How Much Does a Cup of Bubble Tea Cost in Ingredients?
One 700ml cup of classic milk tea with tapioca pearls costs roughly $0.66 in ingredients, or $0.97 including a cup, lid and straw. These figures are based on Sunwide's standard carton pricing, publicly listed on our site. Water and ice aren't counted, in line with standard costing practice for bubble tea recipes.
Approved wholesale accounts pay less than the carton prices shown here, which brings the cost per cup down further. See how to order wholesale to apply.
What's the ingredient cost for one cup of classic milk tea with pearls?
| Ingredient | Amount per cup | Carton | Carton price | Cups per carton | Cost per cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black tea (brewed) | 300ml | 30 × 600g bags | $370.80 | ~3,000 | $0.12 |
| Creamer | 40g | 12 × 1kg bags | $108.00 | 300 | $0.36 |
| Fructose | 20g | 4 × 5kg bags | $64.13 | ~1,000 | $0.06 |
| Tapioca pearls (dry) | 30g | 6 × 3kg bags | $69.00 | 600 | $0.12 |
| Total | $0.66 |
Tea is brewed at 80g of leaves per 4 litres of water, which is where the ~100 cups per 600g bag (and ~3,000 per 30-bag carton) comes from. Fructose is priced by weight but dosed by volume, so the cups-per-carton figure here treats 20ml as roughly 20g. That's a standard simplification, not an exact conversion.
What does packaging add per cup?
| Item | Carton | Carton price | Units per carton | Cost per cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90mm 700ml cup | 500pcs | $89.50 | 500 | $0.18 |
| 90mm one-piece lid | 1,000pcs | $60.00 | 1,000 | $0.06 |
| 12mm jumbo straw | 2,000pcs | $135.00 | 2,000 | $0.07 |
| Total | $0.31 |
What's the fully-loaded cost per cup?
$0.66 ingredients + $0.31 packaging = about $0.97 per cup, for a classic milk tea with tapioca pearls in a 700ml cup with lid and straw, at Sunwide's publicly listed carton prices. This does not include labour, rent, wastage or marketing. It is raw ingredient and packaging cost only. Approved wholesale accounts pay less again on top of these carton prices.
How do I work this out for a different recipe?
Divide the carton price by the number of cups a carton makes (carton size ÷ dose per cup), then add up every ingredient in the recipe. For fruit tea, swap the creamer for a fruit syrup and the pearls for a jelly or popping pearl topping. See the relevant collection for current carton pricing to run the same calculation.
Does this include labour or overheads?
No. This is ingredient and packaging cost only. Staff time, rent, utilities, wastage and marketing are separate costs that vary by store and aren't included here.
Where do these prices come from?
Sunwide's publicly listed carton pricing, checked against the relevant product pages. Approved wholesale accounts receive further discounts on top of these. See how to order wholesale. See Loose Tea Leaves, Powders, Fructose, Tapioca Pearls and Cups and Lids for the product range.