Canadian entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den judge Manjit Minhas is no longer investing into a bubble tea business amid major backlash over accusations of cultural appropriation.
Last week, on episode three of the CBC television show, Dragons’ Den, special guest star and Toronto actor Simu Liu put a bubble tea business on blast claiming it appropriates Asian culture and shows a lack of Asian representation. The episode which aired on Oct. 10, included a pair of Quebec City entrepreneurs who own a bottled bubble tea business called “Bobba.”
@nowtoronto #Toronto actor @SimuLiu criticized a bottled bubble tea business pitch for cultural appropriation during his appearance on a reality show, and many people online are agreeing with the star’s remarks. #Bobba #DragonsDen ♬ original sound – Now Toronto
“What respect is being paid to this very Asian drink that has blown up around the world and is it in your teas? Is it in your product development? Who is on your staff? Who is on your cap table that is providing that for you?” Liu questioned.
Founders Sebastien Fiset and Jess Frenette were pitching the business in exchange for an 18 per cent investment from the judges.
Dragons’ Den centres on entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to a group of Canadian business tycoons, with a goal of landing a financial offer from one of the “dragons.” At the end of the episode, one of the dragons, Minhas, offers to invest one million dollars for 20 per cent of the business which the “Bobba” founders accept.
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Since the episode aired, Minhas has received relentless criticism and hate over her decision, and for not supporting Liu’s opinions as a fellow person of colour. As a result, the 44-year-old released an apology and revealed she is pulling her investment from “Bobba.”
“Last week’s episode had a pitch from entrepreneurs about Bobba Tea that has sparked a big conversation. After more reflection, due diligence and listening to many of your opinions I will not be investing in Bobba Tea. Having said that, I had to turn off commenting on my platforms as it is never OK to send hate and threatening messages to the entrepreneurs,” she said in a post shared to Instagram on Sunday.
“I believe wholeheartedly, our cultures are meant to be shared, and this includes food, drink, clothing, dance, languages and weddings. Those of us like Simu and I who have platforms to do so always try to use these platforms to educate and enjoy and explore all cultures,” she continued.
However, some people in the comments do not believe her apology is genuine nor addresses the root of the problem.
“The mistake wasn’t just the investment, it was that you shut him down when he was educating you. You gaslit him and did it with a smirk,” one Instagram user said.
“Translation: “The business appears to no longer be lucrative so I will not be investing anymore. I don’t see the cultural appropriation everyone is mentioning – but here is a script. Please leave me alone,” another user said.
“You didn’t use your platform to educate, Simu did. Without him stepping out and saying something we wouldn’t be having this conversation. This is not an apology,” another user commented.
REACTION FROM LIU
In light of the backlash Minhas faced, Liu released a statement via Dragons’ Den about the difference between sharing one’s opinion and cyberbullying and why it’s never justified to do the latter.
“Hey everyone. Been a day. Just want to remind you that you can disagree and even feel vehemently angry about something, and it’s okay to be vocal about that, but it is NEVER EVER okay to harass or threaten people over the internet or in person,” the Instagram post read.
“The entrepreneurs in question came on the show and pitched a business in good faith. I disagreed with some of their decision making. I stand by my thoughts, but I do not believe they deserve any negative ill will. It is a learning moment and a lesson that they have surely already understood. If we cannot engage in thoughtful and compassionate dialogue nothing will change,” it continued.
‘BOBBA’ ISSUES APOLOGY
In addition, the Canadian business also issued an apology on its social media for its comments and says the incident has become a learning opportunity. Following the backlash, the company claims it has received hate speech and death threats.
“We are very sorry for our delayed response; we needed some time to do our due diligence and fully understand the gravity of this situation. First and foremost, we want to deeply apologize for the harm we have caused by our words and actions on the show,””Bobba” founders Fiset and Frenette said in a statement on Sunday.
“While it was never our intention to cause harm or disrespect the community that created and popularized this beloved drink, we take full responsibility for the impact of our actions. Additionally, Simu Liu raised very valid points regarding cultural appropriation and we welcome this learning opportunity,” it continued.
“Bobba” goes on to explain and clarify its reasoning behind not knowing “the contents behind bubble tea,” as the founders said on the show.
Furthermore, the bottled bubble tea business apologizes for its choice of words when speaking on the cultural significance and origins of bubble tea.
It ends its post by committing to re-evaluate its branding, packaging and marketing strategies “to ensure that they reflect a respectful and accurate representation of its Taiwanese partnership and bubble tea’s cultural roots” as well as committing to educating themselves on the impacts of cultural appropriation.
