Bubble Panda overhauls production to triple output

A fast-growing bubble tea kit UK manufacturer has completely overhauled its production process with support from the Made Smarter North West programme, transforming a once manual operation into a resilient, high-speed automated system.

Bubble Panda, which manufactures DIY bubble tea kits sold directly to consumers, is now on track to smash record Black Friday and Christmas sales for 2025.

Unlike previous years, where the team struggled to meet intense festive demand, the Manchester-based business has successfully navigated the seasonal spike thanks to its major digital transformation.

Founder Scott Harasyn was emphatic that the company would not have coped with this year’s exponential demand without the shift to automation. “Black Friday and Christmas have always been huge for us, but this year the demand was on another level,” Harasyn said. “Made Smarter has completely transformed how we operate. The support, the partnerships, and the technology have given us the confidence and capacity to grow, innovate and expand internationally.”

Over the last two years, Made Smarter’s North West adoption programme provided critical assistance, including developing a digital roadmap and offering a £20,000 grant towards a cutting-edge RotoFill reel-fed filling and sealing machine. The results of this strategic investment were immediate and staggering: production time has dropped by more than 80 per cent, changeover downtime has fallen by 90 per cent, and overall output has tripled.

Crucially, Bubble Panda now operates two fully optimised production lines, providing the resilience needed to meet peak-season demand without compromising quality. Removing manual bottlenecks has also freed up the company to pursue new product innovations, including a successful limited-edition collaboration with confectioner Swizzels. Furthermore, automation has allowed staff to move into higher-value roles focused on quality control, data analysis, and process optimisation, thereby improving sustainability performance and reducing waste.

Following the successful install of the filling machine, Made Smarter connected Bubble Panda with the Northern Engineering and Robotics Innovation Centre (NERIC) at the University of Salford for deeper automation support. NERIC’s technology consultants delivered a suite of advanced interventions, including restoring a broken taping machine and tripling its output overnight, designing and testing a dual-robot pick-and-place cell capable of handling tubs at four-second cycles, and integrating advanced vision systems to ensure seal inspection accuracy and repeatability.

This comprehensive intervention has provided Bubble Panda with a scalable blueprint for rapid growth in 2026, including crucial pathways for future international fulfillment.

Donna Edwards, managing director of the Made Smarter North West Adoption Programme, praised the company’s initiative. “Bubble Panda is the perfect example of how a small manufacturer can take bold steps with the right support behind them,” she said. “Scott recognised that digital transformation was essential, engaged with our experts, and the results speak for themselves.”