Phu Hoi tea: Preserving the soul of homeland

Amid rapid urbanization, the Phu Hoi neighborhood in Nhon Trach Ward still retains the character of a traditional countryside, best known for its long-established Phu Hoi tea gardens. Phu Hoi tea produces a deep reddish-purple liquor and a rich aroma, expressing the hospitality and affection of local families toward visitors from near and far.

Le Danh, a resident of the Phu Hoi neighborhood in Nhon Trach Ward, harvests tea in his home garden.

To produce fresh batches of tea, residents of Phu Hoi have to rise early to pick young tea buds and dry them in the morning sun before painstakingly processing them into a renowned local specialty of Dong Nai.

Meticulous traditional processing

According to Le Danh, a resident of the Phu Hoi neighborhood, the area has semi-mountainous terrain consisting of hills and low-lying areas, crisscrossed by a dense network of canals and waterways. Higher ground is suitable for growing tea and various fruit trees, while low-lying areas are used for rice and lotus cultivation.

Historically, Phu Hoi belonged to Thanh Tuy Canton, Long Thanh District, Phuoc Long Prefecture, Tran Bien Hoa. In 1928, the French colonial administration merged the two villages of Phu My and My Hoi to form Phu Hoi Village. Le Danh and other local elders, therefore, believe that tea cultivation and traditional tea making in Phu Hoi originated around that time. Phu Hoi tea has traditionally been grown both as a monocrop and intercropped with fruit trees in household gardens, meaning tea plants can be found across much of the area's elevated land.

“Mach Ba water, Phu Hoi tea” is a folk saying that encapsulates one of the distinctive characteristics of Phu Hoi tea: it is said to taste best when brewed with “Mach Ba water.” This underground water source flows through Phu Hoi. Its cool, clean water nourishes the tea gardens and is considered to make Phu Hoi tea taste even better than when brewed with rainwater or filtered water commonly used today.

The old tea trees are living witnesses to Phu Hoi's tea-growing tradition. Some tea gardens, more than a century old, continue to produce young buds regularly and are regarded as rare and valuable sources of planting material. Tea has been closely associated with local families for generations, with successive generations caring for the plants and harvesting tea together. It is not merely a source of income, but also a repository of memories and a distinctive part of the local culture. When promoting the Phu Hoi Tea brand, stories about these ancient tea trees consistently evoke emotion and inspire customer confidence.

Nguyen Huy Sang, Chairman of the Nhon Trach Ward Farmers' Association

The traditional method of processing tea has developed alongside tea cultivation on the area's elevated land and garden plots. To this day, the process remains largely unchanged from that practiced by previous generations, preserving the cultural heritage of Phu Hoi. This continuity not only preserves the tea's distinctive flavor but also connects today's producers and consumers with a centuries-old tradition that embodies local identity and pride.

Tea is harvested every morning, then spread on bamboo trays and exposed to the early morning sunlight to reduce moisture and allow the leaves to wilt slightly before being rolled and crushed. The leaves are then dried again, roasted in large cast-iron pans, and subsequently dried and scented. Tea is traditionally infused with leaves and natural ingredients such as ren leaves, phat tea leaves, and pandan leaves, helping create the distinctive flavor of each batch of Phu Hoi tea. The labor-intensive process requires considerable time and effort, particularly from local women.

Le Thi Thuy, a resident of Phu Hoi neighborhood, said that the diligence and patience required in traditional tea processing have always gone hand in hand with the meticulous work of women in the area.

Phu Hoi tea reaches wider markets

Phu Hoi neighborhood currently has nearly 10 hectares under tea cultivation. Many tea-growing households still preserve old tea trees that are 60-80 years old and were planted by previous generations. Le Van Trinh, a local resident, said only a limited number of the old trees remain in the tea gardens, gradually being replaced by younger plants aged five to 10 years or more.

Phu Hoi tea is spread on a bamboo tray to dry after being rolled and roasted.

Tea varieties grown in other regions, such as Lam Dong and Thai Nguyen, cannot simply be planted on Phu Hoi soil. To regenerate their tea gardens, local growers select seedlings that naturally emerge from seeds dropped by mature tea plants. After a tea plant has been harvested for four to five years, growers use a sharp machete to make a clean cut to encourage new branches. Using a saw or scissors can cause the plant to die or produce weak branches, resulting in fewer tender tea buds.

Dang Tu, another Phu Hoi resident, said his family currently has 2,000 square meters of tea and produces just over 10 kilograms of finished tea each month. Grade 1 Phu Hoi tea currently sells for around VND750,000-800,000 per kilogram, while Grade 2 tea fetches about half that price. Although tea provides only a modest income, it remains a source of joy for Tu during his retirement, keeping him connected to the Phu Hoi tea tradition.

Phu Hoi tea is more than a beverage; it carries the soul of Phu Hoi's homeland, a land with a proud history. People from Phu Hoi who live and work elsewhere in Vietnam or overseas still remember the flavor of their hometown tea. Whenever they return to visit their families, they often take Phu Hoi tea back with them.

Phu Hoi tea is harvested once every four to five days. Five kilograms of fresh tea leaves produce one kilogram of dried tea. The ingredients used to scent the tea are all natural, including phat tea leaves, ren leaves, and pandan leaves. No chemical flavorings or coloring agents are used.

Dang Tu, resident of Phu Hoi neighborhood, Nhon Trach Ward

“It's still Phu Hoi tea, but tea brewed with water in France or elsewhere can never match tea brewed with Mach Ba water from my hometown,” said Dao Van Binh, an overseas Vietnamese from France, while enjoying tea prepared by his relatives.

Phu Hoi tea is both an everyday drink for farmers, gardeners, and administrative workers and a local specialty served to visitors who gather to chat and share stories. For this reason, households in Phu Hoi are continuing to restore tea-growing areas and preserve the traditional methods of processing Phu Hoi tea. The neighborhood is also home to Phuc Bao Tea, whose two products, traditional tea and tea bags, have been certified as three-star products under the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program. Their clear origin and traceability also facilitate customs clearance and access to wider markets. This is a source of pride for Phu Hoi's tea growers and processors.

To preserve the character of Phu Hoi tea and expand its brand, Nguyen Huy Sang, Chairman of the Nhon Trach Ward Farmers' Association, said the locality has continued to strengthen cooperative production groups and support residents in renovating mixed gardens and establishing new tea plantations. Phuc Bao Tea will focus on standardizing packaging, labeling, and traceability, while seeking to expand through e-commerce channels and trade fairs to promote the product more widely. At the same time, the Nhon Trach Ward Farmers' Association will continue supporting tea growers by promoting their products, providing technical training, and facilitating access to loans.

By Doan Phu – Translated by Mai Nga, Minho