US suffers bubble tea drought as Taiwanese tapioca shipments back up in ports

Taiwan’s national drink, pearl milk tea, has taken the world by storm ( ) in recent years, and it is the addition of tapioca balls ( ) — also known variously as “pearls,” “boba” and “bubbles” — that creates the beverage’s unique flavor and textural ( ) experience. However, foreign media are reporting that logistical ( ) delays have caused both Taiwan-produced tapioca balls and tapioca powder from Thailand to be stuck inside shipping containers ( ) as the shipments await customs ( ) approval ( ).

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc ( ) on the global shipping industry, goods and commodities ( ) shipped from Asia, including Taiwan and Thailand, have become held up at US ports, caught up in a backlog ( ) of unprocessed ( ) shipments. This has led to shortages ( ) of some raw materials ( ), causing many US drinks vendors ( ) to grumble ( ) nonstop ( ). One such vendor has fumed ( ) that with no tapioca balls, many customers will not set foot ( ) inside the shop to buy a drink.

Oliver Yoon, global vice president of sales and marketing at Boba Direct, a pearl milk tea product supplier ( ) based in Arlington Heights, Illinois, US, says that about one month ago the company began to experience shortages of raw materials. Yoon adds that it is a nationwide ( ) crisis ( ) and says he expects the situation will not begin to improve until the end of the month.

Tea & Others shop owner Alex Ou says some customers will not buy a drink if the shop has run out of ( ) boba, adding: “They are literally ( ) here for the boba.” Ou says he hopes that customers can be patient, since the shortage of raw materials is only temporary ( ). Nonetheless, it is understandable that this is a depressing ( ) time for many businesses, adds Ou.

According to California-based supplier US Boba Co, 99 percent of boba comes from overseas ( ), and although the company has a boba factory in the US, they are still reliant ( ) on imported tapioca starch ( ). According to reports, in addition to bubble milk tea vendors, other US businesses are also suffering shortages. Starbucks has reported it is experiencing shortages of cups and sugar syrups ( ), while the pandemic has also caused shortages of home fitness ( ) equipment, ice skates and furniture.

因台灣珍珠原料未到 美國陷入珍珠奶茶荒

疫情導致全球航運大亂，一些台灣、泰國等亞洲國家貨物卡在美國港口排隊無法入關，導致珍珠奶茶「珍珠」的原料短缺，讓不少美國飲料店業者叫苦連天，更有業者抱怨，沒有「珍珠」讓許多顧客不願上門買飲料。

綜合外媒報導，近年風靡全球的台灣飲料「珍珠奶茶」，在飲料中添加珍珠創造獨特風味與口感，但因為運輸延誤，來自台灣的珍珠以及來自泰國用來製造珍珠的木薯粉，通通卡在船上貨櫃中等待進關。

位於芝加哥的珍奶產品供應商「Boba Direct」銷售副總奧利佛（Oliver Yoon）說，大概在一個月前就出現原料短缺情形，這是一場全國性的風暴，最快要等到四月底才能紓緩。

「Tea & Others」飲料店老闆艾利克斯（Alex Ou）則表示，如果沒有珍珠，一些顧客根本不願上門購買飲料，「他們都是為珍珠而來」。艾利克斯希望消費者能更有耐心。原料短缺只是暫時的，然而對其他業者來說，這件事的確讓人感到沮喪。

加州珍珠供應商「美國波霸公司」（US Boba Co.）表示，美國有百分之九十九的珍珠來自國外進口，即便他們在美國有自己的工廠，仍需要依靠國外進口木薯粉。報導指，除了珍珠奶茶外，星巴克也出現杯子和糖漿短缺情形，甚至健身器材、溜冰鞋、家具等其他產品，幾乎都受到影響。

#高雄人 #學習英文 請找 #多益達人林立英文
#高中英文 #成人英文
#多益家教班 #商用英文
#國立大學外國語文學系講師

我的珍珠供應商話同我玩''抽珍珠''遊戲，即冇得揀，2000粒珍珠裏面，抽到邊粒就邊粒。我覺得好有趣，幾好玩咁，咁不如大家一齊玩，一齊開心下😁

一共有2⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣粒珍珠
品種：Fresh Water Pearl 淡水珍珠
顏色：粉紅/紫色
質素：正圓微微瑕，7.5-8.5mm

玩法：
1⃣ 每粒珍珠HK$200，大家可用任何搵到我的方式通知我，再按投珍珠數目付款。
2⃣ 我收到珍珠後，會逐粒編號碼，讓大家選珍珠，先付先選 （first pay first pick basis) 。如果人數多，或會安排live video，一齊睇一齊揀。
3⃣ 可以只要珍珠（已打半孔），自行鑲嵌；我亦有大概100款純銀戒子/鏈墜/耳環給大家選擇，另加HK$50。即1隻戒子/鏈墜，只需HK$250；耳環HK$450 （可轉耳夾或加HK$100轉用18K金耳針）
4⃣ 最後，寄掛號信件到指定地址交收，世界各地和任何數量，一律HK$30。

這個質素的珍珠，一般大概要HK$300 左右，連鑲嵌HK$400或以上，所以都幾抵玩，Pool越大（珍珠數量越多），大家搵到心儀珍珠的機會越大。我會要10粒打底，大家揀剩的就我要。覺得抵玩的，就請開心share出去😊

估唔到珍珠都可以攪團購，不過攪唔攪得成，都要睇大家。

報名截止日期：8月13日零時零分
交收預計日期：9月
付款方法：FPS或銀行轉賬

飾物款式，可到我另一個Page睇睇😉
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=394366041274295&id=319300038780896

一杯要5小時阿.. 小心日本人自己做珍珠~
--
最近日本刮起珍珠奶茶熱， 日本很多廠商因為
需求大增， 希望台灣珍珠供應商增加產量，
台製珍珠品質好，進貨價比去年春天漲3倍

不過台灣廠商表示， 日本這波太瘋狂了，怕
熱度過後退燒，假如添購太多設備會血本無歸，
所以不增產。

(主持：Daniel Ho，Perry Tsoi，Niccolo Luk; 嘉賓：珍珠供應商 - Riko Au)

FPS 轉數快: 94681803
Patreon賬戶：https://www.patreon.com/hkpeanut
HONG KONG INTERNET RADIO LIMITED
支票/銀行過數
轉賬至滙豐銀行 023-280233-838，抬頭 HONG KONG INTERNET RADIO LIMITED

花生網頁: www.hkpeanuts.com
PayPal 付款賬號: hkangrypeanut@gmail.com
FB專頁: https://www.facebook.com/hkpeanuts/

(主持：Daniel Ho，Perry Tsoi，Niccolo Luk; 嘉賓：珍珠供應商 - Riko Au)

FPS 轉數快: 94681803
Patreon賬戶：https://www.patreon.com/hkpeanut
HONG KONG INTERNET RADIO LIMITED
支票/銀行過數
轉賬至滙豐銀行 023-280233-838，抬頭 HONG KONG INTERNET RADIO LIMITED

花生網頁: www.hkpeanuts.com
PayPal 付款賬號: hkangrypeanut@gmail.com
FB專頁: https://www.facebook.com/hkpeanuts/