Scaling up with confidence: DotDot Bubble Tea's growth story
DotDot launched in 2020 as a bubble tea café in Stoke Newington, London, as a passion-project led by entrepreneurs Yandis Ying and Susie Lao. The founders strived to make bubble tea and Asian cuisine more accessible in the UK and on the high street, whilst also addressing the need for lower sugar and healthier alternatives to the traditional bubble tea offerings.
Recognising a gap in the market for a bubble tea product that could be enjoyed beyond a typical café setting, this led to the creation of the UK’s first ready-to-drink bubble tea in glass bottles and cans and a subsequent shift to the retail space. Operating in this new landscape and revolutionising how bubble tea is enjoyed, their business model changed dramatically.
Gaining knowledge to support growth
With a new focus on pitching and increasing scale, Yandis recognised gaps in her knowledge within this corporate environment. Enrolling on the Help to Grow: Management Course at Birkbeck, she aimed to address these skills gaps and maximise the growth opportunities that were continuing to emerge for the business. Yandis credits the programme for the extensive knowledge she gained, covering topics from finance to strategy and branding. The insights on fundraising were particularly valuable in the context of DotDot’s growth, and something that Yandis felt is often missing from other courses – she has gone on to apply this knowledge first-hand and had great success in doing so.
The networking opportunities that Help to Grow offers has created a sense of community and support for Yandis. A shared understanding of values and challenges from likeminded individuals allows participants to break through self-doubt and feel supported by one another even once the course has concluded. Yandis continues to connect with members of her cohort through WhatsApp, maintaining an essential network of support.
Continued success and partnership opportunities
DotDot has experienced a significant brand growth, making a breakthrough at BBC’s Dragon’s Den and successfully securing investment to the business from two of the Dragons, as well as gaining interest from giant retailers and iconic brands. DotDot now partners with the likes of Selfridges, Kew Gardens, Nobu Hotel London, Gopuff, and Harvey Nichols, and the list continues to grow.
DotDot has become well-recognised within the food and beverage (F&B) industry, receiving several awards to demonstrate their success and growth:
- Winner of the Drink Category at Speciality Fine Food Fair (2024)
- Gold Winner of the Innovation Challenge at LUNCH! (2024)
- Most Innovative Female-Founded F&B Start-Up at Lux Life Awards (2024)
Invest in your business
If you’re an SME leader hoping to be inspired by others and create a new breakthrough for your business, enrol on one of our upcoming Help to Grow: Management Course cohorts. It may be the best investment you make.
“The Help to Grow course can really change your mindset on what business is all about. It’s well-worth the investment.”
