Largest Direct Franchise Deal in Company History Gong cha has signed a 50-unit exclusive area development agreement in Texas with Bakers Acres & Cattle Company (BACC), marking the largest direct franchising deal in the bubble tea chain's history. The deal positions the chain to expand across four major Texas markets—Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas—over the next seven years. The agreement comes as Gong cha accelerates U.S. expansion following its recent acquisition of master franchise rights covering 170 existing locations across 13 states. The chain currently operates more than 240 locations across 23 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with a stated goal to exceed 500 stores in the Americas by 2028.
Experienced Operator Brings Track Record Bakers Acres & Cattle Company is a Houston-based, multi-generational family business that has built a track record scaling premium franchise concepts. Since 2015, the company has developed a successful bakery operation across Greater Houston through Nothing Bundt Cakes, currently expanding toward a 12-bakery platform. Led by Brett and Wendi Walker alongside the next generation of family operators, BACC brings experience across finance, real estate, technology and business development. "With its premium positioning, operational sophistication, and strong consumer loyalty, Gong cha immediately stood out as the right brand to grow with across Texas," Brett Walker said. "Over the past decade, our family has built a highly disciplined multi-unit operating platform, and we know sustainable growth starts with the right systems, infrastructure and brand foundation. Gong cha brings all of that together in a category with tremendous long-term potential."
Growth Strategy and Operating Model Geoff Henry, President of Gong cha Americas, said the deal reflects broader demand from multi-unit operators. "Franchisees are looking for concepts with operational simplicity, strong consumer demand and the ability to scale efficiently at relatively low cost, and Gong cha delivers on all of these. From our flexible footprint and efficient labor model to the strength of our global brand recognition, we've built a platform designed to help operators grow strategically and sustainably across high-potential markets like Texas." The company's modernized operating model, including its Gong cha 2.0 platform, is designed to support higher throughput and streamlined operations through digital ordering, automation, and optimized store design. Since launching direct franchising efforts in the U.S. approximately 24 months ago, Gong cha has signed significant growth deals across Texas, California, Massachusetts, Arizona, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico and other markets. The chain is ranked #1 in the Tea category on Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 list for five consecutive years.
Why It Matters
The Texas deal signals growing appetite among experienced multi-unit operators for bubble tea franchises as the category matures and proves unit economics. For operators, the move demonstrates that established QSR franchisees view bubble tea as a sustainable addition to their portfolios—particularly in high-growth metro markets where beverage concepts can command premium positioning and drive traffic incrementally.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
