Patience to preserve the flavor of Vietnamese tea

Mr. Le Son Hai brews lotus scented tea.

In 2015, Le Son Hai took over and began managing his family’s tea farm, which covers more than 1 hectare. He devoted all his efforts to converting farming methods from traditional to organic, a choice that was not easy when pests, soil, and even weather were all unpredictable challenges.

There were tea seasons when the garden was almost bare because of pests. There were seasons when fungus struck, and there were seasons when the leaves turned yellow en masse. Many times he stood quietly in the middle of the sparse tea garden, wondering if his direction was right.

But instead of giving up, Hai chose to be patient. He studied biological farming techniques, creating diverse vegetation to improve the soil and increase the natural resistance of the plants. After many seasons of effort, the soil became looser, microorganisms became more active, and the tea garden gradually revived. The tea buds began to grow evenly and healthily. That result did not come from fertilizers or chemicals, but from time, love for tea plants, and perseverance with the word "organic".

It was not until March 2021, after nearly 6 years of working together, that Son Hai officially named his brainchild "An Hai Tra" and registered for intellectual property. He shared: I did not intend to register, because for me, the most important thing is product quality, not the label. But customers want a brand, a standard logo to avoid confusion. So I did it.

Star tea.

As someone who respects the cultural value in every cup of tea, Son Hai is very meticulous in choosing the brand image. He wants the logo to be classic, luxurious but simple, elegant, easy to perceive and convey a humane story, associated with Vietnamese tea culture.

Not just a consumer product, An Hai Tra is also Son Hai's way of telling the taste of hometown memories - something that is present in every kitchen and every simple conversation of Vietnamese people.

Currently, in addition to the family-run farm of more than 1 hectare, An Hai Tra also cooperates with 5 neighboring households to expand the raw material area to about 3 hectares. Hai and 4 regular workers are responsible for all stages from harvesting, preliminary processing, to flavoring, packaging and distribution. Each product is a blend of organic techniques and a philosophy of living close to nature.

An Hai Tra currently has two main lines: pure tea and scented tea. Of these, the flower-scented tea line, especially wolf flower tea, is one of the most special products. This flower was once very popular in the old villages, each family only planted a few plants to use to scent tea for family drinking. Nowadays, very few people still preserve that method. Hai has chosen to restore it. He personally grows wolf flowers all year round, harvests them at the right time, and scents them immediately after processing to preserve the natural essential oils.

Lotus scented tea products of An Hai Tra.

An Hai Tra’s product lines range from popular to high-end, ranging from 500,000 VND to 15 million VND/kg. Of which, “Wolf Nail Plate” is sold for 650,000 VND/kg, “Wolf White Crane” for 2 million VND/kg. The tea is preserved for 12 months, ensuring its flavor and purity.

During lotus season (May and June), Hai also brews lotus tea, a type of tea that has been offered and served on important occasions. Notably, some of An Hai Tra’s product lines have been selected to serve at the Vietnamese National Assembly, which is a great source of pride for a person working in the midland region.

Not only stopping at the product, Son Hai is following the direction of spreading Vietnamese tea culture through each cup of tea, each experience. He believes that a brand does not only lie in its reputation or packaging design, but also in the sincere and simple way people talk about it. An Hai Tra is not just a brand, it is the story of a young person returning, starting from the old land, with faith in values ​​that never get old - the value of kindness and culture.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202504/kien-nhangiu-huong-tra-viet-dd1055b/