On July 19, the five-day 2022 Spring China (Guangzhou) International Tea Industry Expo (the “Guangzhou Tea Expo”) came to a successful close in Zone C of the Canton Fair Complex in Guangzhou. Exhibitors said they reaped a bountiful harvest at this edition of the Expo — a trip well worth making, exceeding expectations.
Brand enterprises further consolidate their position in the industry
At this edition, major brands gathered at the Guangzhou Tea Expo: Dayi, Jin Da Fu, Chen Sheng Hao, Xiaguan, Zhengshantang, Fu Jin, Lancang Ancient Tea, Bao He Xiang, Fan Shun Hang, Shenghe Tea, Maosheng, Wuzhou Tea Factory, Shui Yu Xuan, Qianmo, Hehe Kanglong, Dinghu Spring Water and more — each brand showing its finest at the Expo.
The new brand “Meng Chang Hao” placed particular importance on the radiating influence of the Guangzhou market, and attached great value to the platform of the Guangzhou Tea Expo. At the venue it created the first-ever biodiversity exhibition area, bringing the pristine beauty of the ancient tea gardens of Ban Zhang to Guangzhou. The renowned dance artist Yang Liping — Yunnan’s public-welfare ambassador for biodiversity conservation and brand ambassador of “Meng Chang Hao” — attended the opening ceremony, and together with “Meng Chang Hao” and the Guangzhou Tea Expo launched an initiative to jointly safeguard global biodiversity.
Li Wenhua, founder of the Bao He Xiang brand, said that brand confidence is especially important at the present time: the market needs good brands, and brand enterprises must step forward — that is the responsibility a brand ought to shoulder.
Industry insiders observed that the pandemic has accelerated a reshuffle within the industry, that the brands on show are trending toward the premium end, and that brand enterprises remain optimistic about the industry. Outstanding brands committed to long-termism will occupy the leading position in the industry. Without a doubt, brand enterprises are the mainstay of the tea industry.
Online and offline integration
Online channels boost offline sales
At this edition of the Guangzhou Tea Expo, livestreaming was everywhere. Many brand enterprises — Lancang Ancient Tea, Fu Jin, Cangwu, Pu Zhuo Tang and others — set up livestream studios right at their booths, adopting real-time online-offline interaction: exhibiting at the venue while simultaneously selling goods through online livestreams.
The “National Tea Lecture Hall” series, held on-site at the Tea Expo for the first time, combined offline sharing with online livestreaming. Guests who appeared in person to give keynote talks included Chen Dong, president of the Guangdong Tea Collection and Appreciation Association; Li Wenhua, one of the drafters of the national standard for Pu’er tea; Chen Jingshun, founder of “Shunzi Talks Tea,” a leading tea-category host on WeChat Channels; Zheng Huanjian, writer and founder of the top domestic history media outlet “Zui Ai Lishi”; as well as Lin Zhijian, chairman of Guangdong Qimin Technology; reading promoter Ma Zesheng; Liu Guangming of Meng Chang Hao; and Jiang Wenfeng, general manager of Wuzhou Maosheng. The highest like count reached 30,000.
#Shunzi Talks Tea, the leading tea-category host on WeChat Channels, set up a “Dialogues with Tea World Titans” livestream studio during the Expo, holding conversations with leading tea brands at the fair such as Chen Sheng Hao, Fu Yuan Chang and Bao He Xiang, and taking viewers on a virtual tour of the exhibition.
More young people falling in love with tea
A huge new stream of traffic for the tea industry
A Disney tea caddy? That’s right — it was one of the innovative tea-packaging products at this edition of the Expo that drew young people. And not only that: IPs such as Ultraman, Honor of Kings, Pleasant Goat, Interstellar Bear and Little Yellow Duck are also teaming up with tea brands to bring more innovative tea products. These major IPs empower the tea industry, and the industry will take on a whole new look. At this edition, the tea-culture innovation zone themed “Tea? Reborn — The Healing Power of Tea” attracted many young people to tea.
And it was not only the innovation zone — tea-culture innovation could be seen everywhere. Tea brands spared no effort in winning over young consumers, with new products suited to young tastes and habits in both packaging and product design.
Yao Cong, general manager of Gangqi Chuangbian (Guangzhou) Planning & Design Co., Ltd., explained that the company’s designs use the IPs familiar to young people to carry the industry beyond its traditional circle and capture more traffic.
The highlight event, the “Four Graces of the Gentleman” tea-space design competition, is now in its eighth year. This year’s judges included Zhao Jian, vice president of the China Interior Decoration Association and former vice president of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts; Professor Cao Xue of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts; Professor Yang Yan of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts; and Ou Zhiming, former director of the Culture, Radio, Television, Press and Publication Bureau of Haizhu District, Guangzhou. The competition drew entrants from across the country; in addition to the traditional physical display of shortlisted works, nearly 40 outstanding design drafts from the preliminary round were exhibited for the first time, mainly creations by the younger generation of designers.
The “Four Graces of the Gentleman” tea-space design exhibition area became one of tea lovers’ favorite spots for photo check-ins. Getting more young people to fall in love with tea is one of the industry’s future trends.
Matching production with sales, supporting rural revitalization
First-time exhibitor Zayü County of Nyingchi, Tibet, brought a variety of organic black, green and white teas from the snowy plateau, which proved very popular with tea lovers at the Guangzhou Tea Expo — many came especially in search of fine tea from the Tibetan region. Yin Changwei of Zayü County, Nyingchi, said this was the first time teas from Zayü County had come to Guangzhou to exhibit; many tea lovers made a special trip to their booth to taste Tibetan tea, and he believes Tibetan tea will be loved by ever more people.
Also exhibiting as a group for the first time was Shaoguan, Guangdong, which organized more than 80 premium teas from 20 local tea enterprises — the “Shaoguan Tea” family made a stunning debut: Renhua Baimao tea, Qujiang Luokeng tea, Lechang Baimaojian, Yaoshan high-mountain tea, Shixing ecological tea, Xinfeng black tea, Nanxiong tea and other fine teas.
During the Expo, a special production-sales matchmaking session was held for tea enterprises from Haizhu District’s paired-assistance regions. Under the theme “Developing the Tea Industry, Supporting Rural Revitalization,” the session conducted business matchmaking in the relaxed and pleasant atmosphere of a tea gathering.
A special “Jingchu Agricultural Excellence — Hubei Famous Tea Tasting” event was also held during the Expo. Leaders from relevant departments of Guangdong and Hubei, associations, and representatives of brand tea enterprises attended to taste Hubei black teas such as Lichuanhong, Yihong tribute tea and Xiaogan tea, as well as the Hubei green tea Wudang Taoist tea and the dark tea Changshengchuan green brick tea. On site, a strategic cooperation agreement was signed for promoting regional public brands in the Greater Bay Area, committing joint efforts to promote the “Wudangshan Tea,” “Lichuanhong” and “Xiao’s Tea” brands there.
The 2022 China (Guangzhou) International Tea Industry Expo will be held November 24–28 at the Canton Fair Complex in Guangzhou. It is the annual grand gathering of the global tea industry — tea lovers who still have a taste for more, see you again at year’s end.
—
Author: Lam Sam (LamSam), the Old Tea Head
ZENTEA MANOR
Alliance Supply Chain Services Limited
Unit 902-3, 9/F, Mini Cube, 10 Sam Chuk Street, San Po Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
www.zentea-shop.com Email:info@zentea-shop.com
