Producer of the moment: Mr. Chang

A Producer and his Teas
Chang HungChin, wulong tea producer of Taiwan.
Each month, the Camellia Sinensis team presents one of its favorite producers, shares the story of their first encounter, and the producer’s story.
This month, we have Mr. Chang HungChin, wulong tea producer of Taiwan. Hugo and Jasmin met Mr. Chang during their first trip to Taiwan. According to Mr. Chang, they were exceptionally curious and asked so many questions. He says he was very surprised to meet two Canadians in search for Taiwanese tea and wondered how they would ever manage to sell it in Canada.

When and how did you first step into the world of tea?
My brother and I started making tea with our parents very early on. We were just kids. We are the second generation of producers in our family. My mother was the first to develop an interest in tea. Back then, there were very few machines to help us and making tea was very hard work. Everything had to be transformed by hand and leaves were carried around in carts.

Are you the owner of your tea garden?
We have our own tea garden and rent another one under contract.

What is the size of your tea garden?
Our tea garden is about 5 hectares while the one we rent is about 10.

How many kilos of tea are you producing every year?
About 30 000 kg.

How many staff are working with you?
We have four employees (the members of our family, notably) then, according to harvesting periods and work load, we also have 8 other employees who periodically join our team.

Which aspects of your work do you prefer?
Without a doubt, I prefer to spend time in the tea garden. I like the scenery and the atmosphere of the garden. I also very much enjoy receiving guests and sharing tea.

Who do you sell your teas to? Local or international clients?
Most of our production is sold in China and Taiwan.

Have you seen any changes since your beginnings in the industry?
Today, the Taiwanese market prefers very lightly oxidized teas. In the past, people preferred it with higher oxidation. The taste is different, of course, but each tea has its own characteristics. Overall, young people seem to prefer very floral teas while older people seem to still go for the darker, roasted teas.

What is your favorite tea?
I really enjoy our Dong Ding teas, as well as our Si Ji Chun and Jin Shuan teas.