Quality builds the brand.

For a long time, Thai Nguyen tea has been a prominent specialty, favored by consumers both domestically and internationally. In the context of a rapidly changing market, with increasingly high demands for quality, food safety, and brand building, the traditional tea industry is forced to transform itself. Among many production facilities actively innovating, Nguyen Long Tea Cooperative is a prime example, with its systematic approach contributing to the strong rise of Thai Nguyen tea on the Vietnamese agricultural map.

Nguyen Long Tea Cooperative is establishing a raw material area in Soi Vang hamlet, Tan Cuong commune.

Born and raised in Soi Vang hamlet, Tan Cuong commune, Nguyen Thanh Chau was familiar with planting, caring for, harvesting, and processing tea from a young age. After graduating from university, Chau worked in import-export, traveling to many countries and visiting many tea-producing regions, so he was always deeply concerned about how to elevate the quality of his hometown's tea products.

In 2020, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Chau decided to quit his job with a fairly stable income to return to his hometown and shift his focus to tea production. Using his family's tea plantation, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Chau collaborated with five other families in Soi Vang hamlet to establish a cooperative producing organic tea according to VietGAP standards, covering an area of ​​over 3 hectares.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Chau invited tea industry experts and agricultural extension officers to exchange knowledge and provide training to families involved in the cooperative, covering everything from planting and caring for the plants to processing the product. The entire tea plantation area of ​​the cooperative is strictly managed through a comprehensive tracking system, including schedules for applying organic fertilizers and spraying pesticides specifically for tea plants.

The tea is grown and cared for according to VietGAP standards. Photo: Provided

After more than two years of developing under a cooperative model, having built a brand and established a stable market, in 2022, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Chau decided to establish the Nguyen Long Tea Cooperative. To date, the Nguyen Long Tea Cooperative has expanded its partnerships with households, bringing the tea cultivation area to over 12 hectares, of which 20% is equipped with an automatic irrigation system.

Speaking with us, Ms. Ma Thi Hue, from Soi Vang hamlet – a member of the Nguyen Long Tea Cooperative – said: “My family has over 2,000 square meters of F1 hybrid tea plants. I have been affiliated with the cooperative for 4 years. Before joining, I cared for the tea based on my own experience, but now I follow the cooperative's procedures. Thanks to the use of organic fertilizers and pesticides specifically for tea plants, the soil is loose and porous, and the tea plants grow and develop well. Especially, my family doesn't have to worry about traders forcing down prices.”

After three years of development following a cooperative model and persistently building its brand through product quality, Nguyen Long Tea Cooperative now has two products that have achieved OCOP 4-star status: Nguyen Long Premium Tea and Nguyen Long Shrimp Bud Tea. In 2025, the cooperative will be certified by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee as a typical rural industrial product at the provincial level.

In a conversation with us, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Chau confided: "Only after visiting countries like China and Japan did I realize how many tea-growing households in my hometown operate haphazardly, relying on experience rather than branding, resulting in very low product prices. To establish a market position, we must pay attention to every stage, from planting and caring to processing, following the correct procedures and standards. High-quality tea products will build a brand. Once I have a good tea product, I research and design the packaging and labels myself, including complete information on traceability so consumers can easily identify it."

The packaging and labeling, developed by the cooperative, have a clear brand identity to allow customers to trace the product's origin.

From the raw material source to the processing and packaging facilities, we found that Nguyen Long Tea Cooperative operates a closed-loop production process with a wide variety of products, ranging from hook-shaped tea leaves and shrimp-shaped tea to premium products like bud tea. The cooperative invests in producing eye-catching packaging with an impressive brand identity, available in 150g, 200g, 500g, and 1kg boxes. In addition, the cooperative also develops gift sets for customers, making them convenient for personal use or as gifts.

In addition to traditional business platforms, Nguyen Long Tea Cooperative also leverages digital platforms, building a systematic communication strategy and selling products on e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, TikTok, and Facebook. Currently, the Nguyen Long Tea brand is present in many provinces and cities nationwide. While in 2024, Nguyen Long Tea Cooperative supplied nearly 4 tons of dried tea leaves to the market, production is expected to increase by nearly 30% in 2025.

To date, 50% of Nguyen Long Tea Cooperative's products are sold on digital platforms. Photo: Provided

Thanks to its innovative approach, the Nguyen Long Tea Cooperative has contributed to elevating the brand of Thai Nguyen tea in general and, in particular, increasing the income of local farmers, as the purchase price of organic tea is 20-30% higher than that of conventionally produced tea. Since linking with the cooperative, dozens of families have felt secure because their products are guaranteed a stable market and prices are transparent.

The story of Nguyen Long Tea Cooperative illustrates the inevitable trend in Thai Nguyen's tea industry: shifting from small-scale production to a collaborative model; from traditional methods to clean, modern techniques; and from selling raw products to building brand value. These changes not only bring sustainable income to tea growers but also contribute to enhancing the position of Thai Nguyen tea in domestic and international markets.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/kinh-te/202602/chat-luong-lam-nen-thuong-hieu-1f93efe/