The pearl milk tea originated in Taiwan in the 1980s and was invented by two famous teahouses, Chun Shiu Tang Teahouse and Hanlin Teahouse. The drink became popular in several major tea shops in Taiwan, including Milk Shop, TP Tea, 50 Lan, and Bog Tea Shop. The pearl milk tea industry in Taiwan has grown significantly, with over 1 billion cups sold per year, bringing $1.5 trillion in global economic opportunity. However, the drink is high in calories and non-biodegradable plastic packaging is an environmental issue.