Member Article

Gong cha England invests in technology to drive UK growth

Gong cha England and Redcat have announced that the fast-growing bubble tea chain will use Redcat's hospitality IT platform to underpin ambitious plans for UK expansion. 

Serving a range of authentic hot and cold teas containing its signature ‘bubble’ tapioca pearls, Gong cha operates 2,100 stores around the world and intends to grow significantly in the UK. It sees the opportunity to expand from its current 12 UK stores, to 16 by the end of 2024 and has an ambitious long-term goal of reaching 500 stores.  

Partnering with Redcat, Gong cha England – the trading name of master England franchisee GC Tea Ltd – will have a suite of digital services to enhance customer experience and run operations effectively across current and future stores. Through one integrated platform, Gong cha England will use Redcat’s point of sale (POS), self-service kiosk, loyalty program, mobile app, online ordering, and integration with Just Eat, Uber Eats, and Deliveroo. Future plans include adding Uber Direct and ordering food with Google.

Providing real-time visibility of their whole business, the Redcat IT platform will give Gong cha England the ability to manage menus across multiple consumer channels, and deliver a loyalty program that seamlessly works across in-store POS, online ordering and kiosks.  

Bobby Sidhu, General Manager of Gong cha England said: “Having the right IT platform, one that integrates all functions into a single system, is critical to managing a business efficiently and building the loyalty and customer retention that fuels growth. Redcat provides a seamless full stack solution, designed for restaurants, and which fully matches our ambition.”  

Jeff Lamb, CEO of Redcat said: “Time and time again we see that rapid growth in the QSR and franchising world is only achievable with the right technology behind the business. We are delighted that Gong cha England has chosen to work with us to accelerate its growth. Over our 29 years in hospitality technology, we’ve built a platform that delivers what today’s QSRs and franchises need – we’ve now brought that expertise from Australia to the UK, and are excited that our success in the UK market will be linked with that of a great brand like Gong cha.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Thomas .