Gong Cha to relaunch in Singapore in 2026 with new franchisees after islandwide closure

Bubble tea chain Gong Cha will make a return to Singapore in 2026 under new franchise partners, following the closure of all its local outlets this week. The announcement came on 2 October, when Gong Cha Global confirmed that it had “temporarily shut” its stores in Singapore and ended its agreement with its master franchisee. The move was accompanied by the deactivation of local social media accounts and the company website. Paul Reynish, global chief executive of Gong Cha, described Singapore as a critical market and said the brand was “excited about relaunching in 2026”. He emphasised that the company intends to bring its latest store concept, Gong Cha 2.0, to local customers. Gong Cha 2.0, which was first launched overseas in 2024, is designed around technology-led innovations that aim to shorten waiting times and enhance customer service. According to the company, the concept has already seen success in South Korea and Japan. Reynish said, “We believe we’ve cracked the code with Gong Cha 2.0, our award-winning technology-led store design.” He also expressed gratitude to employees in Singapore for their commitment, while assuring customers that the brand’s return would be “bolder, more innovative and more exciting”. Earlier on 2 October, Gong Cha Singapore formally announced that it had ceased operations islandwide. Its chief executive, Kang Puay Seng, told Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao that the company was no longer the local franchisee from 1 October. In its statement, Gong Cha Singapore added that it would handle all closure-related matters “responsibly and fairly”. The closure comes despite Gong Cha’s strong global performance in recent years. In April 2024, the company reported record system sales exceeding US$600 million (S$772 million) and a 12 per cent increase in group revenue to US$190 million. The growth was attributed to strong demand in Japan and other Asia-Pacific markets. That same year, Gong Cha expanded with 240 new stores worldwide, including flagship outlets in South Korea and its first locations in the Middle East. The company has not yet disclosed the identities of its new franchise partners for Singapore, but said it looks forward to announcing details closer to its relaunch.