Rich flavor of bitter melon and cinnamon tea bags

Untitled design (1) — *Cinnamon bitter melon tea bags. Photo: THUY HIEN*

In the high mountains of Tra My, people born in the village like Mr. Le Van Ba (born in 1972, Tra Dong commune) - Head of the Control Board of Phu Quy Cooperative always wonder about how to produce products from the forest trees and leaves of Bac Tra My mountains. Passionate about wild bitter melon, Mr. Ba, while drinking tea to celebrate Tet, came up with the idea of making tea flavor from this precious medicinal herb.

“Wild bitter melon can be grown all year round. This type of squash is easy to grow and does not require pesticides, so it is very safe. This is considered a medicinal herb with many health benefits such as reducing blood sugar, anti-oxidation, increasing immunity, and supporting weight loss. In particular, wild bitter melon and cinnamon are a unique flavor combination of the mountainous district of Bac Tra My, so I want to exploit it to promote my hometown products,” said Mr. Ba.

[ VIDEO ] - Mr. Le Van Ba shares about the product of bitter melon tea bags with cinnamon scent:

With locally available raw materials, Phu Quy Cooperative purchases dried wild bitter melon vines from local people for 200,000 VND/kg. In 2023, the Cooperative invested more than 40 million VND, then started processing. From the drying, grinding into powder, and packaging a box of 25 bags/25g, the Cooperative brings to the market for 70,000 VND/box.

Ingredients are 99.9% wild bitter melon and 0.1% cinnamon powder, the product does not contain toxic chemicals. Users just need to put the filter bag directly into boiling water, wait 3 - 5 minutes to have a cup of wild bitter melon tea bag with strong cinnamon flavor.

*Wild bitter melon tea bags are easy to use for all consumers. Photo: THUY HIEN*

Sipping tea from Phu Quy Cooperative, Mr. Vo Duc Bao (Tam Thai commune, Phu Ninh district) said: “After a few seconds of mixing it with hot water, the cinnamon scent wafts out. Taking the first sip, I felt the slight bitterness of wild bitter melon lingering on the tip of my tongue. The second sip, the sweet aftertaste of the tea lingers in my throat. The more I drink, the more I like it. Almost everyone in my family likes it, so every time I come to Bac Tra My, I often buy a lot to use and give as gifts.”

*Customers prefer cinnamon-scented bitter melon tea bags. Photo: THUY HIEN*

After being recognized as a 3-star OCOP product in 2024, Mr. Ba said that the cinnamon-scented bitter melon tea bags are known by many people, selling more than 1,000 boxes/year. The product's value is widely promoted to consumers through OCOP product display programs, startup products, fairs... Currently, this type of tea is selling well in the areas of Bac Tra My, Thang Binh, Que Son and is approaching the markets of Da Nang City and Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Mr. Ba, Phu Quy Cooperative has signed a contract to purchase wild bitter melon from 7 households and to purchase unlimited quantities from local people. And in the near future, the Cooperative plans to invest in a dryer to help people dry wild bitter melon during the rainy season.

[VIDEO] - Mr. Do Tan Phuoc - Vice Chairman of Tra Dong Commune People's Committee:

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/dam-da-vi-tra-tui-loc-kho-qua-rung-huong-que-3146381.html