Bubble Tea Powders vs Syrups: What Each Is For and How Much to Stock
Quick answerPowders make creamy drinks: classic, Thai, taro, matcha, chocolate and other milk teas, usually mixed with tea or water and a creamer. Syrups do two jobs: flavour syrups (mango, strawberry, lychee and so on) make fruit teas and slushes, and sweetener syrups (fructose, brown sugar) set the sweetness level of every drink. Most shops need a set of each: a few milk-tea powders, a creamer, four to six fruit syrups and fructose.
New bubble tea owners often ask whether to build their menu on powders or syrups. The real answer is that they do different jobs. This guide explains what each is for, how a typical shop splits its menu, and how much to order.
What powders are for
Powders are the base of the creamy side of the menu. A flavoured powder (taro, matcha, classic milk tea, Thai milk tea, rose, chocolate, vanilla, coconut, honeydew) is shaken with brewed tea or water, ice and usually a non-dairy creamer for body. Powders give a consistent colour and taste from cup to cup, keep for a long time unopened, and are easy to portion with a scoop. Keloo's flavoured powders are vegan.
What syrups are for
Flavour syrups are the base of fruit teas, iced teas, sodas and slushes: a measured shot of mango or passion fruit syrup in green or jasmine tea, shaken with ice. They pair naturally with popping boba of the same or a contrasting flavour.
Sweetener syrups control sweetness. Fructose syrup is the clear, neutral sweetener most shops use to offer 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% sugar levels; a fructose dispenser doses it exactly. Brown sugar syrup is both a sweetener and a flavour, used for soaking tapioca pearls and making brown sugar milk.
Building a menu from both
| Drink | Main base | Typical additions |
|---|---|---|
| Classic milk tea | Classic milk tea powder | Black tea, creamer, fructose, tapioca pearls |
| Taro milk tea | Taro powder | Creamer, fructose, pearls |
| Matcha latte | Matcha powder | Milk or creamer, fructose |
| Brown sugar milk | Brown sugar syrup | Milk, pearls soaked in brown sugar |
| Mango green tea | Mango syrup | Green tea, fructose, popping boba |
| Passion fruit iced tea | Passion fruit syrup | Black or green tea, popping boba |
| Strawberry slush | Strawberry syrup | Ice, blender, popping boba |
Keloo powders and syrups
| Product | Pack | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Powders: Classic Milk Tea, Thai Milk Tea, Taro, Matcha, Rose, Chocolate, Vanilla, Coconut, Honeydew | 1kg | £11.99 |
| Non-Dairy Creamer Powder | 1kg | £8.49 |
| Flavour syrups: Mango, Strawberry, Lychee, Passion Fruit, Peach, Green Apple | 2.5kg | £12.99 |
| Pineapple Syrup | 2.5kg | £13.99 |
| Brown Sugar Syrup | 2.5kg | £12.99 |
| Fructose Syrup | 5kg | £12.99 |
| Fructose Dispenser | 8500cc machine | £189.99 |
Prices correct at time of writing.
Classic Milk Tea Powder 1kg
£11.99
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Non-Dairy Creamer 1kg
£8.49
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Brown Sugar Syrup 2.5kg
£12.99
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Fructose Syrup 5kg
£12.99
View product →How much to order
Usage depends on your recipes, so treat these as starting points and measure your own scoops and shots. Most shops find a 1kg bag of powder covers somewhere in the region of 30 to 40 drinks, and a 2.5kg bottle of flavour syrup covers far more fruit teas than that. A sensible opening order is:
- 3-4 powders covering your best-selling milk teas (classic, taro, matcha, Thai)
- 2-3 bags of creamer, since it goes into most milk teas
- 4-6 fruit syrups matched to your popping boba flavours
- Fructose in 5kg bottles, plus brown sugar syrup if you sell brown sugar drinks
Reorder from real sales after the first two to three weeks rather than stocking every flavour from day one.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make bubble tea with just syrups?
You can make fruit teas, iced teas and slushes with syrups alone, but creamy milk teas such as taro or matcha need powders. Most menus use both.
Are bubble tea powders vegan?
Keloo's flavoured powders are vegan. Always check the individual pack label, and check creamer and any milk you add if you advertise vegan drinks.
What's the difference between fructose and brown sugar syrup?
Fructose is a clear, neutral sweetener used to set the sugar level of any drink. Brown sugar syrup has a caramel flavour of its own and is used for brown sugar milk and for soaking pearls.
How do shops offer different sugar levels?
Most use fructose syrup with a fixed number of shots or a fructose dispenser that doses an exact amount, so 25%, 50% and 100% sweetness is consistent across staff.
How should powders and syrups be stored?
Keep powders sealed, cool and dry. Store syrups as directed on the label and reseal after use. Follow the best-before dates on every pack.
Build your ingredient range
Powders, flavour syrups and sweeteners for bubble tea shops and cafés.
Shop Ingredients