Quick Answer
50 Lan is a Taiwanese brand, founded in 1994 in Tainan by Ma Shao-wei. What does the name mean? It comes from the Japanese surname Igarashi (written with the characters for “fifty” and “storm”), which the founder spotted in a Japanese magazine and liked because it sounded good and was easy to remember. Its signature “50 Lan No. 1” is Four Seasons Spring tea with tapioca pearls, large boba and nata de coco. The first model store (Xinxiao store) opened in Tainan in 1997. According to Wikipedia, 50 Lan in Taiwan is divided into four operating regions, Tainan (company-run), North, Central and Kaohsiung, with about 600 locations nationwide. The often-asked-about KOI Thé was founded in 2006 by the founder’s sister Ma Ya-fen and went overseas from Singapore in 2011; mainland China’s Yi Dian Dian (also written 1Dian Dian) was started by 50 Lan’s Northern region operator and has no capital, staff or ownership link to 50 Lan in Taiwan.
What Is 50 Lan?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1994, Tainan |
| Founder | Ma Shao-wei |
| First model store | 1997, Xinxiao store, Tainan |
| Operating model | Four regions: Tainan (company-run), North, Central, Kaohsiung |
| Locations in Taiwan | About 600 (Wikipedia) |
50 Lan Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Founder sells juice and tea drinks from a stall in Tainan |
| 1997 | First model store opens (Xinxiao store, Tainan) |
| 2006 | The founder’s sister Ma Ya-fen starts the KOI brand |
| 2011 | KOI Thé begins expanding overseas from Singapore; the Northern region operator develops Yi Dian Dian in mainland China |
What Is 50 Lan No. 1?
50 Lan’s “No. 1” uses Four Seasons Spring tea as its base with three toppings, tapioca pearls, large boba and nata de coco, and is one of the most talked-about signature drinks online. For the tea, see What Is Four Seasons Spring Tea?; for nata de coco, see What Is Nata de Coco Made Of?
How 50 Lan, KOI Thé and Yi Dian Dian Are Related
| Brand | Relationship |
|---|---|
| 50 Lan (Taiwan) | Taiwanese brand founded in 1994 |
| KOI Thé | A separate brand started by the founder’s sister Ma Ya-fen; went overseas from Singapore in 2011 |
| Yi Dian Dian | Started in mainland China by 50 Lan’s Northern region operator; renamed because the 50 Lan name had already been registered there by someone else |
According to ETtoday, the new brands that 50 Lan’s regional operators developed overseas have no capital, staff, supply or shareholding ties to 50 Lan in Taiwan.
3 Lessons for Bubble Tea Businesses
- Regional operator systems: 50 Lan is run by region, so responsibilities between headquarters and each region must be clearly written into contracts; see What Is a Brand-Authorized Distributor?
- Register trademarks first: Yi Dian Dian was renamed because the brand name had already been registered locally by someone else, so check trademarks before expanding overseas; see Taking a Bubble Tea Brand Overseas.
- A memorable name: borrowed from a Japanese surname, “50 Lan” is easy to say and remember, which helps word of mouth.
How Tang Sugar Helps Bubble Tea Brands
Tang Sugar supplies bubble tea ingredients including teas, fruit syrups, tapioca pearls and powders, with a single quote for your whole menu and consolidated container shipping, plus distributor partnerships and tea shop opening services. Contact us.
Note: This article summarizes public information about the brand’s development. Tang Sugar has no partnership or affiliation with the brands mentioned; brand names and trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Products in this article
All 82 Bubble Tea & Boba Ingredients →
FAQ
Where is 50 Lan from? Is it Taiwanese?
Yes. 50 Lan is a Taiwanese brand founded in 1994 in Tainan by Ma Shao-wei.
What does the name 50 Lan mean?
It comes from the Japanese surname Igarashi. The founder saw the surname in a Japanese magazine and chose it because it sounded good and was easy to remember.
What is 50 Lan No. 1?
50 Lan’s “No. 1” is Four Seasons Spring tea with tapioca pearls, large boba and nata de coco.
How many 50 Lan stores are there?
According to Wikipedia, about 600 locations in Taiwan, divided into four operating regions: Tainan, North, Central and Kaohsiung.
Is KOI Thé related to 50 Lan?
KOI Thé was founded by 50 Lan founder’s sister Ma Ya-fen as a separate, independent brand, and began expanding overseas from Singapore in 2011.
Is Yi Dian Dian the same as 50 Lan?
Yi Dian Dian is a brand started in mainland China by 50 Lan’s Northern region operator, and has no capital, staff or ownership link to 50 Lan in Taiwan.
Further Reading
- Taiwan’s Bubble Tea Culture
- What Is a Brand-Authorized Distributor?
- The CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice Brand Story
- Where Is Mixue From?
- Where Is Chun Shui Tang From?
- The Hanlin Tea House Brand Story
- Where Is Tiger Sugar From?
Sources
- Wikipedia: 50 Lan (Taiwan) (in Chinese)
- ETtoday (2019-08-10): “My brother wasn’t interested in overseas markets”: KOI Thé was started by 50 Lan founder’s sister (in Chinese)
- Storm Media: 50 Lan’s No. 1 dethroned: “No. 2” now takes center stage (in Chinese)
- ETtoday (2019-08-11): 50 Lan’s regions operate separately: one chart explains the relationships (in Chinese)
