Four Lao Komaen tea producers travelled to France and Germany in mid-June to learn about the European market and source new outlets for their products.
A prize-winner at the international “Teas of the World” contest organised by AVPA, Komaen tea is produced by ethnic communities in the mountainous province of Phongsaly in the North of Laos. It grows on ancient tea trees, some of which are more than 400 years old. This tea of remarkable quality now benefits from a geographical indication (GI), supported by Agence française de développement (AFD) as part of the regional project for the Promotion and recognition of geographical indications, conducted by GRET, ARTE-FACT, CIRAD, Iram, Certipaq and REDD.
In Hamburg and Paris, the producers met with importers and retailers, and visited specialised shops. These meetings provided them with an opportunity to promote Komaen tea, and to think about ways to highlight the GI internationally.
The producers were also received by AVPA in Paris, for a Komaen tea tasting evening, during which they had further meetings and were presented with the medals won at the “Teas of the World” contest. The event was attended by tea and gastronomy specialists, the media, and representatives from Agence française de développement and the Lao Embassy in France. A tasting session for potential buyers was also organised at the Nunshen tea workshop in Paris, to present the specificities of this tea and the terroir it comes from.
