In this episode of VideoBrief, Anirudh Sharma, Co-founder of Third Wave Coffee, discusses the brand’s latest Bobbles range—featuring chewy tapioca pearls and unique global flavors like taro and Thai tea. He explains how this new offering reflects their dedication to authentic sourcing and staying ahead of consumer trends, while also expanding the menu with creative boba options that enhance their growing café presence. Anirudh also shares the research and vision driving this exciting new chapter.
Highlights the brand’s consumer-focused approach and the inspiration behind Bobbles, Anirudh Sharma says, “For us, staying close to the consumer and understanding what they need is very important.”
He adds, “We realized a trend where consumers were looking for fun, textural beverages, and we didn’t want to limit ourselves to just coffee. That’s one of the reasons we worked on and innovated the classic bubble tea range, bringing in classics like taro and Thai tea along with modern touches like popping bobas. That was the whole idea behind creating Bobbles.”
Matcha before the wave hit
Third Wave Coffee was also ahead of the curve in bringing Matcha to Indian menus. Sharma recalls, “When we launched Matcha in 2019, the Indian consumer wasn’t very familiar with it. Initially, we had to spend a lot of time educating them about what Matcha is, how it’s consumed, and why it’s good for you.”
“But over the years,” he says, “with the amount of education and awareness around Matcha growing, especially among younger consumers, we’ve seen organic traction building.”
He continues, “People are now more inclined to explore healthier and more innovative beverages. That evolution is what led us to expand our Matcha menu again, including offerings like Matcha with vanilla and Matcha with Boba.”
Sourcing with purpose
For Third Wave Coffee, sourcing authentic ingredients is a non-negotiable part of product development. “We take sourcing very seriously. Our Matcha is 100% from Japan and our taro comes from Vietnam,” says Anirudh.
He adds, “We want to make sure that our consumers experience flavors the way they’re supposed to taste, whether they’ve had them while traveling or are trying them for the first time. It’s not just about creating something fun, but also something authentic and true to its roots.”
Research, feedback, and flavour science
Explaining how the team’s development process is heavily grounded in data, taste trials, and consumer behaviour analysis, Anirudh says, “Our R & D process is very data-driven. Before we launch any product, we invest time in understanding flavor trends and customer preferences.
Citing an example, he says, “Chocolate is universally loved, so it becomes a safe yet appealing choice. But then we also test niche combinations through internal trials and feedback loops before we scale.”
Sharma adds, “We’ve been doing this for nine years, so we’ve built a robust methodology to figure out what flavors resonate with different audiences. That insight helped us land on the Bobbles lineup.”
What’s in Anirudh’s cup?
With so many options for Bobbles’ range of Bubble Tea, we had to ask the man behind the vision what his favourite is. “I really enjoy Thai tea from the tapioca-based ones,” he smiles. “From the popping boba series, I love the peach grapefruit; it’s got a very fresh and juicy feel. And of course, the vanilla matcha is something I personally order quite often.”
Not just a drink, but a full experience
As a brand, Third Wave Coffee is making sure that Bobbles isn’t just a digital buzzword. The launch, he informs, is being supported with an omnichannel strategy that brings the drinks alive both online and offline.
“We’re looking at an omnichannel approach. It’s not just about online or offline; we want to balance both,” says Sharma. “There will be a lot of engaging content on social media, plus in-store experiences and maybe even events.”
“For us,” Anirudh explains, “it’s about creating a cohesive and memorable campaign that drives interest and trials. We want people to not just see it online but also walk into our cafes and experience it firsthand.”
Pop-up plans
And yes, experiential marketing is very much on the menu for Bobbles. Sharma says, “We’re already rolling out in-store samplings and planning events around the Bobbles range. Limited-time offers are also in the works.
“The idea,” he says, “is to make this launch more than just a menu update; we want it to feel like a movement. Something new, fun, and exciting that customers remember.”
Going deeper, not just wider
With over 165 stores across 12 cities, Third Wave Coffee, Sharma informs, is focusing on depth, consistency, and nationwide access for Bobbles. “Right now,” he says, “we’re focused on going deeper into the cities we’re already present in. We want to ensure that every customer, no matter where they are, gets access to the same great experience. The Bobbles range is going to be a pan-India rollout; it’ll be available in every store.
“Long term,” he shares, “we definitely want to keep innovating and introducing new formats and flavors that delight our consumers.”
As the new drinks hit the menu across India, Anirudh says what matters most is how people react to the love and detail that’s gone into every sip.
He wraps up by saying, “Honestly, we’ve poured a lot of love into developing this range. It’s been months of work from sourcing to trials to design. Now, we just hope the consumers love it as much as we do. We’re excited, and we can’t wait to see the response.”
