The origins of coffee tea may be traced all the way back to Hong Kong, where it is referred to as "Yuan Yang." "Yuan Yang" refers to the mandarin duck. If you've ever seen a mandarin duck, you'll quickly notice that the female's appearance is different from the male. Although they both are the same species, their appearance is different. Thus, this is true for coffee and tea, which both come from plants but have a completely different flavor. If you didn't know, the pair of mandarin ducks are never separated. When a mandarin duck loses its mate, it does not look for another. People utilized this analogy to illustrate how coffee and milk tea, which are opposite, can complement one another and produce exquisite flavors.

Initially, this beverage was exclusively available from street vendors and Kopitiam (local coffee shops). However, it has grown in popularity to the point where several restaurants and franchises now sell it. Throughout the years, coffee and milk tea have been combined under a variety of different names and different proportions, depending on the region.

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