History of Haiwan Tea Industry

With a history of over a thousand years of tea cultivation, Yunnan has given rise to many famous tea professionals. Zou Bingliang and Lu Guoling are among the best of the generations of “tea people” (Cha Ren) in Yunnan.

Since the 50‘s, Zou and Lu significantly influenced the development and growth of tea industry. They have successively served as director of the famous Menghai Tea Factory. After retiring from Menghai Tea factory in 1997, they were employed as chief consultant for the production of Pu erh tea at Zhongcha (Chinatea). This factory is also known as China National Native Produce & Animal By-Products Import & Export Corporation (CNNP).

In 1999, Zou en Lu co-founded Anning Haiwan Tea Industry Co., Ltd (Haiwan Tea). With the right guidance of the two founders, Haiwan Tea has been growing strongly for almost two decades since its foundation. Let’s take a look at the chronicle of events of Haiwan Tea!

1999 – November 1^st, Anning Haiwan Tea Industry Co., Ltd was founded in Anning, Yunnan Province.

2002 – October 29^th, Yunnan Haiwan Tea Industry Co., Ltd was founded: The Sales and Research Center of Haiwan Tea.

2003 – In February, the company obtained licenses for food import and export, and initiated the establishment of Haiwan Tea Pu erh Development center in Kunming national economic and technological development zone. End of this year, Haiwan Tea established a base in Yushou Mountain, Menghai, Yunnan Province.

2004 – Established a base in Pasha, Menghai, Yunnan Province. The same year, the company set up their raw materials procurement and fermentation base in Menghai.

2005 – The company’s export volume of Pu erh tea ranked among the top companies in Yunnan Province. In December, the brand “Jia Jia” of Haiwan Tea won the award of Yunnan Provincial Famous Brand.

2006 – It was a big year for Haiwan Tea. On April 13^th, the company obtained national certifications of “Green food” and “Organic food”. On June 22^nd, obtained the authentication certification of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP). These certifications further strengthened the company’s reputation for quality. On September 18^th, it even gained the title of “National Food Safety Demonstration Unit”, setting an example for the tea industry.

The brand “Lao Tong Zhi (Old Comrades)” was designated to be the gift tea at 2006 China Food Safety Conference.

2007 – In January, Mr. Zou Bingliang was honored as “the master of the lifetime achievement of Pu er tea” in the Great Hall of the People of China.

In March, the brand “Lao Tong Zhi (Old Comrades)” was awarded as one of the top ten famous brands of Pu erh tea. The company also has it’s first success in Japan as it passed all 277 tests of the Japan Food Analysis Center.

In November, Haiwan Tea products were selected by state organs such as the Ministry of Unification of the CPC Central Committee to be “special supply tea”. Same month, the brand “Lao Tong Zhi (Old Comrades)” won the award of Yunnan Provincial Famous Brand.

2008 – November 25^th, China Tea Culture International Exchange Association was founded in Hong Kong. Mr. Zou Bingliang was appointed consultant of the association.

The same year, Haiwan Tea obtained a number of international quality certifications, such as the organic certifications by Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS), the EU and the National Organic Program (NOP) of the United States.

2009 – The brand “Lao Tong Zhi (Old Comrades)” won the award of Yunnan Provincial Famous Brand for the second time.