A CRAZE for a frothy colourful milk drink with submerged edible balls known as 'bubble tea' has reached Warrnambool, a sign of the city's growing Asian culture.
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Liebig Street's Asian Station Grocery renamed itself 'the bubble station' last month with a brewing station at the shopfront that has brought the popular Taiwanese tea to Warrnambool for the first time.
Store attendant Tuangporn Chorsuwan said the drink was a popular in Asian countries and cities like Melbourne but wasn't widely available in regional areas.
"We don't see any shops with bubble tea and nowadays so many Asian people are in Warrnambool," Ms Chorsuwan said.
The tea is mixed with milk or juice and drank through a large straw that funnels the pearl-shaped toppings, which include mango, lychee, tapioca, or coconut jelly.
Ms Chorsuwan said the drink had captured the curiosity of the broader community.
"In the last few weeks so many young Aussies have come here to try," Ms Chorsuwan said. "Our customers were really happy to realise there was bubble tea here."
The 2016 census showed China and Taiwan were among the top five countries of birth for Warrnambool residents.
Ms Chorsuwan said opportunities to study at the city's tertiary institutions or work at meat processor Midfield, in hospitality or health services had drawn Asian people to Warrnambool.
"Some are students, most of them have a family and get married with Australian people," she said.
"Mainly workers from Midfield come here and buy bubble tea, because most of them are Taiwanese. They come after work and weekends, and it's very popular for them."
She said she first moved to Warrnambool eight years ago and said Asian food culture had made the region "more colourful" since.
"I have many Asian friends who say they love Warrnambool because it is a good place to live, peaceful and safe with nice people."
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