The thought of cheese is often associated with pizza and sandwiches. But, have you ever thought of the fancy cheese tea? Well, for Jenny Zheng, she pairs cheese and tea to come up with the delicious tea in Los Angeles. Her Little Fluffy Head Cafe is a boba shop specializing in high-quality cheese tea drinks. She has also her menu to include flavors like new winter brew, Hot Rose Milk Tea
We had a chance to interview Jenny and ask her about her story, how she got her business started, and the future of Little Fluffy Head Cafe.
Tell us your story. Why did you start your business?
Throughout my life, I had many interests, yet nothing held my attention long enough for me to pursue it. Instead, I followed what everyone else was doing. I went to college. I picked a major that I was good at. By the time I finally took a step back and asked myself what I really wanted, five years had already passed. I was one semester away from getting my master’s degree in Bioengineering.
During that time, I started working at a mini tea shop. At first it was a part-time job for some extra income, but it gradually became my escape from the pressures of school. The tea shop was a place where I had time to think and reflect on my life. I knew I was following the steps of a “normal” life: go to school, find a relevant job, get paid a decent salary, form a family, have a child, etc. However, I didn’t think that a fulfilling life should be confined to a series of steps. Rather, it should be an ongoing, endless discovery of your true nature in the face of an incredibly complex world. Life should be filled with lessons and opportunities that you can never prepare or plan for. Being in the tea shop gave me the opportunity to consider what I really wanted before continuing down a path I was not 100% sure about. It was the first place that inspired me to follow my passions instead of living based on predetermined steps.
While on a trip to Asia before graduation, I stumbled upon the latest millennials craze: cheese tea. Being a big fan of cheese, I wanted to bring the concept to the U.S. so bad. So upon graduation, instead of going a traditional route with my degree, I decided to spend the time to develop my own version of creamy cheese tea and used what I learned from the teashop to open my very first cafe in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles in the summer of 2017. I can’t be happier with the decision I made.
How did you come up with your business name?
My mother has been very supportive about the decision I made. The name of the café is dedicated to her. She gave me a stuffed toy that has my face on it on my 18th birthday, and I called the toy little fluffy head. Naming the café after the toy reminds me of the gift and all the support my mother gave me along the way.
Tell us about your products and services. How do you help clients?
We specialize in creating high-quality cheese tea drinks, pairing a refreshing tea base with a rich, creamy cheese foam topping. We call our cheese tea drinks “Fluffy Tea” because of the cream topping and also because it matches with the name of the café. We have four kinds of cream toppings: white cheddar cheese, cream cheese, crème brûlée, and pumpkin spice. Customers will have a choice to choose the tea base to pair with the cream topping. We have tea, milk tea, and matcha tea. By integrating eastern and western cultures through the unique flavors of our tea, we hope to provide exciting, innovative drink options for our customers.
What makes you unique? What is your unique selling proposition (USP)?
Little Fluffy Head Cafe not only is one of the first cheese tea boba shops in Los Angeles of its kind, but also it is dedicated to serving the freshest and highest quality cheese tea to its customers. Our cream is hand whipped every moring in small batches. Each tea used in our signature drinks is carefully customized to achieve the perfect flavors. Then, we use special brewing techniques to prepare our tea. For certain drinks, tea is brewed for the individual cup when the customer places their order. We always serve our tea at its peak freshness to guarantee the best possible taste.
Where do you see your business in the next 3-5 years?
I want to make cheese tea more accessible to the public by opening multiple locations.
Any advice you would give to entrepreneurs and business owners?
Good things come to those who hustle, just keep believing in yourself.
What is your favorite business quote and why?
“Don't be intimidated by what you don't know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.”-Sara Blakely
This quote resonates with me the most because I come from engineering background, and I have zero knowledge in business or finance whatsoever to help me run my business. The quote encourages me to not be afraid and keep pursuing my dream in entrepreneurship.
Anything else additional you want to tell our readers?
I encourage everyone out there to try at least once to pursue something they feel passionate about. Until you try, you will have no idea how far you can go.