Chen Shucheng On Why He’s Opening A Bubble Tea Shop At 70
We catch up with the veteran actor at a preview of his new BBT shop.
Most septuagenarians look forward to retirement. But at 70, Chen Shucheng is still very much actively working and dabbling in “young people’s things”, like opening a bubble tea shop. The veteran actor recently opened takeaway BBT kiosk Meme Xpress at Toa Payoh Central, just a few doors down from viral bubble tea hawker Zhou Zhen Yang’s second Beautea outlet. The brand is a Malaysian franchise that he had invested in with the same group of shareholders he partnered for his recently shuttered restaurant Teochew City.
Bubble tea, but no memes here
Competition is fierce in that area — the stretch where Shucheng’s shop is located is packed with four other bubble tea shops. “We’re not afraid of competitors, we’re just afraid customers can’t discern who’s the best,” he jokes. Over (bubble) tea with 8days.sg, a dapper Shucheng tells us that he has stopped being competitive at his age. “In my 20s, 30s and 40s, I was always rushing and ‘fighting’. But I don’t do that anymore. Like with this bubble tea shop, I don’t think so much about earning money,” he says placidly. “I just want to be included as part of something, and since my daughter and grandkids love bubble tea, I can include them. See, I can connect with young people too!”
Opening a BBT shop is ‘good’ for your health
Other than a menu of mainly fruit-based teas and smoothies, his shop also serves cheese foam-topped beverages and fruity yogurt drinks. And for the first time in decades, Shucheng had a taste of yogurt. “I don’t dare to take milky stuff, so I haven’t had yogurt in over 30 years. But now that I’ve opened this shop, I have to try it!” he remarks. “I invested in this business because it’s a healthier version of the typical bubble tea, with yogurt.”
Being adaptable, he reckons, has kept him going in his acting career, which spans over 50 years. “As long as my company wants me, and my health permits, I’m going to keep acting. We all have an ‘engine’ in us, and it’s not good to let it completely come to a stop. You will start to deteriorate.”
Meme Xpress’ concept
Meme Xpress offers its BBT in two sizes, the 500ml Regular size and a 360ml Mini size. “The mini size is good for ladies or kids who want bubble tea but don’t want to consume too much,” says Shucheng. You’re encouraged to sip the yogurt drinks without shaking ’em up, so as to better taste the layers of fresh fruits, house-made yogurt and tea (brewed with tea leaves harvested from a plantation at Taiwan’s Sun Moon Lake) in the cup.
The yogurt
The yogurt here, made with the shop’s proprietary recipe, is creamier and sweeter than the tangy kind sold at supermarkets. You get a thick dollop of it when you order drinks like the yummy Grape Yogurt Fruity (pictured, from $4.20) smoothie, which also has crushed grapes and grape purée.
Get a peek at some of the brand’s chio drinks below:
Mango Yogurt Fruity, from $4.20
Strawberry Yogurt Fruity, from $4.20
Strawberry Yogurt Tea, from $3.50
Brown Sugar Pearl Fresh Milk, $5.30 (regular size)
Cheese Green Tea, from $3.20
Peach Milk Tea, from $2.80
Dragonfruit Yogurt Tea, from $3.20
Meme Xpress, #01-576, Blk 190 Toa Payoh Lor 6, S310190. Open daily 11am-9.30pm. www.facebook.com/MEME-XPRESS-Singapore-101592691675134.
PHOTOS: AIK CHEN
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