The cooperative in Vietnam

Our founder Eva Corfmat discovered the virtues of white tea in Vietnam . Starting point of the Léonia adventure, she wanted to maintain this link with this country so rich in know-how and traditions . Eva joined forces with a cooperative of white tea producers. All the stages of manufacturing this precious ingredient take place in the province of Yen Bai , in the northeast of the country.

A thousand-year-old tradition

In the heart of the High Mountains of Vietnam, the Hmong harvest tea from generation to generation , perpetuating a unique way of life in perfect harmony with nature. Nestled in four isolated villages in the Yen Bai region (SUỐI BU, PHÌNH HỒ, NẬM LÀNH and SUỐI GIÀNG), the producers trek through the steep mountains to reach the original wild tea plants .
Dressed in their traditional outfits , the women participate passionately in this harvest, anchored in their cultural identity.

A 100% female cooperative

The fair trade certified cooperative is run entirely by women . 422 women manually harvest the tea leaves. Using small ladders, they climb the old original tea bushes that can reach up to 8 meters high. The harvested leaves are then processed on site. The white tea plantations are organic and thus help to preserve the land and the health of the producers.

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Ancestral know-how

Our organic white tea is mainly made from the buds of tea plants. Harvesting only takes place once a year at the beginning of the spring, when the buds have not yet opened. Hmong producers trek through steep mountains to access to the original wild tea plants . They then harvest them manually our precious white tea by climbing the tea plants. The buds of teas are then processed on site. The transformation process is particular and delicate. Once picked, the young leaves are simply left to dry in the wind , which allows them to retain all their properties. The leaves oxidize then naturally and are tinged with green-grey. White tea is the tea purer since it does not undergo any transformation. White Tea is the richer in antioxidants, it contains 3 times more than Green Tea which makes it 100% more effective.

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A solidarity project

Thanks to a fair trade premium , our cooperative finances community projects that improve roads, access to drinking water, children's schooling and the replenishment of the forest by planting trees. Eva, during her recent trip to Vietnam , was able to see the latest projects supported by the cooperative, including the construction of a concrete road and bridge to replace aging infrastructure. She also discussed future projects , such as the installation of irrigation systems to restore rivers dried up by global warming and provide drinking water to villages. These concrete initiatives significantly improve the daily lives and autonomy of isolated villages. The producers, deeply attached to their place of life, thus have more resources to continue living there with their families and preserve their traditions .

Encounters in unknown lands

"What deeply touched me among the producers, during my recent trip to Vietnam, It is their commitment to preserving ancestral traditions of their community, despite the challenges of isolated mountain life. Seasonal tea picking is their main source of income, but thanks to the cooperative's organization, the community is able to sustainably preserve its culture. I am proud that our LÉONIA PARIS® team and customers are directly contributing to the support and preservation of this precious local crop. Let's continue to support these local producers, preserve their culture, and celebrate the cultural diversity that enriches our world. Together , we can make a meaningful difference."

Discovering Van Chan...

"We are very isolated, but I couldn't see myself living anywhere else," says Song Thi Su, 23.

During her recent trip to Vietnam, Eva met Song Thi Su, a white tea producer from the remote Van Chan mountains. It was an authentic and enriching encounter with one of the 400 women in the Léonia cooperative.