Lam Dong Tea JSC (Ladotea) is a big name in the Vietnamese tea industry. It not only plays an important part in the domestic beverage market but also has managed to build a solid brand in international markets, especially in Taiwan, the United States, Japan and Russia. Every year, Ladotea produces and exports 8,000 tonnes of tea, including 7,000 tonnes of black tea and 1,000 tonnes of green tea; and creates 5,000 well-paid jobs for local people.
Ladotea was established in 1975. Since then, the company has expanded its production area in southern central Vietnam. Ladotea is one of few Vietnamese companies to have competitive advantages in tea production. It operates in Vietnam’s largest tea producing area of some 25,000 ha, accounting for a quarter of national tea acreage, with suitable climate and soil for tea growing. The company currently has five tea processing plants in five tea farms with a total area of 1,500 ha, most of which is growing high quality tea varieties.
To compete in the market, especially export markets, apart from actively seeking partners and promoting brand marketing, quality is a decisive element in the existence and sustainable development of the company. Ladotea has built up and applied ISO-standard production and processing from creating organic material zones to the processing, packaging and preserving technologies. To have good-quality tea materials, Ladotea has invested billions of Vietnamese dong to buy fertilisers and pesticides, purchased at reasonable prices to encourage farmers to expand intensive cultivation. Processing technology is fully mechanised. The company was honoured with the National Gold Cup for the Cause of Green Vietnam. For years, Ladotea has been recognised a prestigious exporter by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Mr Doan Trong Phuong, General Director of Ladotea, said: To stabilise quality and expand output, Ladotea will continue to expand its tea areas and improve varieties in the coming time. It will invest in intensive farming to bring average yield to 8.9 tonnes a hectare; continue to train technical and managerial personnel; continue to modernise production methods; and maintain existing markets. It will seek to expand the market by creating better products to meet the diverse tastes and requirements of customers. Specifically, Ladotea will be more active in cooperating with private tea producers to meet bigger contracts. With its well-established reputation in leading markets like the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and Taiwan, Ladotea will strive to reach Arabic and African markets. At present, Ladotea has set up a relationship with the Dubai Tea Association and won first export contracts for the Indian market. This will be a springboard for Ladotea to successfully approach the European, African and Middle Eastern markets.
Lam Dong has many advantages and potential for tea development. The province has applied many mechanisms and policies to attract investors to invest in tea production and business. Thus, from its 40-year experience in tea planting, production, processing and consumption, Ladotea believes that it will be able to advance stronger business development strategies to not only strengthen Lam Dong tea brands but also travel with other Vietnamese tea companies to assert the Vietnamese national tea brand on international markets.
Hang Phuong
Vietnamese
