Silk. mixes cultural roots and local tastes
The company plans to open five more stores in Hong Kong and another in Thailand this year.
Hong Kong-based milk tea brand Silk. has learned to tailor its menu to local tastes to appeal to a broader audience whilst keeping its cultural roots to maintain a level of authenticity.
“Cultural adaptation is key,” Adrian Ngan, co-founder at Silk., told QSR Media Asia. “Different markets have varying taste preferences, and we carefully consider these nuances.”
For instance, Silk. introduced Smooth Queen, a Hong Kong-style lemon tea with pandan, calamansi, lemongrass, and mint at its only branch in Singapore.
The company recently opened its fifth outlet in Kennedy Town, Hong Kong, and plans to add five more to its 10 stores in the city this year and another in Thailand.
Silk. also has its sights on New York and Los Angeles, where people have been known to appreciate Asian tea culture.
“Rather than rapid expansion, we are deliberate and selective,” Ngan said. “We prioritise quality over quantity, ensuring that each new location reflects our brand’s values."
When Ngan and Tim Tsung founded Silk., they wanted to preserve and modernise Hong Kong-style milk tea for the new generation. The beverage, traditionally associated with classic cha chaan teng—a Hong Kong-style cafe or diner that serves affordable, eclectic food—and an older demographic, faced the risk of fading into the background as global bubble tea trends surged.
Their flagship drink, the Smooth King, is an example of this. Made using a 50-year-old family recipe passed down from Ngan’s aunt, the tea is prepared with the traditional silk-stocking method. Silk. infuses contemporary twists in the drink, such as cheese clouds and honeycomb.
Seasonal and limited-edition drinks are another key part of Silk.’s strategy.
In December 2024, the brand launched Peanut Butter Silk, which combines vitasoy, oolong tea, peanut butter, and condensed milk; Smooth Boo in Halloween; Hazelnut Surprise in August; and Mango Pomelo 2.0 in June.
“These drinks have been widely loved by our community, and in the coming year, we have even more exciting flavours in store,” said Tim Tsung, co-founder of Silk.
