This Fast Food Drink Giant Is Bigger Than Starbucks, But You've Probably Never Heard Of Them

If you haven't heard of Starbucks, you have probably been living under a rock. The same couldn't be said if you haven't heard of Mixue, an ice cream and bubble tea franchise. But that will very likely change in the very near future if the chain continues to grow in popularity across the globe. Even though there are no locations in the U.S. — in fact, the only English-speaking country the chain can be found in is Australia — the brand has made a name for itself serving bubble tea and ice cream at incredibly affordable prices. This customer-forward business model has made the chain skyrocket in popularity.

The chain originated in China in 1997 and began its global expansion in 2018 when it opened its first store in Vietnam. That growth continued with locations across Asia, spreading to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. In 2023, it expanded outside of Asia to include locations in Australia. Mixue now has more than 45,000 locations, surpassing McDonald's which reached 41,822 locations in 2023 and Starbucks, which had 40,199 stores worldwide in 2024. Consider, also, that Starbucks operates franchises in 80 different countries and McDonald's does the same in nearly 100 different countries and territories. Meanwhile, Mixue is only franchised in Asian countries and Australia. That's a pretty impressive feat.

This rapid expansion is especially incredible considering the only products Mixue offers are beverages and ice cream. This level of success is attributed to its affordable and innovative business model, which prioritizes offering inexpensive options and it experiments with new flavors and ingredients regularly to keep things interesting for customers. With this kind of growth, it is sure to soon become one of the many international fast food chains Americans wish they could try.

Although Mixue (pronounced Mee-shway) is a new concept for Americans, bubble tea is not. The combination of milk, tea, and tapioca pearls, also known as boba, originated in Taiwan in the mid-80s and has become a worldwide sensation ever since. It enjoys a universal popularity, with 95% of women and 81% of men in the United States having tried it, and in Asia it is equally popular with both genders. Bubble teas are typically a little pricey, but since tapioca pearls are easy and affordable to make( so easy you can do it from home) the company seems to be capitalizing on their affordability and popularity to drive sales. 

Ice cream, another key component of the Mixue menu, also enjoys widespread popularity. In America alone, the average person consumes 20 pounds of the creamy frozen treat per year. At Mixue, options like the Mango Sundae, Strawberry Shake-Shake, and Ice Cream Grape dot the menu, along with tea offerings like taro basil milk tea, peach oolong tea, and brown sugar pearl milk tea. Coffee, which is so universally loved it even gets mixed with iced tea, is also on offer with items like Lemon Coffee, Coffee Boba Sundae, and Cheese Foam Coffee.

With a menu that includes so many popular choices, it is no wonder the chain has skyrocketed past fast food giants like McDonald's and Starbucks. Social reported a 3000% increase in bubble tea orders in Asia in 2018. This drastic increase in sales, which just happens to coincide with the chain's expansion outside of China, is a strong indication that the chain's rapid growth may just continue on its upward trajectory as the rest of the world discovers Muxie.