Thai Nguyen (VNA) – The World Tea Business Forum 2026, themed “From Tea Heritage to the Global Tea Economy”, was held in Thai Nguyen province on October 31, bringing together experts, businesses and investors to discuss ways to promote tea heritage, apply technology, expand markets and strengthen the global position of Vietnamese tea.
The forum was a key activity of the Thai Nguyen International Tea Festival 2026, providing a platform for the northern province to expand international cooperation, attract investment and promote tea-based products and services.
In her opening remarks, Nguyen Thi Loan, Vice Chairwoman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the forum aimed to position Thai Nguyen as a reputable centre for tea production, processing, culture and economic development.
She affirmed the province's commitment to creating the best possible conditions in terms of policies, the investment environment and technical infrastructure, adding that it is always open to international investors and businesses coming to cooperate, share expertise and pursue common development.
Discussions focused on promoting Thai Nguyen and Vietnamese tea brands, facilitating technology transfer, expanding exports and attracting investment to deep processing, logistics, e-commerce and tea-based tourism. Participants also explored value-chain partnerships through agreements on product distribution, technology transfer and investment.
Sharing international experience, Tetsuo Ohashi, a 16th-generation tea artisan from a Japanese enterprise with more than 500 years of history, said taking Thai Nguyen tea to global markets requires a combination of traditional values, innovation, adaptability and market connectivity.
He stressed that knowledge sharing and international partnerships will help promote the distinctive values of Thai Nguyen and Vietnamese tea more broadly.
Steve Bui, Chairman of the Vietnam–China Business Council, highlighted China's experience in developing an integrated tea economy by linking production areas with culture, technology, tourism and distribution, thereby increasing the value of tea-growing regions and broadening market access.
On the role of science and technology, Dr Nguyen Ngoc Binh, Deputy Director of the Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute, said innovation should cover the entire production chain, from cultivation to processing, preservation and quality control.
This will help the industry meet increasingly stringent requirements for food safety, transparency and traceability while improving production efficiency and product value, he noted.
Meanwhile, Dr Nguyen Thi Vinh, Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Association of Women Entrepreneurs and Chairwoman of the Thai Nguyen Association of Women Entrepreneurs, stressed that tea development should bring tangible benefits to local communities. Success should be measured not only by output, revenue or exports but also by stable livelihoods, higher incomes for growers and business opportunities.
A highlight of the forum was the launch of a digital map of Thai Nguyen's tea ecosystem, designed to connect producers and traders with customers, partners and investors while promoting opportunities in tourism, services and gastronomy.
Participants also discussed preserving tea heritage, applying technology and innovation to production and trade, and strengthening links among businesses, cooperatives and international partners. They underscored the need to improve competitiveness, product quality and traceability while ensuring that growers benefit from industry development.
At the event, domestic and international businesses and organisations signed cooperation agreements on investment in Tencha and Matcha production lines, technology transfer, technical assistance and raw material supply chains.
Other agreements covered tea applications in cuisine and hospitality, joint production and branding, distribution networks and exports to the Republic of Korea, Japan, China and North America. Partnerships also included research into raw material areas and the application of advanced technologies to cultivation, quality management and traceability./.
