this concept, as it perfectly aligns with our brand’s mission: to inspire and accompany meaningful moments with our customers.

Can you walk us through the creative process of developing a new drink concept?

What I’ve realized after speaking with people who have worked in the industry is that these decisions are often, if not always, made from the top down. We do things differently—we operate from the bottom up.

The bottom-up process has greatly helped minimize waste too. I was acutely aware of the amount of waste the previous owners were generating because they were too eager to experiment without considering the waste it would produce. To address this, I introduced a monthly special drink system. 

At the start, my staff informed me that we had an excess of Aiyu jelly. We asked ourselves: What pairs well with Aiyu, and what ingredients do we already have on hand? In the end, the team created a series of Aiyu jelly drinks, including a Lemon Tea Aiyu Special that performed quite well. Ultimately, we sold out all the Aiyu jelly before any had to be discarded. I personally love this system—it gives customers something new to try while ensuring we reduce waste. 

You’re passionate about helping aspiring entrepreneurs—what advice would you give to someone starting their own business, especially in F&B?

Given the current economic climate in Hong Kong, my blunt advice for anyone hoping to start their own F&B business is don’t do it unless you have another business that generates a decent amount of income.

Relying solely on an F&B business to break even and earn enough profit to keep it running is incredibly difficult.

Second, I strongly recommend starting without a physical shopfront and focusing on digital first. You can always open a shop later, once you’ve developed a minimum viable product (MVP) or gained valuable insights from your potential customers. Doing it the other way around—starting with a shopfront—is much harder.

Of course, nothing works these days without marketing. The reality is, you can’t rely solely on word of mouth or a good product to survive anymore. You must know how to market your brand effectively to stay afloat. 

What’s next for 2324? Any exciting plans on the horizon?

We’re constantly exploring partnerships to extend our product offerings beyond our shop. This includes confirmed collaborations where our products and experiences will be featured as add-ons at various events. We have also just released our special 2-in-1 cup which is loved by our customers!

Looking ahead, we have exciting plans to explore more partnerships with venues, event organizers, corporations, and even weddings. We aim to position our drinks and experiences as an alternative to the typical wine and coffee offerings. So, stay tuned for more updates!

Stay updated with Joyce and JTCM on her website. Visit 2324 Bubble Tea on their website, Instagram and Facebook.

Location: 2324 Bubble Tea, Shop A2, G/F, Hoi Cheung Building, 72-74 Tai Po Road, Sham Shui Po

Opening Hours: Daily from 12 PM to 9 PM, Closed on Tuesdays