Shanam Tea: The Pride of the Mong People

The ancient tea trees in the highlands are not only a valuable source of raw materials but also an indispensable part of the cultural life of the ethnic minorities here. Shanam tea of ​​the Mong people is such a product.

At the annual Tao Marcom event held in February - the leading annual event of the Marketing and Communication industry, Shanam tea was chosen to connect the Vietnamese tea drinking culture through the delicate flavor of ancient Shan Tuyet tea.

At the Shanam Tea table, guests experienced cups of ancient Shan Tuyet White Cloud Tea - a unique product from the Northwest mountains. This is not only a drink but also a cultural bridge, carrying the story of ancient tea trees hundreds of years old.

In particular, when guests enjoy tea, they will listen to the story behind each tea bud, understanding the hard work and efforts of the tea makers. They are surprised to know that the tea buds they are enjoying are hand-picked from ancient tea trees hundreds of years old, at an altitude of more than 1,500 meters. Through that, they not only feel the flavor but also understand and appreciate the values ​​that Shanam Tea wants to convey.

Ancient Ta Xua tea buds are the raw material for the famous Shanam tea (Photo: TAFOOD)

Not only was Shanam tea loved at this event, exactly 5 years ago, it was also honored with a number of extremely prestigious awards. Specifically, the product Bach Tra Thien of the Shanam tea brand won the Asia-Pacific Silver Award in China. Just a few months later, the Tea Epicure organization (USA) ranked Shanam tea at the top of the list of the world's best green teas with a near-perfect score of 94/100.

This recognition is the sweet fruit of the tireless efforts of Northwest Tea and Specialty Products Company Limited (TAFOOD) - Ta Xua commune, Bac Yen district,Son La province, the owner of the Shanam tea brand. They not only enhance the value of Shan Tuyet Ta Xua tea, but also contribute to preserving the hundred-year-old tea trees and maintaining the livelihoods of the local people.Mong peoplelocal people who have helped preserve the hundreds of years old tea trees.

Tea buds gather the essence

Shanam tea is grown in the Ta Xua mountain area, Bac Yen district, Son La province, located on the Hoang Lien Son range with an average altitude of 2,000-2,800m above sea level. The climate here is a perfect combination of sunlight and humidity, creating conditions for tea plants to grow naturally.

Shanam tea is grown in Ta Xua mountain area, Bac Yen district, Son La province (Photo: TAFOOD)

Ta Xua Shan Tuyet tea has its own unique characteristics: gray-white tea buds, with a layer of powder on the surface similar to snow. This is a prominent feature of ancient Shan Tuyet tea, helping to protect the tea buds from pests and harsh weather. The tea is often completely frozen in winter, then begins to sprout again when spring comes. The name "Shan Tuyet" also originates from this point.

Not only different in appearance, Shan Tuyet Ta Xua tea also has a unique flavor. When brewed, the tea has a golden color, a light astringent taste, a deep sweet aftertaste and lingers on the tip of the tongue. It is the sophistication in each sip of tea that makes Shan Tuyet Ta Xua tea highly appreciated by tea lovers at home and abroad.

Despite the potential, when TAFOOD first arrived in Ta Xua, it faced many difficulties. Previously, the Mong people here only picked tea in the traditional way, not paying attention to technical standards such as "one bud, two leaves". They roasted the tea with wood fire, which resulted in tea products not reaching optimal quality.

Ms. Pham Thi Viet Ha - Deputy Director of Tay Bac Tea and Specialty Company Limited said that to produce Shanam tea, TAFOOD has worked with ethnic people from the very beginning. All beginnings are difficult. In the early days, despite all efforts to convince them that if they picked the tea with the right technique of "one bud, two leaves", Shan Tuyet tea would truly be green gold, white gold, people could not feel that it was gold, and still picked it the way they had always done it, picking as the buds appeared. Changing awareness and farming practices is not easy in a place where most people are illiterate, there are many 13, 14 year old girls who are mothers, and hunger haunts them all year round. They only wait for the tea tree to bud and pick it immediately to sell, not patient enough to wait for the right time of "one bud, two leaves".

To have quality raw materials to serve consumers, TAFOOD has taken strategic steps to change farming habits. Specifically, the company has increased the purchase price of fresh tea from 20,000 VND/kg to 40,000 VND/kg to encourage people to harvest tea properly and sell it to businesses. In addition, it has instructed people on tea harvesting techniques according to standards. In addition, it has supported people to join the Ta Xua Tea Cooperative and invest in tea processing factories right in the locality. By "holding hands and showing them how to do it", the Mong people have clearly seen the value of Shan Tuyet tea and increasingly appreciate this plant. Tea trees not only help them have a stable income but also contribute to protecting natural forests and mountains, preserving a sustainable ecosystem.

When the Shanam brand was launched in December 2017, participating in fairs and exhibitions, tea makers had to hold up photos to tell customers how the tea was produced from ancient trees. They even had to communicate about the tea tree first, then let customers try it before communicating about the product.

However, up to now, with the support of the media and local authorities, Shanam has positioned its brand as a quality Shan tea line suitable for many audiences and markets. For example, products to help the elderly avoid insomnia; products for fathers, mothers, children or grandmothers...

In particular, besides traditional tea, TAFOOD is also a pioneer in producing Shanam pressed tea, a new and unique product line that has brought many cultural and economic values ​​to the locality in recent years.

Combining tea production and tourism

To enhance the value of tea products, since 2021, TAFOOD has developed the "Ta Xua Specialty Tea Production and Business Complex" combined with tea tourism. Visitors can not only admire the beauty of ancient tea hills, but also pick tea and experience traditional tea processing.

Tea lovers coming to Ta Xua have the opportunity to learn more about the tea making process (Photo: TAFOOD)

Tea lovers coming to Ta Xua have the opportunity to learn more about the tea making process, from harvesting, processing to packaging. This is not only an interesting experience but also helps raise public awareness of the value of Shan Tuyet tea.

In addition, the development of tea tourism also creates new economic opportunities for the locality. People not only earn income from selling tea but also from tourism services such as homestay, tour guides, and local cuisine. Thanks to the combination of production and cultural experience, the Shanam tea brand is increasingly affirmed in the domestic and international markets.

Looking to the future, TAFOOD continues to expand its production scale, developing new product lines such as pressed tea cakes and fermented tea to meet the diverse tastes of consumers. At the same time, the company is promoting the export of Shanam tea to international markets, bringing opportunities to promote Vietnamese tea on the world map.

In addition, one of TAFOOD's important strategies is to enhance brand value through quality certification. International standards such as Organic EU, USDA or JAS Japan are being targeted by the company to build solid trust with global consumers. In addition, product research and development is also focused.

It can be said that Shanam tea is not only a simple agricultural product but also a symbol of the culture and spirit of the Mong people in the Northwest highlands. The ancient Shan Tuyet tea buds from Ta Xua are the crystallization of nature and human efforts, firmly stepping on the journey to conquer new heights.

The preservation and development of Shan Tuyet Ta Xua tea not only contributes to maintaining the precious natural heritage but also brings sustainable economic value to the local community. In the future, with the support of businesses like TAFOOD and the love of tea lovers, Shanam tea will go even further, spreading the flavor of Vietnamese tea across five continents.

In addition to traditional tea lines, Shanam is experimenting with innovative tea products such as herbal tea blends and convenient tea bags to reach younger and busier customers.

According to: congthuong.vn