Understanding the Australian tea market: pathways for Vietnamese organic tea in Australia
Hosted by Mekong Organics
Date & Time: 2nd May 2024; from 9 to 11 am (Hanoi); 12-2pm (Sydney)
Webinar materials (in English and Vietnamese)
9:00-9:05 am (Hanoi)
Adjunct Associate Prof Dr Van Kien Nguyen, Director of Mekong Organics: Overview of the Project: Deepening organic agriculture trade and investment between Australia & Vietnam, and the Vietnamese Organic Foods in Australia Activities
9:05-9:15: (Hanoi)
Prof Dao Thanh Van, Vice President of Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association: An overview of the Organic Tea industry of Vietnam.
9:15-10:10 am (Hanoi), including English – Vietnamese Translation
Mr David Lyons, Founding Director and President of AUSTCS
- A short understanding of tea history in Australia.
- Where tea is at in 2024.
- Explain the two different categories of tea in Australia: Off-the-shelf (supermarket tea) and specialty tea.
- Herbal teas in Australia.
- Branding and marketing.
- Difficulties importing tea and herbal infusions into Australia.
- Telling your story and why it’s important.
- Questions and Discussions
10:10-11:00 am (Hanoi)
- Mr Than Dy Ngu, Hiep Thanh Company, Vietnamese Organic Special Tea Alliance ( VOSTEA )
- Short understanding of tea history in Vietnam, specialising in organic tea in Vietnam.
- Organic tea plantation area, farming and processing procedure, certification, end products labels, packaging, market (domestic or exports), current situation
- Opportunities: Potential trade with Vietnamese organic tea
- Challenges: marketing communication and branding of organic tea and innovation in the Vietnamese organic tea industry
- Questions and Discussions
Biography of the speakers
Adjunct Associate Professor Van Kien Nguyen, Director of Mekong Organics, has developed research for development in the field of ecological and organic agriculture and established organic agriculture trade and development relationships between Vietnam, Australia, and European countries.
Prof Dao Thanh Van is the vice President of VOAA, is in charge of training and scientific research, and a senior lecturer at Agriculture and Forestry University – Thai Nguyen University, Vietnam.
Mr David Lyons: After more than 26 years invested in the Australian tea markets, comes a special understanding, commitment, and respect for tea, its history, and culture, in a unique and multiculturally diverse country. Entrepreneur, educator, and director David Lyons holds this very special place in Australia’s tea industry and tea community. David’s 26 years have included time in the wholesaling of leaf tea to some of Australia’s finest hotels, restaurants, and fashionable cafes. For over 8 years he was a regional manager for then Australia’s largest high-street tea retailer. Over the past 9 years David has presented Tea Masterclasses to post graduate master’s students, given tea presentations for corporate and educational clients, and been guest speaker at a vast array of tea and tea cultural conferences and events. In 2015, David was instrumental in the creation of Australia’s first government- registered not-for-profit and charitable tea organisation. The Australian Tea Cultural Society (AUSTCS), is Australia’s lead tea and tea culture body, promoting awareness, cultural development, and increased consumption of tea. David Lyons is the Founding Director and President of AUSTCS and is incredibly proud of the work the organisation does in the Australian community. In 2016, after visits to China, David was invited to become an Honourable Member of the acclaimed China International Tea Institute – CITCI, Hangzhou. David humbled by the invitation proudly accepted and represents Australia, taking his member responsibility incredibly seriously. Now in his 65 th year, David is a strong advocate that the future of tea and tea cultural development lies with the younger generations and is where he dedicates a great deal of his time.
Mr Than Dy Ngu manages the production and business activities of the Hiep Thanh company and the ecosystem of company members. He has nearly 20 years of experience working in the field of organic tea in Vietnam. As a unit, we are developing sustainable organic tea areas and successfully exporting to the markets of Europe, the USA, Canada, Japan, Korea, China ect.
Speakers
