Recently, 12 Hubei Qingzhuan tea enterprises collectively participated in the 2015 Spring China (Guangzhou) International Tea Expo for the first time, marking Hubei Qingzhuan tea's debut in the Guangdong market and initiating their collaborative effort to 'seize' market share.
Hubei Qingzhuan tea has a long production history, beginning in the Jin Dynasty, flourishing in the Tang, and prospering during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is a source of tea for the great Eurasian 'Ten Thousand Mile Tea Road' and the 'Silk Road.' Mainly produced in Xianning, Yichang, Wuhan, and other areas of Hubei, Yangloudong in Chibi, Hubei, is one of the origins of Qingzhuan tea production along the Ten Thousand Mile Tea Road. Enterprises like Chibi Zhaoliqiao Tea Factory Co., Ltd., producer of the 'Chuan' character brand tea bricks, and Hubei Chibi Zhaoliqiao Tea Industry Co., Ltd., producer of the 'Zhaoliqiao' brand brick tea, have become pioneers of the Ten Thousand Mile Tea Road.
In recent years, guided by the national 'Belt and Road' strategy, Qingzhuan tea has entered over 20 countries and regions including Russia and Kazakhstan. This exhibition gathered 12 participating enterprises, including Yangloudong Tea Industry Co., Ltd., Hubei Chibi Zhaoliqiao Tea Industry Co., Ltd., Hubei Three Gorges Dark Tea Co., Ltd., Xianning Baizhuang Tea Industry Co., Ltd., and Hubei Dongzhuang Tea Industry Co., Ltd., with 7 enterprises from Chibi City.
Li Xinhua, Director of the Chibi City Tea Industry Development Bureau, told the China Industry and Economy News: 'As the sole public brand for Hubei Qingzhuan tea, we organized 7 major brick tea enterprises to exhibit, forming the core team of Hubei Qingzhuan tea and a highlight exhibition area attracting Guangzhou visitors.'
It is reported that the '2015 International Tea Conference' will be held in Chibi City, Xianning, Hubei, from November 6th to 8th this year. Held biennially and having been successfully held for five sessions, it has become one of the most influential events in the international tea industry and a regular communication platform for tea professionals worldwide.
Chibi is one of the origins and an important node city of the Sino-Russian Ten Thousand Mile Tea Road. It is understood that by the end of 2014, Chibi's annual tea output reached 31,000 tons, with a full industry chain value of 2.1 billion yuan, ranking 10th among China's top 100 tea-producing counties and cities, with brick tea sales accounting for nearly 35% of the national market share.
Actively expanding markets nationwide and overseas, brand awareness and reputation continue to rise. 'In April 2014, we successfully held the 'Retracing the Ten Thousand Mile Tea Road' event ceremony and the Hubei Qingzhuan Tea Special Promotion Conference in Beijing, marking our first foray into the capital. This was a bold attempt for Hubei tea to collectively target major markets. This year's Spring China (Guangzhou) International Tea Expo is another concrete step in our tea industry's planned and systematic implementation of the strategy to 'advance east to Shanghai, north to Beijing, and south to Hong Kong,' once again showcasing the brand appeal of Qingzhuan tea,' said Wan Fuxiang, Director of the Economic Crops Department of the Hubei Provincial Department of Agriculture, in an interview with the China Industry and Economy News.