How Much Does It Cost to Open a Bubble Tea Shop in the UK?
Quick answerThe core equipment to start selling bubble tea costs from about £1,000: Keloo's Bronze package (£999.99) includes a cup sealer, shaker, two dispensers, cups, film and straws. Packages with ingredients and on-site training run from £1,299.99. The bigger costs of a new shop are usually premises, fit-out and staffing, which vary widely by location. On the drinks themselves, the ingredients and packaging for a typical cup can come to well under £1, depending on your recipe.
Bubble tea has one of the lowest equipment barriers of any food or drink business, which is why so many cafés add it and so many new shops open around it. This guide breaks down what you'll actually spend money on, what a cup costs to make, and where Keloo's packages fit.
The main cost categories
| Cost | What it covers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Premises | Rent, deposit, business rates | The biggest variable; depends heavily on town and footfall |
| Fit-out | Counter, plumbing, electrics, signage, seating | A kiosk or café add-on costs far less than a full shop |
| Equipment | Sealer, shaker, dispensers, blender, boiler, fridge | From about £1,000 for the core kit |
| Opening stock | Tea, powders, syrups, toppings, cups, film, straws | Small packs to start; reorder from real sales |
| Branding | Menu, posters, signage, social media | Included in Keloo's Gold package |
| Registration and compliance | Food business registration, insurance, food safety training | Register with your local authority at least 28 days before opening |
| Staff | Wages and training | Training is included in Silver and Gold packages |
Equipment: packages vs buying separately
| Package | Includes | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | Automatic cup sealer, automatic shaker, 2 x 12L dispensers, shaker bottles, film roll, 1,000 straws, 500 x 500ml and 500 x 700ml cups, mixing spoons | £999.99 |
| Silver | Everything in Bronze plus ingredients, carry bags, measuring tools and hands-on training at your premises | £1,299.99 |
| Gold | Everything in Silver plus an ingredient set of your choice (5 popping boba, 5 syrups, 3 powders), an LED neon sign, and menu and poster designs for your business | £1,399.99 |
Buying separately makes sense if you already own some equipment. The two machines at the heart of every setup are the automatic cup sealing machine (£249.99, 550-650 cups/hour) and the automatic shaker (£189.99), or the sealer and shaker combo (£399.99). For a full checklist including blenders, water boilers and fridges, see How to Equip a Bubble Tea Shop.
Bronze Package
£999.99
View product →
Silver Package
£1,299.99
View product →
Gold Package
£1,399.99
View product →
Automatic Cup Sealer
£249.99
View product →What a cup costs to make
Here's a worked example for a 700ml milk tea with tapioca pearls, using Keloo catering prices. Portion sizes are assumptions; swap in your own recipe weights to get your real figure.
| Item | Pack price | Assumed portion | Cost per cup |
|---|---|---|---|
| 700ml PP cup | £79.99 / 1,000 | 1 cup | 8.0p |
| Sealing film | £24.99 / 3,000 seals | 1 seal | 0.8p |
| Wide straw | £69.99 / 2,000 | 1 straw | 3.5p |
| Milk tea powder | £11.99 / 1kg | 35g | 42p |
| Non-dairy creamer | £8.49 / 1kg | 20g | 17p |
| Tapioca pearls (dry weight) | £9.99 / 3kg | 40g | 13p |
| Fructose syrup | £12.99 / 5kg | 20g | 5p |
| Total | about 89p |
Excludes tea leaves, ice, VAT, delivery and wastage. Prices correct at time of writing.
Against a typical UK selling price of several pounds a cup, the ingredient margin is strong. That's why getting footfall, speed of service and waste right matters more than shaving pennies off ingredients.
Before you open: checklist
- Register your food business with your local authority at least 28 days before you start trading.
- Put a food safety management system in place and train staff in food hygiene.
- Prepare allergen information for every drink and topping.
- Check your electrics can run your equipment, especially water boilers and blenders at the same time.
- Get public and product liability insurance.
- Write a short launch menu: 10-15 drinks is plenty to start.
- Run practice sessions before opening day so staff hit consistent recipes and speed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start a bubble tea business in the UK?
Equipment starts from about £1,000 for the core kit. Total start-up cost depends mostly on premises and fit-out: adding bubble tea to an existing café costs a fraction of opening a new shop.
What is the profit margin on bubble tea?
Ingredients and packaging for a typical cup can come to under £1, depending on your recipe, so the gross margin per cup is high. Rent, staff and wastage decide the overall profit.
What equipment do I need to start selling bubble tea?
At minimum: a cup sealing machine, a shaker or shaker bottles, dispensers for tea, and a way to cook tapioca pearls. Most shops add a blender, water boiler and fridge.
Can I add bubble tea to an existing café?
Yes, and it is one of the most common ways to start. A package such as Bronze or Silver gives you the kit and consumables without a full refit.
Do Keloo packages include training?
The Silver and Gold packages include hands-on training at your premises. Gold also includes an LED neon sign and menu and poster designs.
Start your bubble tea business
Bronze, Silver and Gold packages with machines, consumables and training.
Shop Start-Up Packages