Released on-site by Liu Shuwang, Vice Chairman of the Tea Industry Branch of the China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation.
On March 30, the “China Tea Brand Development Report (2024)” (hereinafter referred to as the “Brand Report”) was grandly released at the 2024 Wujiatai Gong Tea Culture Festival. This professional report exceeds 400,000 words. Upon its release, its content, data, and new research findings immediately drew intense interest from the industry.
Liu Shuwang explained that to thoroughly implement the “Implementation Plan for Agricultural Brand Building” issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and to clearly understand and master the current state of tea brand development across the country\u2014while summarizing the shortcomings and achievements of China’s tea brand construction\u2014the Tea Industry Branch of the China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation collaborated with the “Belt and Road” International Tea Trade Industry Science and Technology Innovation Institute, the Brand Research and Communication Center of China Rural Magazine, and the People.cn Public Opinion Data Center to compile the “China Tea Brand Development Report (2024).” The effort aims to promote the cultivation of tea brands, assist in the high-quality development of the tea industry, and empower rural revitalization.
It is understood that this is the first report on the development of regional public tea brands compiled by an industry organization. It offers three key values: first, “comprehensiveness,” with information gathered from 19 tea-producing provinces; second, “precision,” providing in-depth introductions to the development experiences of nearly 80 typical public brands; and third, “innovation,” employing a comparative study of Chinese and foreign tea brands and examining brand development paths across the entire upstream and downstream chain. It provides a “drone’s-eye view” panoramic navigation for industry development, serving as a powerful advisor for tea-region governments, industry associations, leading enterprises, brand managers, and industry researchers.
To help industry readers better understand the valuable content of the report, a multi-media reporter from China Cooperation Times \u00b7 Tea Weekly interviewed Wei You, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation, Secretary-General of the Tea Industry Branch, and Executive Deputy Dean of the “Belt and Road” International Tea Trade Industry Science and Technology Innovation Institute.<\/p>\n
Scene from the release event.<\/p>\n
Reporter: Zhao Guanghui, Multi-media Reporter, China Cooperation Times \u00b7 Tea Weekly<\/p>\n
Interviewee: Wei You, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation, Secretary-General of the Tea Industry Branch, and Executive Deputy Dean of the “Belt and Road” International Tea Trade Industry Science and Technology Innovation Institute<\/p>\n
How does the “China Tea Brand Development Report (2024)” describe the current state of tea brand development in China?
Wei You: In 2023, we conducted a brand survey across tea-producing regions nationwide, obtaining relevant data from 19 tea-producing provinces, regions, and municipalities, including Fujian, Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Zhejiang, Anhui, Guangdong, Guangxi, Shaanxi, Henan, Jiangxi, Chongqing, Shandong, Jiangsu, Gansu, Hainan, and Tibet. Based on this, we conducted a comprehensive review of China’s tea brand assets.
Preliminary statistics show a total of 462 regional public brands. Hubei leads with 58, followed by Zhejiang with 56, Fujian with 48, Hunan with 47, and Yunnan with 42.
Categorized by tea type, there are 246 green tea brands, 61 black tea brands, 37 dark tea brands, 13 white tea brands, 23 oolong tea brands, 13 yellow tea brands, 6 re-processed tea brands, and 63 of other types.
In recent years, tea-producing regions have vigorously promoted brand construction, and the momentum of tea brand development has been positive. Regarding the development of Chinese tea brands, the report summarizes the following characteristics: first, collective development, with a gradual increase in the number and hierarchy of brands; second, a simultaneous rise in the quantity and quality of industrial development, leading to continuously strengthening brand power; and third, inclusive prosperity, as tea brands have a strong effect on increasing income.<\/p>\n
What are the main suggestions for tea brand construction in the “Brand Report”?
Wei You: Having clarified the assets and mastered the situation, the report offers the following suggestions:
First, emphasize health, environmental protection, and green ecology, aligning with the new concepts of the era. As society evolves, there is a growing preference for consumption concepts centered on environmental protection, low carbon, health, and safety; green consumption is becoming a new lifestyle trend. Tea brand construction must similarly follow these trends and adhere to a development philosophy of health, environmental protection, and green ecology.
Second, empower through culture and connect via digital intelligence to reach new brand heights. China’s profound tea culture and the superior natural climate of its tea regions provide a natural foundation for brand building. Whether in the past, present, or future, brands need to interpret their uniqueness through cultural marketing and influence people’s lives through culture, thereby enhancing brand affinity and extending the brand life cycle. Simultaneously, in the digital intelligence era, the construction and development of tea brands must leverage digital means. By innovating digital marketing and creating digital personas, brands can interact continuously with consumers through personalized brand images and flexible, engaging communication. Understanding consumers’ cultural demands for tea products can provide the drive for continuous innovation, expanding the consumer market and increasing market share.
Third, embrace youth and fashion, and focus on fast-consumption tea drinks to create new consumer brands. The youth demographic aged 18 to 35 is the main force of social consumption and a critical growth point for future tea consumption. Therefore, creating new consumer brands for young, fashionable, and fast-consumption tea drinks has become an important direction for tea brand construction.<\/p>\n
Combining national agricultural brand construction policies, measures, and projects, could you introduce the opportunities for tea enterprises to participate?
Wei You: China’s tea brand policies mainly revolve around brand protection, brand construction, and brand promotion.
The National Development and Reform Commission, in conjunction with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the China National Intellectual Property Administration, jointly issued the “Guiding Opinions on Promoting Brand Construction in the New Era,” which indicates support for enterprises implementing brand strategies. It emphasizes the leading and exemplary role of large backbone enterprises. Support is provided for enterprises to carry out quality improvement actions and to promote production automation, intelligence, and greening, thereby building standardized, normalized, and refined operational systems. Enterprises are encouraged to promote advanced quality management models and establish full-cycle, full-process quality and safety traceability systems. Furthermore, enterprises are encouraged to improve their measurement management systems to solidify their metrological capabilities for high-quality development. The goal is to foster a group of “leaders” in enterprise standards that can drive the industry and a group of “leaders” in standards that possess market competitiveness.
In terms of policy implementation, many local governments encourage tea enterprises to engage in brand construction by providing financial support and preferential policies. For example, subsidies are provided for patent and trademark registration fees, and support is given for brand cultivation and promotional activities. Additionally, the government promotes the construction of brand demonstration zones in tea-producing areas, providing exhibition and sales platforms for tea enterprises. All such enterprises are encouraged to participate actively.<\/p>\n
What was the writing and compilation process for the “Brand Report”?
Wei You: Initially, we conducted brand surveys and collected information from 19 tea-producing provinces. We invited renowned brand experts to lead the research and analysis of the survey results for regional public tea brands. We reviewed the overall development of the Chinese tea industry, the evolution of tea brand policies, the status of Chinese tea brand development, and the development of regional public brands in various production areas. Combining social concerns with tea market conditions, we invited experts to write two special chapters: “Development of New Tea Drink Brands” and “Realistic Reflections and Future Strategy Discussions on China’s Tea Brand Construction.” We also included analyses of the development of two foreign brands, Nestl\u00e9 and Lipton, for readers’ reference. Our joint compilation unit, the People.cn Public Opinion Data Center, supplemented a special topic on “Health Management Research for Regional Public Tea Brands” from the perspective of brand public opinion. It can be said that the richness and innovativeness of the content have been presented at a higher level.<\/p>\n
Is the “Brand Report” available for free or for a fee? Given the volume of over 400,000 words, have you considered developing simplified or speed-read versions for different reader groups?
Wei You: Currently, there is high enthusiasm among various regions for creating tea brands. Tea brands play an important role in promoting the aggregation of resource elements, driving continuous industrial transformation and upgrading, and achieving rural revitalization. Our aim in compiling this brand report is to strengthen brand awareness within the tea industry, assist in brand cultivation and promotion in various production areas, and facilitate the exchange of brand development experiences. Therefore, it will be provided free of charge to readers from all sectors of society, in the hope of contributing our modest part to strengthening agriculture and the nation through brands.
The report is detailed and comprehensive, and I believe it will serve as a positive resource for exchange, reference, and inspiration for brand cultivation and promotion in various regions. In terms of volume, it is indeed large; if there is a demand within the industry, we will develop these simplified versions to best serve the development of the industry.<\/p>\n
In tea brand construction, the agricultural administrative departments mainly drive efforts from the production side. Regarding the current situation and problems in the market circulation field of tea brand construction, what opinions and suggestions does the “Brand Report” offer?
Wei You: This question is very well elucidated in the chapter “Realistic Reflections and Future Strategy Discussions on China’s Tea Brand Construction” by Teacher Hu Xiaoyun; readers can refer directly to that section.
Currently, regional competition is intensifying, and the difficulty of brand competition and cooperation is increasing, while the cohesion of the “China Tea” national brand is insufficient. With the “China Tea” national brand as the apex of the pyramid, regional public brands based on Geographical Indications as the main array, and corporate and product brands as the vanguard, working in coordination to form a brand ecosystem and array with different resource integration, different brand cultures, and different market targets is undoubtedly the common goal for the Chinese tea industry.<\/p>\n
The “Brand Report” was released in Xuanen, Hubei. Could you combine the relevant content or concepts from the report to introduce the construction of regional public brands for the Xuanen tea industry?
Wei You: Tea is the leading, characteristic, and pillar industry of Xuanen. Xuanen has always adhered to the strategy of “Prospering Tea through Quality, Green, and Brand.” As the regional public brand of Xuanen, Wujiatai Gong Tea is a crucial link in the construction of Xuanen’s tea industry chain.
Wujiatai Gong Tea has delved deep into the historical connotations of the brand, innovated brand promotion methods, and integrated brand publicity resources to form a complete system of “County-level Public Brand + Product (Enterprise) Brand,” promoting the growth and strengthening of the Wujiatai Gong Tea county-level public brand.
They have also explored both domestic and international markets to expand the brand’s market space. In collaboration with market supervision departments, they encourage and support enterprises in strengthening brand protection and rights enforcement, strictly cracking down on illegal acts such as brand counterfeiting and trademark infringement, optimizing tea market supervision, and improving brand oversight mechanisms. Simultaneously, the county government has introduced policies to increase support for regional public tea brands.<\/p>\n
Produced by: China Cooperation Times \u00b7 Tea Weekly Multi-media
Author: Zhao Guanghui<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
Author: Lam Sam (LamSam), the Old Tea Head
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