Bye Gong Cha: Soya milk bubble tea brand Cai Ca could be the upgrade we needed

Let’s be real: When Gong Cha exited Singapore rather abruptly last month, it barely made a splash in an already crowded bubble tea market dominated by big-name chains.

In its place, homegrown soya milk bubble tea brand Cai Ca has sprouted up as six former Gong Cha outlets – Lot One, Bugis Junction, NUS UTown, King Albert Park, Northpoint City and Century Square. Shin Min Daily News reports that Cai Ca was founded by former Gong Cha Singapore CEO Kang Puay Seng, who aimed to create Nutri-Grade–friendly drinks and complementary snacks. 

Bubble tea, but make it slightly healthier? We’re intrigued. So we visited the Northpoint City outlet to do a little taste test.

The menu

A quick look at the menu reveals three bubble tea bases: soy milk, regular milk and no-milk options – plus a zero-caffeine range.

The soy milk creations are easily the most intriguing, with drinks like Toffee Chewy Pearl Soy Milk Tea and Osmanthus Soy Milk Tea with Osmanthus Jelly. There’s also a Soy Brulee series in mulberry, hawthorn strawberry, matcha and chocolate. Yum.

The fresh milk tea options, however, are more run-of-the-mill: Earl Grey, Tie Guan Yin and Da Hong Pao – flavours you’ll find at most bubble tea outlets. That said, the Winter Melon Milk Tea is a standout worth trying, and there are golden sugar varieties if you’re in the mood for something more indulgent.

As for the regular tea options, the interesting picks are the Purple or Green Grape Imperial Jasmine and the Jade Plum Imperial Jasmine. You can also opt for the Soy Milk Cap versions, which are essentially their teas topped with a frothy soybean milk foam.

The highlights

We were told the Soy Brulee series is a bestseller, so of course we had to try it.

The Soy Mulberry Brulee ($6.20) – a layered drink with yellow creme brulee custard cream on top, soy milk in the middle and a generous mulberry puree at the bottom – actually works way better than it sounds. The custard cream is lightly torched and caramelised, and when you give it a good mix, the combo of crunchy sugar bits, rich brulee cream and chunky mulberry pieces is honestly pretty addictive.

We also tried the Toffee Chewy Pearl Soy Milk Tea ($5.50) – once a full-blown fad, now more of a niche craving for anyone who still likes their drinks sweet and a little extra. Before mixing the caramel in, take a sip as-is. The aromatic caramel and the bouncy boba already make a pretty satisfying duo, and once you stir everything together, it becomes a not-so-sweet, dessert-like treat. The typical Singaporean would approve.

The takeaway

Priced from $2.70 for a zero-caffeine regular tea to $6.70 for the Soy Brulee series, it’s pretty affordable compared to many other bubble tea brands. Plus, those of us who are lactose-sensitive will appreciate the soy-based options that don’t compromise on flavour. 

The biggest surprise? The drinks aren’t heavy on the usual soybean taste – likely because they’re made with premium Japanese soy beans. If you haven’t already tried it, you’re missing out.

Her World paid for its own drinks for this review.