Pudgy Penguins is bringing its “Collector Couple” to boba with two sweet new flavors. The global character franchise is teaming up with Kung Fu Tea for a nationwide (across 330 locations) collaboration centered around a playful twist on two Kung Fu Tea favorites inspired by Pudgy Penguins’ beloved characters Pax Pengu and Polly, known to fans as “mates for life.”
Launching ahead of New York Comic Con 2026, the collaboration will bring together PudgyPenguins’ growing universe of characters and collectibles with one of the most recognizable names in Global boba culture. The partnership will roll out across participating Kung Fu Tea locations nationwide. At the center of the collaboration are two character-inspired takes on Kung Fu Tea fan favorites, pairing Pax and Polly’s personalities with creamy, fruity and playful flavors made for the ultimate boba date.
- Pengu’s Better Together Milk Tea inspired by Pax Pengu, pairs Kung Fu Tea’s signature earl grey milk tea with chewy brown sugar boba for a creamy, comforting sip that proves some things really are better together.
- Polly’s Sweetheart Slush brings a sweeter side to the pairing, blending strawberry and OREO topping into a creamy, icy slush inspired by Polly. Fruity, chocolatey and playful, it’s a treat worthy of the Collector Couple’s sweetheart.
The limited-edition menu brings Kung Fu Tea’s signature approach to handcrafted boba together with the playful personality of the Pudgy Penguins universe, giving fans two new ways to sip their favorite characters. The collaboration will also make Kung Fu Tea the global launch destination for PudgyPenguins’ new Little Treats Blind Boxes, a highly anticipated collectible series bringing the PudgyPenguins characters into a new miniature format following a sold-out limited release at San Diego Comic-Con last month. From October 1 to 15, 2026, fans will be among the first in the world to collect Little Treats at participating Kung Fu Tea locations, pairing the thrill of the blind-box reveal with the launch of the limited-edition Pax Pengu and Polly bobas. Adding to the collectibility, first-day attendees will also receive a coveted Pudgy Penguins Vibes TCG promo card created exclusively for the collaboration, available while supplies last.
“When we started Kung Fu Tea in New York, our goal was to introduce more people to boba and the culture surrounding it,” said Steve Luw, COO of Kung FuTea. “Today, boba has become part of how a generation connects with shared experiences. Pudgy Penguins understands that sense of community incredibly well, and bringing Pax and Polly to Kung Fu Tea is a natural way to bring our two worlds together.”
The collector couple go on a date
Pax Pengu and Polly are at the center of the Pudgy Penguins universe. Known as “mates for life,” the pair represents a bond that has taken on a life of its own within the Pudgy Penguins community. Across social media, millions of fans share Pudgy Penguins characters and memes as a playful language forrelationships, friendship and affection. That digital behavior has increasingly translated into physical collecting, with couples purchasing plush, collectibles and other Pudgy Penguins products for one another. The Kung Fu Tea partnership brings the idea into a category already built around social connection. Whether it’s meeting for milk tea, trying a new flavor together or grabbing boba on a date, Kung Fu Tea has become part of the ritual of getting together with someone you love. With one drink inspired by Pax and another by Polly, the collaboration gives the Collector Couple their own perfect boba pairing.
“Boba is already part of how our people connect – it’s a date, a hangout andsomething you share with someone you love,” said Steve Starobinsky, Head of Partnerships for Pudgy Penguins. “That made Kung Fu Tea a natural home for Pax and Polly. Bringing the Collector Couple to boba gives our fans a new way to share these characters together while introducing Pudgy Penguins to an entirely new audience.”
From the love meme to boba
This delicious Kung Fu Tea collaboration, the first QSR (quick serve restaurant) partnership for PudgyPenguins, comes as their universe accelerates its expansion from a viral phenomenon into a global character and consumer products franchise. Over the past several years, Pudgy Penguins has built an increasingly broad product universe spanning plush, collectibles, trading cards, games, fashion, beauty and entertainment, supported countless collaborations and by a growing presence across major retailers including Target, Walmart, It’s Sugar, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Growing consumer demand has fueled repeated online sellouts and an expanding mass-retail presence, bringing Pudgy Penguinscharacters including Pax and Polly to consumers nationwide.
That retail momentum has been particularly strong around the brand’s “Collector Couple.” PudgyPenguins’ first Valentine’s Day Plush Bouquet, featuring Pax and Polly, sold tens of thousands of units, while fans lined up for hours at the brand’s New York City Pudgy Petals pop-up to purchase the limited-edition collectible.
This sweet pairing represents the brand’s latest move into the consumer mainstream, introducing Pudgy Penguins to boba drinkers across the country while giving its existing community a new way to celebrate Pax and Polly together.
