Elevating the “Tea of the Ancestral Land” Brand

Blessed with extensive tea-growing landscapes and a long-standing tea-making tradition, Phu Tho Province is embarking on a strategic initiative to build the “Tea of the Ancestral Land” brand. The proposed programme is expected to become a major catalyst for transforming the tea industry, enabling Phu Tho’s signature tea to reach global markets while becoming a new symbol of pride for Vietnam’s ancestral homeland.

Long Coc Tea Hills, a key asset for developing a multi-value ecological economy.

Tea has been cultivated in the midland region of Phu Tho for generations and has long been one of the province’s principal agricultural products. On July 20, 1958, President Ho Chi Minh visited the Phu Tho Tea Factory in Dao Gia Commune (formerly Thanh Ba District), where he encouraged factory workers, tea growers and industry employees, providing lasting inspiration for the province’s tea sector.

Today, Phu Tho is recognised as one of Vietnam’s leading tea-producing regions. In addition to hosting a specialised tea research institute, the province is home to 76 large-scale tea processing enterprises, 18 traditional craft villages, and 12 cooperatives engaged in tea production.

Tea is cultivated across 58 communes, covering approximately 14,500 hectares, with annual fresh tea leaf output exceeding 193,000 tonnes, ranking second nationwide. Nearly half of the tea-growing area is concentrated in large production zones, while more than 3,800 hectares have been assigned official growing area codes.

Beyond providing livelihoods for local communities, tea hills in Long Coc, My Thuan, Minh Dai and Yen Ky offer significant potential for combining agricultural production with tourism and experiential travel.

According to Ha Thi Thanh Nguyen, Secretary of the Party Cell of Du Hamlet in Xuan Dai Commune, local tea producers have benefited substantially from support programmes.

“Since receiving assistance with tea processing equipment for Xuan Son Morning Dew Tea, together with guidance on product packaging and branding, the value of our tea has increased significantly. Local people are delighted because the products now have stable markets and higher selling prices, helping improve their incomes.”

Visitors experience tea picking in the province’s tea-growing areas.

From Production to Brand Development

In recent years, Phu Tho’s tea industry has increasingly shifted from volume-oriented production toward quality improvement and value creation.

The province currently has nearly 40 tea products recognised under Vietnam’s OCOP (One Commune One Product) programme with three- and four-star ratings. Among them, Hoai Trung Premium Bud Tea and Thanh Ba UT Purple Tea have both achieved the prestigious five-star national OCOP certification.

According to Le Thi Hong Phuong, Director of UT Tea Investment and Development Co., Ltd., the company has invested heavily in modern equipment and production technologies to improve product quality.

As a result, production has become more stable, creating regular employment opportunities while expanding market access.

Despite these achievements, considerable untapped potential remains.

The province’s average tea export price currently reaches only about 60% of the global average, while nearly 70% of production continues to be exported as black tea in raw or semi-processed form, or under individual company brands. Consequently, Phu Tho tea has yet to establish a strong international identity.

To address this challenge, the Provincial People’s Committee has drafted the “Tea of the Ancestral Land Brand Development Project” for the 2026–2030 period.

The strategy is built upon a clear division of roles: government will provide policy support and create favourable conditions, enterprises will lead value chain development, while cooperatives and tea growers will serve as the foundation for sustainable growth.

By 2030, the province aims to maintain approximately 14,000 hectares of tea plantations while replacing 2,500 hectares of ageing tea bushes with higher-yielding, superior-quality varieties.

The plan also targets: 80% of tea-growing areas adopting recognised sustainable production standards such as VietGAP, GlobalGAP, Rainforest Alliance and organic farming; more than 70% of concentrated tea-growing areas receiving official growing area codes and 50% of concentrated production zones benefiting from upgraded farm roads and irrigation infrastructure to improve productivity and climate resilience.

Premium packaging and product design for OCOP-certified tea products contribute to higher brand value and economic returns.

Building a Global Tea Identity

A central feature of the project is the creation of an exclusive “Tea of the Ancestral Land” brand identity and logo inspired by the cultural heritage of the Hung Kings, reinforcing the province’s unique historical identity.

The province plans to standardise production processes and authorise at least 15 leading enterprises and cooperatives to use the common brand. By 2030, all premium tea products and OCOP-certified teas rated four stars or above are expected to carry the unified brand label.

At the same time, the product portfolio will be restructured to increase the proportion of high-quality green tea, Oolong tea and deeply processed Matcha products to more than 40% of total output, while gradually reducing exports of unprocessed black tea.

The project also places strong emphasis on preserving the cultural heritage associated with tea cultivation.

The province plans to prepare applications seeking recognition of ancient Shan Tuyet tea trees in Xuan Son National Park and Pa Co as Vietnam Heritage Trees, helping preserve valuable genetic resources while creating sustainable livelihoods for ethnic minority communities.

In addition, Phu Tho intends to develop a formal Tea of the Ancestral Land Tea Ceremony for use during diplomatic events and major cultural programmes, while establishing the Tea of the Ancestral Land Festival as an annual event associated with the Hung Kings Commemoration Festival.

Digital transformation will also play an important role in the industry’s future development. Planned initiatives include the application of GIS technology for plantation management, electronic production records, IoT-based environmental monitoring systems and early pest forecasting.

Meanwhile, the Department of Industry and Trade, together with relevant agencies, will continue expanding domestic distribution through supermarket chains and e-commerce platforms while promoting exports to demanding markets such as the European Union, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, and Muslim-majority countries through Halal certification.

Building on its rich historical heritage, distinctive tea culture and strong production base, the “Tea of the Ancestral Land” initiative is expected to become a new flagship brand for Phu Tho agriculture, enhancing the value of the province’s tea industry while promoting the image of Vietnam’s ancestral homeland to consumers both at home and abroad.

Le Hoang