Innovation and creativity from green tea buds

From the traditional tea land, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet, Director of Tuyet Huong Cooperative (Dong Hy commune, Thai Nguyen), has constantly innovated and created to bring her hometown tea buds to foreign markets.

We had the opportunity to visit the "heart-shaped tea hill" of Tuyet Huong Cooperative on an afternoon in early August. In the sunset that was gradually turning the sky yellow, the lush green tea fields stretched out like soft silk strips winding between the sky and earth.

In the midst of that peaceful scene, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet, Director of Tuyet Huong Cooperative, is diligently working with the other women in the cooperative to quickly pick each tea bud to prepare for drying. Each young bud with one bud and two leaves is cherished by them, because this is not only the result of many days of care and cultivation, but also a green economic source for each family.

From specialty tea region to national brand

Leading us around the tea rows that were planned, neatly trimmed, and had landscaped spots for "check-in", Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet recalled that Tuyet Huong Cooperative was established in 2012, in the middle of the "capital" of Dong Hy tea, a land famous for names such as Song Cau, Trai Cai, Hoa Trung...

The cooperative's heart-shaped tea hill not only provides raw materials for making tea but also aims to develop tourism.

This land is blessed with a cool climate, mineral-rich soil from the limestone mountains and the gentle Cau River. These are ideal conditions for tea plants to extract the essence of heaven and earth. However, to create products with a foothold in the market from these tea beds requires dedication and constant innovation from tea growers.

Ms. Tuyet said: "From the very first days of starting the business, I determined that the development path of the cooperative must be associated with the criteria of quality, safety and creativity. Consumer tastes change very quickly. If we produce in the old way, with simple designs, it will be difficult to compete. To survive, we have to change."

A successful startup is when you dare to innovate, dare to step out of the beaten path, so that local products can reach far and wide.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet, Director of Tuyet Huong Cooperative

Starting from the smallest things like picking tea, roasting tea, etc., the cooperative has instructed members on how to do it appropriately for each type of product. In addition, Ms. Tuyet also focused on investing in a factory and modern roasting machines to preserve the green color and natural aroma of the tea.

At the same time, the cooperative organized many training sessions, invited experts to guide processing and preservation techniques, especially ensuring food hygiene and safety. These efforts have brought results. After only a few years, the cooperative's products were recognized as "Typical rural industrial products" from the provincial to national levels.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet (left) and members of the tea harvesting cooperative

In 2017, two tea lines Minh Tam and Bao Lam were ranked 4-star OCOP. Notably, the cooperative's products were honored to be chosen as gifts for leaders attending the APEC Conference. This was a turning point for the Tuyet Huong brand to be widely known.

Currently, the cooperative owns nearly 50 hectares of raw material area, of which 15 hectares meet VietGAP standards, 5 hectares have organic growing area codes. The cooperative has 6 tea product lines and many tea-processed products such as: black tea, matcha, camellia, confectionery made from tea leaves...

Not only stopping at quality, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet boldly changed the packaging design, using woven bamboo and rattan boxes, printing poetry on labels, aiming for environmental friendliness and imbued with Thai Nguyen tea culture.

This is also a secret for the product to conquer the market. Because according to Ms. Tuyet: "Packaging is not only to contain the product, but also to tell the story of the land and the tea maker. When holding a box of tea in hand, customers can feel both its flavor and spirit."

Experience in approaching the market in the digital age

In the past 3 years, in addition to traditional sales channels, Tuyet Huong Cooperative has shifted to the online market. Director of Tuyet Huong Cooperative shared that e-commerce platforms are a channel to promote and introduce products effectively without spending too much money.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet performs the tea making process.

In addition, the cooperative also opened a tea ceremony space to introduce tea and tea products, as well as traditional tea culture. Thanks to that, the number of customers increased significantly, especially young customers and women.

In the past, I mainly sold tea to traders, and the price was unstable. Since joining Tuyet Huong Tea Cooperative and receiving technical training, my products have been more valuable. The important thing is that I feel secure because the tea I make is trusted by consumers."

Ms. Au Thi The, a member of Tuyet Huong Tea Cooperative

Sharing the secret to approaching the modern market, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet said that in the process of building a brand, she always adheres to 3 criteria. First, quality is the foundation, good products are the only way to retain customers for a long time.

Second, it is necessary to focus on brand image and story, telling a true, emotional story about the product to create a connection with buyers. Third, it is necessary to proactively learn technology, not afraid to experiment with new sales channels to reach customers everywhere.

The cooperative currently brings stable income to its members and helps improve the lives of people in the raw material area. At the same time, the cooperative also contributes to building the image of Dong Hy tea area to become one of the four famous tea areas of Thai Nguyen province.

With these efforts, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet was honored as "Outstanding Vietnamese Farmer", a typical female member in production and business in the locality.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/doi-moi-sang-tao-tu-nhung-bup-che-xanh-2025082514213791.htm