Chinese herbal tea brand seeks to expand int'l market share

People attend the debut press conference of WALOVI, a Chinese herbal tea brand, in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 26, 2024. A Chinese herbal tea maker is seeking to expand its presence in the international market with the debut of its brand name "WALOVI" in Milan on Monday and a planned museum of its products in Italy in the near future. Guangzhou Wanglaoji Health Industry Co., Ltd., based in south China's Guangdong Province, said the move is aimed at opening up the international market as well as spreading Chinese tea culture. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Rome, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese herbal tea maker is seeking to expand its presence in the international market with the debut of its brand name "WALOVI" in Milan on Monday and a planned museum of its products in Italy in the near future.

Guangzhou Wanglaoji Health Industry Co., Ltd., based in south China's Guangdong Province, said the move is aimed at opening up the international market as well as spreading Chinese tea culture.

"We have the confidence and determination to make Wanglaoji a globally recognized Chinese cultural symbol," said Li Chuyuan, chairman of Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd., which owns the brand with a history of 196 years.

Li said the company has chosen Milan as the first destination for WALOVI's overseas launch, hoping to reach more young and fashionable consumers and lead the trend of healthy consumption.

The herbal tea brand, known as "cold tea" among Chinese consumers, has been sold to more than 150 countries and regions around the world through major retail platforms such as Amazon and Costco, Li said.

The company has also clinched a deal with its Italian partners to open its first tea-themed museum in Europe. No detail has been revealed regarding the location or investment plan of the museum, which will be one of the company's 56 herbal tea museums around the world, including one in New York.

"Wanglaoji museum will become a platform for cultural exchanges between the East and the West, injecting new vitality into the exchange and mutual understanding between Chinese and European civilizations," Li said.

People attend the debut press conference of WALOVI, a Chinese herbal tea brand, in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 26, 2024. A Chinese herbal tea maker is seeking to expand its presence in the international market with the debut of its brand name "WALOVI" in Milan on Monday and a planned museum of its products in Italy in the near future. Guangzhou Wanglaoji Health Industry Co., Ltd., based in south China's Guangdong Province, said the move is aimed at opening up the international market as well as spreading Chinese tea culture. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Li Chuyuan, chairman of Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd., speaks at the debut press conference of WALOVI, a Chinese herbal tea brand, in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 26, 2024. A Chinese herbal tea maker is seeking to expand its presence in the international market with the debut of its brand name "WALOVI" in Milan on Monday and a planned museum of its products in Italy in the near future. Guangzhou Wanglaoji Health Industry Co., Ltd., based in south China's Guangdong Province, said the move is aimed at opening up the international market as well as spreading Chinese tea culture. (Xinhua/Li Jing)