A pop-top boba chain known for sealing its canned-to-order teas, lemonades and lattes is setting up shop in New Braunfels. Candy Cloud has filed plans to open its first New Braunfels location at Town Center at Creekside, 2830 Town Center Dr., marking the Illinois-based franchise's second store in Texas.
According to myneighborhoodnews.com, Candy Cloud has leased 1,660 square feet of retail space at the Creekside development, though whatnow.com puts the footprint at approximately 1,667 square feet. Either way, the shop will sit within the major shopping and entertainment district at Interstate 35 and FM 306, per myneighborhoodnews.com. Franchisees Ché and Andrew Zimmerman are behind the upcoming location, according to whatnow.com.
Candy Cloud already has a foothold in San Antonio at 11619 Bandera Road, Suite 106, which became the company's first Texas location when it celebrated its grand opening in June 2025, the site notes. The Town Center at Creekside shop will expand that Texas presence into New Braunfels as the brand's second store in the state.
From a Flower Trailer to a Franchise
Candy Cloud's origin story, as reported by CultureMap San Antonio, traces back to Paityn and Alex Edwards, who started their entrepreneurial journey after the death of their young daughter. The couple first launched Evelyn's Acre, a floral business, before eventually starting Candy Cloud itself. CultureMap San Antonio's report adds a complementary detail: the Edwardses originally sold fresh flowers at farmers markets and added cotton candy to their merchandise trailer, a side hustle that pointed them toward sweets.
The mobile concept launched in the Rockford, Illinois, area in summer 2019, the same account notes. Alex Edwards left his firefighting career in 2020 as the family committed more fully to the growing business, and the Edwardses opened their first permanent Rockford cafe in 2022 before launching a franchise program later that year. Per peersense.com, that franchise program officially launched in November 2022, with the first franchised unit opening in March 2023.
What's on the Menu
Candy Cloud's core menu spans artisan coffee, iced and shaken espresso drinks, matcha, milk tea, smoothies, fresh-squeezed lemonade, horchata, boba, dessert shakes, energy drinks and soft serve, the site's report details. CultureMap San Antonio's account narrows in on some specific pours, describing brown sugar shaken breves, horchata, boba-filled lemonades and caffeinated refreshers, alongside cake pops and shakes. The chain also introduces limited-edition flavors monthly, according to that outlet.
Food offerings shown on the brand's menu include grilled cheese, breakfast melts, pretzel bites, doughnut bites and cake pops, myneighborhoodnews.com reports. Many drinks are prepared in tall, transparent containers resembling beverage cans and sealed after preparation — a pop-top presentation that peersense.com describes as a signature visual identity for the brand, and one CultureMap San Antonio frames as sealing each order in a pop-top plastic can.
Timeline Still Murky
Exactly when New Braunfels boba fans will get their first taste remains unclear, and the available reporting does not fully agree. Whatnow.com states that construction is expected to begin in October, with the project currently targeting completion in February 2027 — a timeline CultureMap San Antonio also cites, attributing it to project details before Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. But myneighborhoodnews.com reports that Candy Cloud and its developer have not yet released an opening timeline, and whatnow.com separately notes that Candy Cloud has not announced an official grand-opening date.
CultureMap San Antonio said it reached out to Candy Cloud for an update on the timeline. In the meantime, the brand continues to grow well beyond Central Texas. Jaxdailyrecord.com reported the company had six open locations in Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin, with five more coming soon in Illinois, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin, according to the brand's website, while peersense.com separately reported that as of January 2026 Candy Cloud operated locations across 13 states with 16 additional locations in development.
