Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Pickens. They and their team shared their story with us below:
The Whale Tea DFW is split ownership between two families; Dan & Marie Pickens and Daniel & Sandy Chang. We all come from various backgrounds and bring different experiences and expertise. We all met 10 years ago while attending church in Frisco and became close friends.
Below is a brief description of each partner:
Daniel Chang was born in Indonesia and moved to Garland, Texas in 1990. He served in the US ARMY and was an RFID specialist for a few years following graduation from UTD. He switched careers 18 years ago and became a General/District Manager to major chain restaurants, where he opened multiple locations and developed new management and staff. Sandy Chang is a Chinese Indonesian. She was born in Indonesia and lived with family in Hong Kong. She moved to Texas in the early 2000s, where she was a preschool teacher with a love for cooking. They have 2 high school boys who are heavily in Taekwondo.
Dan and Marie Pickens met in New Hampshire in the early 2000’s. Shortly after their two children were born, Dan was offered a new career opportunity that brought them to Texas 10 years ago. They fell in love with North Texas and the people and were proud to set new roots in Celina. Dan is a corporate accountant and achieved his MBA degree while Marie worked at the school district and did various volunteer work. They have 2 children who are currently in grade school.
Marie’s brother contacted and told us about a boba tea franchise that was looking to expand into the DFW market. Both families are a bit of “foodies” and after due diligence, decided this was a solid plan with the right partners. All of our skills combined, from accounting, business, and management were a perfect match to solidify the store opening.
What really sealed it was the type of boba and flavor at The Whale Tea. Unlike other stores, The Whale Tea has all fresh ingredients with high end teas. The tapioca boba is served warm and is incredibly flavorful. The fruit teas are made with real, fresh fruits and jams. A lot of work goes into prepping the ingredients, delivering the best to our customers.
Below are a couple of drinks that really set The Whale Tea apart from its competitors.
Whale Crystal: Made of Tao Jiao (peach gum), house-made coconut milk, and spirulina. Tao Jioa is used in traditional Chinese medicine. It is resin that is formed from the sap of wild peach trees. Used mainly for gut and skin health as it is a natural prebiotic and collagen booster. Delicate in flavor, it adds a jelly-like texture to soups and desserts when cooked. Spirulina is a superfood that is packed with nutrients. This blue algae extract has many health benefits, which include the reduction of heart diseases, improves liver function, contains prebiotic and anti-cancer properties, and supports the overall immune system.
Taro Milk Tea: Unlike most boba stores, which use artificial purple powder, our taro is made of freshly steamed taro root. We are able to deliver the vitamins and dietary fiber your body craves into your drink with this fresh ingredient. The already great-tasting taro served with our signature milk tea will surely enlighten your taste buds.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Even though part of a franchise, being so far from the main headquarters located in CT, it truly had a purse startup feel. The laws and health codes were a bit different than corporate was used to. We had to research and adapt to various construction matters. As for most, if not all restaurants, there were major challenges is finding the perfect location. We probably looked at roughly 50 locations before selecting Downtown Plano. We fell in love with the atmosphere and the people. Additionally, it was also challenging with dealing with construction and the town’s law/rule changes. The historic district also has their different, additional rules you have to follow.
But by far the biggest struggle is marketing/advertising and getting the Whale Tea name and brand recognition out to the public. We are all a bit older and, unfortunately, are not the type of people who know too much about posting on social media or realizing the importance of having influencers.
There is still a large population that is new to boba drinks
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Whale Tea (Whale Tea DFW)?
Whale Tea US Story
At The Whale Tea, our boba journey set sail in the vibrant streets of New Haven, CT, near the Yale University campus. What began as a single store has evolved into a network of 30+ locations spanning the nation.
Our inaugural store, nestled by Yale, quickly earned the title of Best Boba Tea, as voted by Yale University students, a prestigious honor that we’ve proudly held for three consecutive years since 2020. As a women-owned business, this recognition becomes even more significant, symbolizing our dedication to breaking barriers and creating spaces where diversity and excellence thrive.
What sets us apart is not only our commitment to authenticity but also our dedication to freshness. The Whale Tea prides itself on using fresh, high-quality fruits to infuse our boba teas with natural flavors, creating a taste experience that’s as vibrant and genuine as our story.
What’s next?
We are excited to bring more variety to our customers. We are in the process of preparing to sell warm waffles, possible mochinuts, and Asian flavored chips. We also recently partnered with the House of Bread in Mckinney and started selling their delicious baked goods such as cookies and brownies.
We are also looking at branching out and opening more locations in the DFW area. Stay tuned.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.whaleteadfw.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whale_tea_dfw?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092387143449&mibextid=LQQJ4d
