Gong cha
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Taiwan-founded bubble tea chain with about 2,200 stores.
Gong cha publishes no certification, independent audit or supplier list.
Also worth knowing
Workers in Sri Lanka and Vietnam are very unlikely to earn a living wage.
Better-graded tea
Graded higher than Gong cha, selling the same kinds of things.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 5 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and a hidden supply chain. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 5
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsJudged on where its tea is grown: worker rights are poorly protected in Sri Lanka, Vietnam and India.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain: no certification, independent audits or supplier list
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Gong cha's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
- A product carrying the Fairtrade mark: Good
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where its tea is grown
Gong cha names some of the countries its tea comes from: Taiwan, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. The rest is shown as where tea is usually grown.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Taiwan | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Vietnam | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| KenyaUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| ChinaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| MalawiUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: tea estate wages in Assam, Sri Lanka and Kenya are among the lowest of any export crop, often paid partly in kind (housing, rations). Source
Research notes Gong cha says its teas are grown above 1,000 metres in Taiwan (oolong and Alishan), Vietnam (jasmine green tea) and Sri Lanka (black tea), and says it acquired its own tea garden in 2023 without saying where or how much tea it supplies. It names no other estates or suppliers and claims no certification such as Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade. No supplier code, audit results or modern slavery statement have been published, and no split between the three countries is given.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Unclear | No modern slavery statement from Gong cha's London-based group was identified on the UK registry. View |
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | No Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance certification is claimed for Gong cha tea. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | Gong cha is not named in tea supply chain allegations tracked by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Two decades, four owners: Gong cha (Inside Retail, 2026) · search the archive · Ownership history; TA Associates moved HQ to London; Bain Capital deal pending; about 2,200 stores in 33 markets.
- Gong cha Americas (Food Chain Magazine) · search the archive · Black tea from Sri Lanka, jasmine green tea from Vietnam, Alishan and oolong from Taiwan; no estates or certifications named.
- Stockland Merrylands: Gong cha · search the archive · Gong cha store operating in an Australian shopping centre.
- Gong cha Global joins Bain Capital portfolio (QSR Media, 2026) · search the archive · Bain Capital deal for Gong cha expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026; nearly 2,200 stores in 33 markets.
Published by Gong cha or its owner
- Gong cha USA home page · search the archive · Premium tea sourced from Taiwan, Vietnam and Sri Lanka, slow grown above 1,000 m; no certification or suppliers named.
- Gong cha UK: About us · search the archive · In 2023 Gong cha acquired its own dedicated tea garden (location not stated); over 2,100 stores; no certification or supplier standards named.
Company details
- Owned by
- TA Associates (private equity); sale to Bain Capital agreed in 2026, expected to close in late 2026
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Gong cha ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/gong-cha, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Gong cha.