Nov. 9, 2021 By Michael Dorgan
A multinational chain that offers Taiwanese desserts and teas plans to open in Long Island City – the latest in a series of businesses offering Asian-inspired food and drinks to come to the neighborhood.
Meet Fresh is scheduled to open in December on the ground floor at 21-59 44th Dr., a six-story mixed-use building in Court Square, according to a company spokesperson. The space is next door to the Bonjour Food Market and across the street from the Skyline Tower condo development.
The company has more than 800 stores worldwide, including more than 30 in the U.S. The Long Island City store will be its first in Queens and third in New York City, with the other locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The company sources and makes most of its ingredients in Taiwan before shipping them to its stores in the U.S. This method gives Meet Fresh items an authentic taste, according to the company.
The new store will be like its other operations—offering customers a range of Taiwanese desserts, small treats and teas.
The company’s top-selling dessert items include the “signature icy grass jelly” — which is made with grass jelly, shaved ice and taro balls — and the “double taro signature” which consists of taro balls, taro paste, ice cream, grass jelly and shaved ice.
Other popular desserts include the “icy taro ball #4” — which is filled with taro balls, boba, red beans and taro chunks — and the “pudding and Q Mochi milk shaved ice” which has almond pudding, egg pudding, jelly noodles, mini taro balls and mochi.
The company also serves a range of egg waffle desserts, tofu puddings and popcorn.
Its teas include a variety of oolong teas, herbal teas, milk teas and fruit teas.
Michael Makris, a commercial real estate agent with DY Realty Group, co-brokered the lease on the premises with Kenneth Lee, a commercial real estate agent with Modern Spaces.
The new location is the latest in a wave of Asian-inspired tea and dessert stores to open in Long Island City this year. The openings reflect the area’s growing Asian population — as reported in the NY Times.
For instance, Multisweet, a bakery that serves homestyle Asian desserts opened in February across the street from the location at 21-52 44th Dr.
Teazzi Tea Shop, which specializes in bubble teas, opened in April on the ground floor of the Hayden residential building—a 51-story complex in Court Square located at 43-21 Hunter St.
Meanwhile, Möge Tee, a global bubble tea chain, opened in June on the ground floor of The View at East Coast condominium building – a 184 unit complex located at 46-30 Center Blvd. The chain also has a store at 42-38 Crescent St. in Long Island City.
Additionally, Chun Yang Tea, a company that focuses on tea from Taiwan is coming to 49-10 Vernon Blvd. later this month.