The “Franchise Expo West” was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center from September 5 to 6, where several Taiwanese food and beverage service brands participated to showcase innovative products and franchise models, while seeking international collaboration opportunities.
On September 5, 2025, Presotea’s Overseas Business Department Manager, Lin Ya-ting (left), stated that the “Smoothie” series has been well received by American consumers.
The Taiwanese bubble tea brand Presotea, founded in 2006, has revolutionized the tea beverage industry with its “Italian-style espresso high-pressure tea extraction technology,” ensuring pure aroma and premium quality. Lin Ya-ting, who oversees overseas franchise operations, explained that Presotea maintains freshness in every cup through a comprehensive process—from tea farm harvesting to factory production. By leveraging professional extraction techniques and innovative flavors, the brand has successfully brought Taiwan’s bubble tea culture to the international stage, with its smoothie series proving especially popular among consumers in Europe and North America. Also exhibiting at the event, Duan’s kitchen Beef Noodles is targeting Los Angeles’s large Chinese community and diverse market, aiming to bring Taiwan’s classic flavors overseas. Brand representative Chiu Yen-wen stated that by working with local supply chains, adjusting cooking times and spice ratios, and relying on experienced chefs for testing, they have successfully recreated the authentic beef noodle soup flavors at their Northern California outlets. He emphasized that the key to attracting mainstream consumers lies in menu design and the use of clear, simple names—making it easy for people from different cultural backgrounds to understand and sparking curiosity to give it a try.
On September 5, 2025, Duan’s kitchen Beef Noodles representative Chiu Yen-wen expressed his anticipation to showcase authentic Taiwanese flavors in Los Angeles.
In addition, other Taiwanese bubble tea brands such as Happy Lemon, CoCo Bubble Tea, Kung Fu Tea, Abou Tea, MACU Tea, as well as fried chicken chain TKK Fried Chicken, also showcased a diverse range of products at the expo, highlighting the innovation and vitality of Taiwan’s food and beverage culture. Beyond presenting their well-established franchise models, these brands also used the event as an opportunity to seek partners and further drive the globalization of Taiwanese chain brands.
Liu Lun-cheng, Director of the Economic Division at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, stated that as Taiwanese franchise brands actively expand into overseas markets, the government and related associations are providing local assistance, including regulatory information, potential store locations, and market intelligence, to help brands enter international markets smoothly. Chang Ya-chan, Director of the Service Industry Promotion Center at the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), introduced that a total of 10 Taiwanese companies participated in this year’s event. In addition to exhibiting, business matchmaking was arranged with the local Chinese community, leveraging business networks to accelerate market entry. By combining this with insights into consumer culture, brands are able to shorten the trial-and-error period and reduce risks. Lien Wan-ting, Deputy Manager of the Chain Operation Department at the China Productivity Center (CPC), explained that most of the participating brands already have proven business models in Taiwan and international experience, and had completed U.S. regulatory filings before the show. She emphasized that the strengths of Taiwanese franchise brands lie in their “high flexibility and quick adaptability,” as well as replicable success stories that enhance their competitiveness in global markets. CPC’s chain program this year has already organized three major international activities—previously in the United States, then in Australia, and later in August in Malaysia—bringing promising Taiwanese brands abroad. The program also provides matchmaking services and mentoring, including support in applying for the U.S. Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), to ensure smooth overseas expansion.
Lien Wan-ting emphasized that through trade shows, matchmaking, and mentoring to integrate resources, Taiwanese SMEs are able to enter international markets more efficiently, showcasing their brand strength and competitiveness while bringing Taiwan’s unique dining and bubble tea culture to Los Angeles and the U.S. market.