We recently connected with Ronald Chan and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ronald, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Odd One Out started during a pivotal moment in my life. After spending over a decade across Asia, I returned to Taiwan in 2021, right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. What struck me most was how next-level the tea culture was there. Bubble tea (Boba) wasn’t just a drink—it was a lifestyle. Local shops were pushing boundaries with bold flavors and creative concepts I hadn’t seen anywhere else, and it sparked an idea: why not share this incredible tea experience with the world but with a twist of my own?

I wanted to take Taiwan’s rich tea culture and elevate it even further and ultimately to bring it global. To do it right, I pulled together my friend Patrick who had vast amounts of experience in the restaurant industry and together we started Odd One Out

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m one of the co-founders of Odd One Out, a premium bubble tea / boba tea brand that originates from Taiwan and now with 3 locations in Los Angeles. My journey into this industry started during my time living across Asia for over a decade. When I returned to Taiwan in 2020 during the pandemic, I was struck by how deeply ingrained and innovative the tea culture was there. Bubble tea / boba wasn’t just a drink; it was a lifestyle where local shops were constantly pushing the boundaries with flavor, presentation, and craftsmanship. That experience sparked the idea for Odd One Out—I wanted to share that elevated tea culture with the world in a way that blended authenticity with creativity.

Odd One Out specializes in premium freshly made tea drinks that is commonly referred to bubble tea or boba tea drinks. However, we put a focus on quality and craftsmanship. Our milk teas are crafted using carefully sourced, small-farm Taiwanese teas that we discovered through collaborations with expert tea farmers and producers. To ensure every drink meets our standards, we went as far as hosting a MasterChef-style competition in Taiwan, where top mixologists crafted innovative flavor combinations that now inspire our menu.

What sets us apart is our dedication to artistry and quality. Our drinks and desserts are not just products—they’re experiences. We combine award-winning teas, handmade botanical gelatos, and a touch of Michelin-level refinement. Our Santa Monica flagship on 3rd Street Promenade was chosen intentionally as a statement of our brand’s arrival in the U.S., showcasing our commitment to staying and redefining the boba experience.

The main problem we solve is redefining expectations around bubble tea / boba tea We noticed a gap where mass-produced drinks often compromise on quality, so we focused on premium ingredients, artisanal preparation, and unforgettable hospitality. Our drinks are both indulgent and thoughtfully crafted, perfect for customers seeking something elevated and unique.

I’m proud of our brand’s journey from Taiwan to Los Angeles, especially our multiple wins at the Taiwan Milk Tea Festival in 2022 and 2023. It’s a testament to our team’s dedication to quality and pushing creative boundaries in the beverage space.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I first met my co-founder, Patrick Sun, in Taiwan back in 2012. At the time, I was launching a food delivery company, while Patrick was managing an American pizza chain. Our paths crossed during a meeting with the pizza chain’s executives, where I was trying to pitch my platform using my broken Chinese. It was Patrick who ultimately convinced his team to come on board. Having seen the success of food delivery platforms in the U.S., he understood the potential and was able to translate my clumsy pitch into something clear and persuasive for the team.

Over the next decade, both Patrick and I pursued different business ventures and lived across various parts of Asia. I moved to Singapore and Indonesia, while he went to Hong Kong and China. Despite being in different countries, we stayed in touch and made it a point to meet up whenever our paths crossed.

When COVID hit, we both found ourselves back in Taiwan. Much like our first meeting 10 years earlier, the timing felt right, and another business opportunity naturally emerged. That’s how Odd One Out was born—a shared vision to create something extraordinary together from Taiwan to the world

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Building a brand from the ground up with ambitions for multi-location expansion from the very start—especially as a brick-and-mortar business focused on premium experiences—required significant capital investment. To secure that funding, I first turned to my personal network, including those who had invested in my previous ventures. Through those connections, I was introduced to a broader network of investors.

Our initial funding came from a mix of angel investors and venture capital firms. Regardless of the investor type, I had to be exceptionally prepared to present my vision, ambitions, and business model clearly. The key success factors were thinking big—communicating that this would be a global brand with strong recognition—while also presenting a clear strategy on how we would achieve that vision. I made it clear that while adjustments and pivots might happen along the way, the ultimate goal would remain the same. Just as importantly, I demonstrated my track record of building and contributing to successful businesses, which helped solidify their confidence in the potential of Odd One Out.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.oootea.world/
• Instagram: @oootea.us
• Facebook: oootea.sawtelle
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-chan-3a0822b/
• Yelp: https://yelp.to/-Q9PryuSSZ

Image Credits

H A N A www.hereandnowagency.com