Thai Nguyen - One Hundred Years of the Best Tea: The Journey of Preserving Identity and Reaching the World

In the open discussion, delegates and speakers contributed ideas on preserving tea heritage, building brands and developing the sustainable tea industry.

The event is within the framework Vietnamese Tea Journey - Culture and Heritage , part of the Project I love Vietnamese Culture and Tourism . Held on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of World Tea Day (May 21, 2020 - May 21, 2025), the event aims to honor Thai Nguyen tea heritage, promote cultural tourism and orient sustainable development for the Vietnamese tea industry.

The forum is not only a bridge between academic research and practice but also an opportunity to promote the image of Thai Nguyen as the center of tea culture in Vietnam.

Delegates attending the Forum.

From Tan Cuong tea heritage to global Vietnamese tea brand

Since the Nguyen Dynasty, the book "Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi" (1848-1883) recorded that Nam tea in Phu Luong district "tastes better than tea from other places".

By the early 20th century, Tan Cuong tea was grown on a large scale by the French, standardized and exported, affirming its position with the aroma of young rice, mild astringency and deep sweet aftertaste.

In his opening speech, Mr. Do Ngoc Van, Director of the Institute for Social Issues Research, said: “Today’s forum is an opportunity for us to look back on the proud 100-year journey, discuss the cultural and economic values ​​and sustainable development orientation for Thai Nguyen tea.”

“From lush green tea hills to the internationally renowned Thai Nguyen tea brand, the sharing of experts, researchers, leaders and artisans helps Thai Nguyen find solutions to preserve heritage, develop tea cultural tourism, enhance the brand and bring Thai Nguyen tea to the global market,” Mr. Do Ngoc Van emphasized.

Tea ladies demonstrate the art of tea making

Speaking at the Forum, Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga, Chairwoman of the Thai Nguyen Tea Association emphasized: “With the title of “first-class tea”, Thai Nguyen tea is not only an agricultural product, but also a cultural symbol, deeply attached to the life and soul of Thai Nguyen people”.

“Celebrating World Tea Day today is an opportunity for us to honor tea makers, preserve centuries-old traditions, and at the same time set new directions for Thai Nguyen tea to continue to develop sustainably, modernly and integratedly.”

To develop tourism from tea trees, it is not simply about exploiting and building on-site tourist attractions, but it is necessary to transform tea tree products to serve tourism to bring practical results.

From there, it helps develop sustainable economy, protect ecological environment resources, preserve and promote unique local cultural features, create jobs, improve income, and improve the lives of local people.

Thai Nguyen folk songs performed at the Forum

However, Ms. Vu Thi Thu Huong, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thai Nguyen admitted that currently, tea trees, tea regions and tea culture in Thai Nguyen province have not yet fully promoted their value to serve tourism.

The tours and routes built and organized in connection with the new tea regions are only spontaneous stops for visitors to take photos without any investment in tourism services, factory visits, product tasting and purchasing.

In the coming time, to exploit tea trees well for tourism, it is necessary to have strong and synchronous participation of all levels of government, people and tea production enterprises in creating, developing and maintaining the "Thai tea" brand for tea products of the whole province as well as establishing protection mechanisms and building a legal basis for controlling product quality to ensure supply to the market.

Vision and commitment to discover Thai Nguyen tea brand

The forum is not only an occasion to celebrate but also the beginning of a long-term strategy to elevate Thai Nguyen tea in the domestic and international markets.

The organizers of this event, such as the Institute for Social Studies, Thai Nguyen Tea Association and Thai Nguyen City People's Committee, committed to: Supporting the protection of native tea varieties, preserving traditional processing techniques and protecting the farming environment.

Applying high technology in clean tea production, encouraging cooperatives and businesses to innovate products such as green tea and oolong tea.

Build tours to experience Tan Cuong tea region, combined with Thai Nguyen cultural heritage to attract tourists.

Cooperate with media agencies and international partners to bring Thai Nguyen tea to major markets such as Asia, Europe, and North America.

Long known as the “Capital of Vietnamese green tea”, Tan Cuong has favorable natural conditions, sophisticated processing techniques and a love of the profession passed down from generation to generation.

The mission of developing the Tan Cuong tea brand is a journey of both inheritance and innovation, aiming to enhance the product's position in the domestic and international markets.

Delegates learn about tea culture and enjoy tea at the Forum

Brand development begins with preserving a distinct identity, not chasing quantity but focusing on quality and distinctive flavor. Not letting Tan Cuong tea become a mass-produced tea.

Besides preserving traditional values, applying modern technology to cultivation and processing is essential to improve productivity and product quality.

Clean tea and organic tea production models have been widely deployed, contributing to building the Tan Cuong tea brand that meets domestic and international standards.

Brand development is associated with traceability, professional packaging, and transparent QR codes to help users identify and trust the product.

In addition, expanding the market, bringing Tan Cuong tea to the world, especially to demanding markets such as Japan, Europe, the United States, etc. is a necessary task.

To do that, tea production units need to build a tight production - consumption chain between households, businesses and distributors. Invest in professional brand promotion through international fairs, digital media, and tea-region experience tourism.

Furthermore, a strong brand must create value for the community. Therefore, developing the Tan Cuong tea brand must go hand in hand with improving the income of tea growers; encouraging the younger generation to stick with the tea profession; and preserving the ecological landscape and environment of the tea region.

Developing the Tan Cuong tea brand is not only an economic problem but also a journey to preserve identity, spread the quintessence and continue writing the proud story of Vietnamese people on the world tea map.

Thai Nguyen - the land that has preserved and cherished the "first famous tea" for a century, is today continuing a new journey: The journey to put Vietnamese tea on the world map as a living heritage, a cultural symbol capable of spreading, connecting and inspiring the community.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/thai-nguyen-tram-nam-de-nhat-danh-tra-hanh-trinh-gin-giu-ban-sac-va-vuon-tam-the-gioi-20250521101821356.htm