From a single tea leaf, a cup of bubble tea and a bowl of douhua to the lights of the night market — sail six stops along Taiwan's coast to meet its flavors and people, and see how a Taiwanese food company carries them to the world.
Along Taiwan's coastline — setting off from the tea hills and finally sailing from the harbor to the world.
Brand Philosophy
Tang Sugar Brand Philosophy: Taiwanese Food and Taiwanese Service, Bringing the Flavors of Taiwan to the World
From the Formosa Oolong that sailed to New York in 1869 to bubble tea loved around the globe, Taiwan has long been sending great flavors to the world. Tang Sugar (Caitang International) is a Taiwanese company proud of the food Taiwanese people make and the service they provide. With consistent ingredient quality, clear partnership terms and verifiable supply capability, we…
It introduces Taiwan's tea, bubble tea, night-market food, fruit and sugar, everyday life and Made in Taiwan, and shows how Tang Sugar brings these flavors and Taiwanese service to partners around the world.
How is Taiwan Stories different from the blog?
Taiwan Stories covers culture, origins and Taiwan through foreign eyes; the blog covers drink recipes, ingredient dosage and sourcing. The two link to each other, so you can go from a story to a recipe.
A Map of Taiwan’s Tea Regions: Wenshan Baozhong, Dongding Oolong, Oriental Beauty, High Mountain Tea, Sun Moon Lake and Honey-Scented Black Tea Explained
Key answer
Taiwan’s tea regions from north to south: in the north, Wenshan Baozhong from Pinglin, Sanxia Biluochun green tea in New Taipei and Muzha Tieguanyin in Taipei; in Hsinchu and Miaoli, Oriental Beauty from Beipu and Emei; in central Taiwan, Dongding oolong from Lugu and Sun Moon Lake black tea from Yuchi in Nantou, plus high mountain tea from Lishan in Taichung and Alishan in Chiayi; in the east, honey-scented black tea and red oolong from Ruisui in Hualien and Luye in Taitung. Nantou County is Taiwan’s largest tea region, and the Agriculture and Food Agency has helped 13 tea regions earn certification marks of origin. Tang Sugar supplies Taiwanese commercial teas, sending the aromas of Taiwan’s tea regions around the world.
One island, many kinds of tea
Taiwan is small, yet it produces everything from unoxidized green tea and lightly oxidized Baozhong to semi-oxidized oolong and fully oxidized black tea. Different elevations, climates and tea-making traditions give each region its own signature tea (further reading: Taiwanese tea culture, the history of Taiwanese tea).
Taiwan’s tea world has a saying: “Baozhong in the north, Dongding in the south.” Wenshan Baozhong got its name from being wrapped (bao) in square paper in its early days, and brews a honey-green liquor with floral notes; Dongding oolong comes from Dongding Mountain in Lugu, Nantou, where legend says Lin Feng-chih planted Qingxin oolong seedlings brought back from Fujian in the Qing era. Notably, under the research station’s classification Dongding oolong actually belongs to the Baozhong category, and “Qingxin oolong” is the name of a tea cultivar, not a tea type.
Certification marks of origin: drinking genuine Taiwanese tea
To stop imported tea being passed off as Taiwanese, the Agriculture and Food Agency has helped 13 tea regions earn certification marks of origin, including Alishan high mountain tea, Wenshan Baozhong, Beipu Pengfeng tea, Emei Oriental Beauty, Lugu Dongding oolong, Shanlinxi tea, Sun Moon Lake black tea, Ruisui Tianhe tea and Taitung red oolong (further reading: Oriental Beauty, Sun Moon Lake black tea, high mountain tea, Muzha Tieguanyin).
Tang Sugar: sending the aromas of Taiwan’s tea regions around the world
Caitang International Co., Ltd. (brand name Tang Sugar) is proud of Taiwanese tea and supplies tea bases to suit hand-shaken drinks:
This article belongs to Stop 1, Taiwanese Tea, of the Taiwan Stories series. Series opener: Tang Sugar brand philosophy.
FAQ
Where is Taiwan’s largest tea region?
Nantou County is Taiwan’s largest tea region, including Lugu, Mingjian, Zhushan, Yuchi, Xinyi and Ren’ai.
What is Taiwan’s most famous tea?
Signature teas include high mountain oolong, Dongding oolong, Wenshan Baozhong, Oriental Beauty, Muzha Tieguanyin and Sun Moon Lake black tea.
Is Dongding oolong an oolong?
It’s commonly called an oolong, but under the research station’s classification Dongding oolong belongs to the Baozhong category; Qingxin oolong is a cultivar name.
Which Taiwanese teas have certification marks of origin?
The Agriculture and Food Agency has helped 13 tea regions earn them, such as Alishan high mountain tea, Wenshan Baozhong, Lugu Dongding oolong and Sun Moon Lake black tea.
Which Taiwanese teas do drink shops use most?
Common choices are black tea and Assam, Four Seasons Spring, jasmine green tea, charcoal-roasted oolong and Tieguanyin, matched to each drink’s flavor.
