Asian American boba brand finds opportunity after Simu Liu sparks cultural appropriation debate

Associated Press

The owners of boba milk tea brand Twrl have a chance to pitch a pretty well-known investor, actor Simu Liu. It came after they posted a video in support of Liu calling out the white owners of a boba drink brand for cultural appropriation on “Dragons’ Den,” the Canadian version of “Shark Tank.” The episode backlash struck a nerve in the ongoing debate on how someone who sells something specific to a culture that isn’t their own walks the line between appropriation and appreciation. There is no business manual on how to do it. The Twrl founders hope the initiative they took moves those conversations forward and educates some people along the way.