Canadian drink company tastes controversy after Simu Liu raises cultural appropriation questions

On a recent episode of CBC’s “Dragons’ Den,” actor Simu Liu appeared as a guest star and prospective investor. The owners of a Quebec-based bubble tea brand called Bobba were featured, seeking funding to grow their brand. Bubble tea is a Taiwanese tea-based drink with tapioca balls that has risen in popularity in recent years. The friction between Liu and Bobba owners Sebastien Fiset and Jess Frenette was visible early in their pitch.

“Not only do I feel like this is not happening here, but that I would be uplifting a business that is profiting off of something that feels so dear to my cultural heritage.” The exchange has since spurred some backlash, resulting Liu, the Bobba founders and “Dragons’ Den” investor Manjit Minhas, who initially invested in the product on the show, to release statements addressing the discourse and calling for an end to the threats and harassment Frenette and Fiset have since received online.

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