Oleksandr Petrykov, Co-Founder of the Guo Cha Club;
On Monday 22 January 2024, Guo Cha Club, described as Luxembourg City's newest haven for authentic Taiwanese Fruit and Bubble Tea, held a press briefing and introduction at its premises in Luxembourg city (30 Rue Beaumont), with the Grand Opening this Saturday 27 January at midday.
Oleksandr Petrykov, Co-Founder of the Guo Cha Club with his wife Brandi who is originally from Taiwan, showcased the diverse menu featuring pure teas, modern classics, fresh fruit drinks and innovative creations such as Yakult and Cheese Top. He explained that they have taken a nine-year lease on the two-storey property which has a dining area on the 2nd floor for customers, with their (ordering and) serving hatch on the ground floor; they have seating for 45 people in total at any one time. The green and yellow, also with pink, branding is throughout the store, with the decor by a Taiwanese brand.
He explained that they have been in Luxembourg for six years and they originally thought of the idea back then when there was only one tea shop in Luxembourg. Brandi opened her Banjjak jewellery store in November 2022 Nov, after testing the model first with an online store and then a pop-up store. He explained that they have created this original concept and the goal is to make it a franchise.
Bubble Tea History
The first bubble tea in Taiwan can be traced back to 1986 (bubbles were originally used in desserts); the art of such drinks being shaken (not stirred) has been popular in Taiwan for many years, originating from Japan.
Guo Cha is translated from Mandarin Chinese as Fruit Tea, which is the core focus of the menu. They take the classic Taiwanese bubble tea to the next level with refreshing fruit-based drinks. Their unique approach is to use only fresh, high-quality fruits such as mango, pineapple, apple, lemon, lime and other fruits to create "thirst-quenching beverages that are bursting with natural flavours and nutrients".
Menu
Nowadays there are many different varieties / blends, with the menu here having 25 options spread over five categories: classical teas, guo cha series (fruit teas, with fruit jams from Taiwan); cheesy top series (sweet & salty tastes); modern classics (twists); and yakult classics (with freshly squeezed juice, caffeine-free, popular with children)).
Options include sweetness level(3), ice level (4) and toppings (5). All drinks come chilled except if one asks for them warm (ice level).
They use one size only (M) cups at present, using clear plastic; however, he stressed that they are working on a sustainable solution (reusable cups) and mentioned that they will offer a 50c discount if customers being their own cup.
This unique tea experience is intended for people to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of Taiwanese tea culture.
Opening
While the soft opening was on 15 December, since when it has been very popular particularly with the Asian community here, the Grand Opening this coming Saturday promises to be an interesting occasion, with special surprises and offers planned for throughout the day, as well as the following five days.
Opening hours:
- Tue-Sat: 12:00 - 19:00
- Sun: 14:00 - 19:00
