"Cha Tra Mua" The original Thai tea
History of Cha Tra Mue
- 1920's
The 3rd brother of owner's father had lead his 8 siblings immigrated from Chaozhou, China to settle in Thailand.
- 1925's
The 3rd brother had established Chinese Tea Shop named Lim Meng Kee at Chalermburi, Yaowarat Road. The tea products were imported from China and this was the origin of family tea business.
- World War II
After the shop had been established for about 20 years and had a fairly good operating result, the World War II was begun. The shop at Chalermburi was damaged by bomb, so the shop had to move to Soi Padungdao, Yaowarat and continued the business. The main product was still a Chinese tea, Oolong tea and green tea as well as the shop begun to imported red tea at this period.
- 1945's : The Beginning of Cha Tea Mua (Number one Brand Thai Tea)
As Thailand is a tropical country, Chinese hot tea is not very popular among Thai people. The shop had imported red tea to make Thai Milk Tea and Thai Black Tea both served with ice to meet the needs of Thai people. The name "Cha Tra Mua" was given and took 1945 as the starting year of the Cha Tra Mua brand since then.
- During The years 1945-1965
Thailand originally collected tea leaves to make tea leaf-wrapped appetizer. However, Thai people started to make their own tea and developed as Thai tea. Mr.Ting the shop manager at that time was the first group of pioneers who opened up the tea factory on Wawee hill at Mae Suai district, Chiang Rai province. The factory name was "Cha Hom Factory" or Aromatic Tea Factory in which the tea chicaneries had to use elephants to drag up to the Wawee hill.
- Years 1965-1986
Due to the difficulty and inconvenience of travel and management, the factory at Wawee hill had to be cancelled. The shop manager turned to developed and built a purchasing network with local tea planters. Later when the roads are more comfortable, the current owner recognized the important of Chiang Rai and the nearby area which have plenty number of tea. He started a new factory located at Wiang Pa Pao district, Chiang Rai in 1986 and gave name "Siam Tea Factory" until today.
- From the past to the Present and The future
From Lim Meng Kee tea shop to Siam Tea Factory, we collected an experience of making Thai Tea for more than 60 years. Number One Brand Thai Tea has a uniquely recipes and neatly in every production processes for making quality Thai Tea that has been loved by Thai people as well as foreigners for a long time. We still develop our new products such as green tea, milk green tea, Ceylon tea and all kinds of tea to response the popularity of drinking tea of Thai people and foreigners. In order to build consumer confidence, we have developed a factory manufacture standard such as GMP Codex, Halal and will continue to provide the best standard without delay. We targeted to have a factory that can produce all kinds of tea, concentrated on aromatic delicious tea taste that all consumers can trust on our quality and reasonable price. Nowadays Cha Tra Mua do franchise for many counties as South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia, Indonesia, Cambodia and Brunei.
Cha Tra Mua in South Korea
I found the interest article for Cha Tra Mua in South Korea, So I want to Open the Topic in this country. Most of the Cha Tra Mua Shop will open as a Kiosk but not in South Korea, They open as a Cafe. The first branch in South Korea opened on August 29, 2017.
The CEO Jun Sang Hun and His partner Choi Song Min have been visit to Thailand for the first time on June,2016. They want to learn about Thai traditions and Thai food especial tradition food then they have tried in different menu including Cha Tra Mua.
In the first day of their travels, They have tried Cha Tra Mua unexpectedly ,and whole week while they are staying in Thailand they still like to have this brand in every morning. After they back to South Korea. They have an idea to introduce Thai tea to Korean so, They do the contract with Cha Tra Mua company in Thailand that they want to expand this brand. Since that day till now it's has been for a year that they have plan for open the first Cha Tra Mua cafe in South Korea.
To do the Cha Tra Mua in South Korea is not easy because Cha Tra Mua is not famous in South Korea but Koreans generally offers tea for a gift. Then They choose to open as a Cafe not Kiosk as Thailand. Jun Sang Hun said "Because Cha Tra Mua is not famous in South Korea so, it's important to direct communicate with customers for introduce this brand by build the place to make the customer feel comfortable, then the customer can reach out the taste of Thai tea." This cafe is locate in Gang-Nam area.
"We do not want to open many branches. Because I want to control the quality and original taste of the original. South Korean franchises often have the same brand stores located in the vicinity. This makes care-giving difficult. We will try our best to preserve the traditional Thai flavor. " Jun Sang Hun's said.
And one thing that make cafe look identity Thai is decoration, So He chose elephant painting on the wall to convey the identity of Thailand. Jun Sang Hun said that. "If you talk about Thailand. Korean people are reminded of elephants and Buddhism. Elephant is considered a national animal of Thailand. Therefore, the introduction of another flavor of tea along with the media that the sweet aroma is unique, this is the taste of tea from Thailand. Elephants are used without hesitation."
For the menu in cafe Jun Sang Hun tried to make Cha Tra Mua tea as much as same in Thailand by import all the ingredient from Thailand for get the same original taste. The price will be around 3000-5000 Won or around 90-150 Baht. The menu that can not be out are soft serve of Thai tea and Green tea, they will serve these menu on summer by the price will be around 3000 Won or 90 Baht. At the cafe has introduce difference menu to respond the demand of customer as mixed-fruit soda, frappe and cakes including plan to serve the hot tea on winter.
It is a good opportunity to have a unique drink in Thailand to be more widely known. And it may be the beginning of Thai tea to become a global tea brand in the near future.
Reference
*This blog is part of the Electronics Commerce and Information in International Business at Vongchavalitkul University for educational purposes only.
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