Artisan Nguyen Thi Hai: Reviving ancient tea varieties, bringing the scent of hometown tea far and wide

Among the green tea hills of La Bang, Thai Nguyen province, there is a woman who has devoted all her heart to preserving and renewing the flavor of her homeland. Artisan Nguyen Thi Hai, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of La Bang Tea Cooperative, is not only the "soul keeper" of the traditional midland tea tree, but also a person who is passionate about bringing Vietnamese tea products to the market with creative thinking and new ways of doing things.

Video shared by artisan Nguyen Thi Hai:

Concerned about the potential extinction of the ancient midland tea variety, artisan Nguyen Thi Hai, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of La Bang Tea Cooperative, has found a new direction: transforming traditional values ​​into modern products. Innovative product lines such as black tea, matcha powder, and bamboo tube tea not only preserve the natural flavor of La Bang but also conquer demanding markets like Japan.

“I’ve always been concerned about how to develop the economy while preserving the unique values ​​of my homeland. When I established the cooperative, I devoted my efforts to building the brand, constantly researching and innovating, and developing products that meet organic standards. In addition to traditional teas, we have researched and launched many new products such as black tea, matcha, and bamboo tube tea… which have initially been well-received and loved by consumers,” shared artisan Hai.

Artisan Nguyen Thi Hai, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of La Bang Tea Cooperative, is always concerned about the ancient tea variety of her homeland.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai, each new product is a way to preserve the ancient midland tea variety, a tea variety that has been associated with the people of La Bang for generations but is in danger of being "forgotten" due to its low value. "If we don't create new directions and increase the value of the products, this precious tea variety will gradually disappear. That's why I'm determined to research and create higher-value products so that the cooperative can purchase them at a good price, helping people increase their income. When their lives improve, people will return to planting and caring for this ancient tea," Ms. Hai confided.

Among her products, the bamboo tube tea line is one she is particularly passionate about. The idea originated from the image of bamboo tubes, closely associated with Vietnamese life, combined with the ancient La Bang tea, creating a harmony between nature and culture. Meanwhile, matcha powder and organic green tea open up a new market, serving the beauty and culinary needs of young people, especially women. From body creams and confectionery to beverages, the flavor of La Bang tea is now present in many modern products, even exported to Japan.

Those efforts have yielded "sweet fruits". Under the leadership of artisan Nguyen Thi Hai, the La Bang Tea Cooperative has developed sustainably, with revenue increasing steadily year after year: from 3 billion VND in 2020 to 4.5 billion VND in 2024, creating stable jobs for 20 permanent workers (mostly women) and more than 100 seasonal workers.

Artisan Nguyen Thi Hai was honored to receive the Vietnam Women's Award 2025.

Ms. Hai also organizes many training courses on safe tea cultivation, harvesting, and processing techniques, sharing practical experience and providing technical support to farmers inside and outside the province. The cooperative currently connects more than 200 households, building a 27-hectare raw material area that meets organic and VietGAP standards. One product has been recognized as a 4-star OCOP product, achieving the title of Outstanding Rural Industrial Product at the regional level in 2022 and Outstanding Agricultural Product at the provincial level in 2024.

Simultaneously, the cooperative invested in a 1,000-square-meter workshop, showroom, modern machinery system, applied ISO 22000:2018 standards, and underwent comprehensive digital transformation, expanding its online sales channels. As a result, revenue in 2024 reached 9 billion VND, contributing to raising the income of local people (an average of 8-9 million VND/month) and creating more jobs in the area.

"Each tea product is the culmination of hands, minds, and love for the homeland. I want that when someone holds a cup of La Bang tea in their hand, they not only enjoy the taste but also feel the cultural story behind it," shared artisan Nguyen Thi Hai.

Not content with just producing tea, artisan Nguyen Thi Hai has also developed a tea culture tourism model. Tourists, students, and tea lovers can go to the tea plantations to pick tea leaves, process tea manually, and learn how to brew and enjoy tea in the Thai Nguyen style. These experiences help spread love for the tea plant, a symbol of the perseverance, diligence, and creativity of Vietnamese women. Each month, Ms. Hai welcomes between 200 and 500 visitors, including students, international tourists, and others, who come to learn about and experience Vietnamese tea culture.

The girls enjoyed immersing themselves in the lush green tea hills.

Many hands-on activities such as tea picking and processing can be found in La Bang, Thai Nguyen province.

“Currently, our cooperative is implementing many service activities associated with agricultural tourism experiences, such as organizing visits for locals, tourists, and students to directly go to the tea plantations to pick tea with the locals, learn how to process tea manually, package products, and learn about tea culture… Tourists can also experience the characteristic way of brewing and enjoying tea in Thai Nguyen, especially the unique characteristics of the La Bang region.”

However, during the implementation process, we also encountered many difficulties. First, the awareness of the local people about the community tourism model is still limited; many people do not truly understand the meaning and long-term benefits of tourism linked to agriculture. Changing the mindset and production habits of farmers also takes time. In addition, there is a shortage of land for development and investment in tourism infrastructure, which makes expanding the scale of operations very difficult,” Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai shared.

Through her continuous efforts in innovation and creativity, artisan Nguyen Thi Hai has contributed to elevating the La Bang tea brand, transforming the image of rural women into a symbol of confidence, resilience, and aspiration. Recently, artisan Nguyen Thi Hai was honored with the Vietnam Women's Award 2025. Sharing her feelings upon receiving this prestigious award, Ms. Hai said: “I am very happy and excited to receive the Vietnam Women's Award. This is not only a source of pride but also a recognition of my efforts and contributions over the past time. This award is also a great encouragement for me to continue striving, spreading positive values, and inspiring more people, sharing and spreading the spirit of Vietnamese women in the new era.” The Vietnam Women's Award 2025 is a well-deserved recognition for that journey, the journey of a woman who dares to think, dares to act, and dares to dream of a green future for her hometown of Thai Nguyen.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/xa-hoi/nghe-nhan-nguyen-thi-hai-hoi-sinh-giong-che-co-dua-huong-tra-que-vuon-xa-20251016100438061.htm