Simu Liu takes interest in Bay Area-based Twrl Milk Tea after owner’s response to boba ‘cultural appropriation’ [Video]

PALO ALTO, Calif. (KGO) — A Bay Area-owned canned boba tea company may soon have a Hollywood star investor. It’s all because of a viral moment that happened for a different boba company on a Canadian version of the show Shark Tank.

Sitting in front of a wall of boba at her home office in Palo Alto, Olivia Chen, co-founder of the brand “Twrl Milk Tea,” has not slept more than a few hours, since the latest episode of “Dragons’ Den” aired on the CBC Thursday night.

“We are here from Quebec City, and we’re seeking $1 million in exchange for 18% of our business, Bobba,” said Bobba co-owner Sebastian Fiset on the show.

The guest investor for Bobba’s episode, Hollywood superstar Simu Liu, who took issue with the company and the way it’s non-Asian founders presented a product that was created in Taiwan in the 1980s.

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