Sharing his idea for developing the product, Lu A Chau, the project team leader, said that Ta Xua has nearly 400 hectares of Shan Tuyet tea, many of which grow naturally for hundreds of years at an altitude of over 1,500 metres. However, the tea is mainly processed manually on a small scale, resulting in inconsistent quality, simple packaging, and limited competitiveness in the market. “I've always thought that if we only sell dried tea as we have been doing, it will be difficult to increase its value. We need a new approach that preserves the natural flavour and creates a unique identity for Ta Xua tea,” said A Chau.

From that thinking, the idea of preserving and processing tea in natural bamboo tubes was formed. Using bamboo tubes helps to better preserve the tea's flavour, utilise readily available local resources, reduce the use of plastic packaging, and create a product that reflects the unique cultural identity of the mountainous area, suitable for tourists seeking unique experiences and gifts.

While the product idea existed, the opportunity for Ta Xua tea to reach customers stemmed from community tourism activities. Alongside agricultural production, Lu A Chau developed a homestay model linked to experiencing local culture. Each year, A Chau homestay welcomes approximately 1,000 visitors who come to explore the daily life of the Mong ethnic people and discover the ancient Shan Tuyet tea area of Ta Xua. Through product promotion activities within the tourism space, Ta Xua tea in bamboo tubes has gradually become popular among tourists and chosen as a souvenir after each trip.

Initially, the production was on a small scale, primarily serving homestay guests. Witnessing firsthand the processes of roasting, rolling, and stuffing the tea into bamboo tubes, along with feedback from tea connoisseurs, helped A Chau better identify the market potential. From there, he invested in research, perfected the process, and gradually expanded production. Fresh tea buds, after harvesting, are hand-roasted in cast-iron pans, manually rolled, and fermented for about 4 hours.

Bamboo tubes are selected when fresh, about 30 cm long, thoroughly washed clean, and then filled with the fermented tea in layers to maintain the shape of the leaves and buds and minimise breakage. When the tea is stored in fresh bamboo tubes, the natural fermentation process occurs gently, preserving its distinctive flavour and extending its shelf life.

The tea leaf harvesting is strictly controlled to preserve the ancient Shan Tuyet tea trees. The use of natural bamboo tubes instead of plastic packaging contributes to reducing waste and minimising the impact on the ecological environment. Thanks to its compact size, convenience, and ease of transport, the product has quickly become a popular gift choice for tourists.

Currently, a tea tube, containing 170 grams of tea, is sold for 170,000 VND (6.5 USD). Since 2022, nearly 4,000 tubes have been supplied to the market. From the initial distribution channel of tourists visiting the homestay, the product is being widely introduced through online platforms and specialty stores inside and outside the province.

Le Van Hung, a tourist from Ninh Binh, shared: "In Ta Xua, besides the scenery and the people, I was very impressed with the bamboo tube tea product because of its natural aroma, slightly astringent taste, and long shelf life. I bought some as gifts for my relatives and will continue to recommend it to my friends."

In addition to bringing economic benefits, the project also creates regular jobs for about 15 locals; at the same time, it links with nine Mong ethnic households in Chung Trinh hamlet to participate in the chain of product planting, harvesting, processing and packaging, contributing to stabilising livelihoods, increasing income and preserving the ancient Shan Tuyet tea raw material area.

Lu A Chau shared that the team has just completed the trademark protection application, aiming to achieve OCOP (One Commune One Product) certification. They also aim to expand the market to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City before export to Asian and European countries, markets with increasingly high demand for high-end handcrafted tea.

In addition, the team continues to develop the "Drinking Tea Amidst the Clouds of Ta Xua" experiential tourism model, helping tourists gain a deeper understanding of local culture and the product's life cycle.

Do Van Xiem, Chairman of the communal People's Committee, said that the locality will continue to support the project in completing legal documents, building a brand, boosting connections for product consumption, and developing tourism experience models associated with Shan Tuyet tea. The commune also encourages and creates conditions for sustainable development of startup models based on local resources, contributing to reducing poverty and building new-style rural areas.

The success of the Ta Xua bamboo tube tea project contributes to diversifying Shan Tuyet tea products in Son La, spreading the spirit of entrepreneurship from local resources, and creating motivation for young ethnic minorities to boldly develop the economy right in their own homeland.

With outstanding values ​​in terms of creativity, economic efficiency, social impact, and sustainable development orientation, being among the Top 20 outstanding projects in the National Startup Competition 2025 is proof of the potential for products in the highland area to reach further when investments are poured into creativity and sustainable development.