No cold shoulders for mixologist
Mixologist and entrepreneur Jan Roode has shown no signs of slowing down.
The driving force behind Happy Me, a non-alcoholic “bar” known for its range of Asian-inspired bubble tea, celebrated the launch of a new product at the new Rosebank Mall store.
“Sn.oh Ice is soft, fluffy and flaky, and melts in your moUth like frozen cotton candy, which makes it entirely different from shaved ice, frozen yoghurt or ice cream,” he said.
“It’s not too heavy, like ice cream or frozen yoghurt, or too sweet, like shaved ice.”
Roode opened his first shop in Greenside several months ago.
Bubble tea has its origins in Taiwan. A tea base is usually mixed with fruit, milk or syrup, and will often contain small tapioca balls or ‘pearls’.
“This non-alcoholic bar is the result of three years of hard work. My wife and I travelled to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, South America and Europe in pursuit of this dream,” he said.
Despite bubble tea’s far-East beginnings, the Roodes first had the idea of a beverage bar in Patagonia, South America.
“We decided to travel and find the best beverages in different cultures which we could put under one South African brand. I had bubble tea for the first time two years ago in Hong Kong, and it was a trigger. I knew I wanted to explore texturing and layering drinks, which is why I describe what we do here as ‘mixology’,” he said.
“It’s the evolution of the drink.”
Not content with evolving only tea and coffee, Roode set his sights on other beverages, and Sn.oh Ice is but one of the fruits of his labours.
A chartered accountant by profession, Roode’s dedication to his drinks business has seen him expand from Greenside to Rosebank, Bedford and Eastgate.
Details: www.happyme.co.za
