Steam fixation, leaf and stalk separation, rapid drying, sterilization and grinding… Within the “World Matcha Super Factory,” an endless supply of tencha is transported to the production workshops where it undergoes a series of refined processing techniques, transforming into the “Fanjing Matcha” series of products that are distributed worldwide.
A corner of the Guizhou Tea Co., Ltd.'s production workshop. Photograph by Yang Qian, People's Daily Online
Spanning 278 meters in length and 48 meters in width, four world-class automated matcha production lines operate within, producing an average of 10 tons of matcha daily. Located in Jiangkou County, Tongren City, Guizhou Province, the Guizhou Tea Industry Park boasts the world's largest single matcha refining workshop with an annual output exceeding 4,000 tons, making it a genuine “World Matcha Super Factory.”
“In 2025, matcha sales exceeded 1,000 tons, achieving a comprehensive output value of 350 million RMB, with export revenue surpassing 70 million RMB.” Lan Fangqiang, Deputy General Manager of Guizhou Tongren Guizhou Tea Tea Industry Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Guizhou Tea Co., Ltd.”), introduced that the company's matcha products are exported to 43 countries and regions globally, ranking first in China and second in the world in terms of production and sales volume.
Workers packaging matcha powder inside the Guizhou Tea Co., Ltd.'s production workshop. Photograph by Yang Qian, People's Daily Online
Jiangkou is situated in the heart of the Wuling Mountains, home to the World Natural Heritage Site, Fanjing Mountain, known as the “Lungs of the Earth.” The unique ecological environment endows Jiangkou tea with exceptional qualities such as high altitude, low latitude, ample cloud cover, sparse sunlight, pristine ecology, and zero pollution, making it the ideal region for cultivating eco-friendly organic tea gardens.
Leveraging this geographical advantage, Jiangkou County listed the tea industry as its leading specialty in 2007. To blaze a new trail for industrial development, in 2025, Jiangkou successfully attracted Guizhou Tea (Group) Co., Ltd.; in the same year in March, a fully integrated modern enterprise encompassing planting, research and development, production, and marketing—Guizhou Tea Co., Ltd.—was established.
“The company has invested a total of 600 million RMB to build the Guizhou Tea Industry Park covering 340 acres.” Lan Fangqiang informed reporters that, adhering to standards of cleanliness, intelligence, and standardization, the park has constructed four tencha refining production lines and four matcha production lines, as well as two red and green gemstone refining production lines with an annual capacity of 3,000 tons.
Preparation of tea. Photograph by Yang Qian, People's Daily Online
As the only highland tea region in China that combines high altitude, low latitude, sparse sunlight, abundant cloud cover, and zero pollution, Guizhou nurtures renowned teas such as Duyun Maojian, Meitan Cuicha, Green Gem, and Zunyi Red. Coupled with the province-wide implementation of green prevention and control measures for tea garden pests and diseases, Guizhou tea has truly become a “clean tea.”
Capitalizing on the clean and uncontaminated advantages of Guizhou tea, Guizhou Tea Co., Ltd. adopted EU standards as quality benchmarks, pioneered the introduction of automated production lines, and jointly established a quality management system with international authoritative testing institutions Eurofins and SGS. “Compared to other types of tea, matcha has more stringent requirements during cultivation and processing because it can be not only consumed as a beverage but also eaten,” said Lan Fangqiang.
High-standard manufacturing processes have resulted in Guizhou matcha with fresh aroma, refreshing taste, and clear broth. To achieve “group development,” the Guizhou Tea Alliance model emerged, characterized by “leading enterprises + alliance enterprises + farmers.”
Under the leadership of Guizhou Tea Co., Ltd., 61 tea companies from 22 counties (cities, districts) across Guizhou joined the Guizhou Tea Alliance, implementing strict management controls over the production chain based on EU standards. Currently, the province has built a 30,000-mu matcha base centered around Jiangkou, equipped with 53 tencha production lines, and has driven the construction of 140,000 mu of EU-standard tea gardens, benefiting nearly 100,000 tea farmers.
Matcha beverages. Photograph by Yang Qian, People's Daily Online
“In recent years, the ‘World Matcha Super Factory' has gained widespread recognition, ushering in a new chapter for the development of the tea industry in Jiangkou.” Zhang Mingsheng, Deputy Director of the Jiangkou County Ecological Tea Industry Development Office, introduced that the county currently has a total tea garden area of 160,800 mu, with 120,000 mu under production, yielding approximately 10,000 tons annually and generating about 1.1 billion RMB in value.
Matcha ice cream, matcha lattes, matcha noodles, matcha face masks… In recent years, Jiangkou has been continuously deepening the matcha value chain, vigorously developing matcha beverages, foods, and cosmetics, allowing a single leaf to spread its fragrance both domestically and abroad.