China International Tea Expo – Hangzhou Tea Expo

The Exhibition Value of the Hangzhou Tea Expo

• The China International Tea Expo is the only national-level specialized exhibition in the global tea industry approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Since its permanent establishment in Hangzhou in 2017, it has successfully held seven editions and is widely recognized within the industry as the world’s most authoritative, largest-scale, and far-reaching tea event. It serves as a concentrated showcase of China’s achievements in the tea sector and a pivotal hub for fostering connectivity and collaboration across the global tea industry. Originally co-hosted by the former Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province, the expo underwent a market‑driven operational upgrade in 2024 and will welcome its eighth edition in 2026, carrying forward the national mission of advancing high‑quality development of China’s tea industry and deepening mutual learning among global tea cultures.
• The core value of participating lies in its unparalleled status as a national‑level platform and its role as a leading indicator of global tea industry trends. At the seventh edition in 2025, the expo attracted 199,000 visitors, setting a new record for attendance. A total of 6,736 professional buyers from 25 countries and regions gathered in Hangzhou, conducting 15,710 rounds of business negotiations. On-site transactions amounted to 258.215 tons of tea, valued at RMB 288.7 million, while preliminary agreements covered 7,365.098 tons with an estimated value of RMB 5.867 billion. All these figures represent historic breakthroughs, underscoring the expo’s robust momentum as a premier global tea event.
• The expo has established a one‑stop commercial platform that spans the entire tea industry value chain. In 2025, the exhibition space reached 60,000 square meters, featuring 2,500 standard booths and bringing together nearly a thousand traditional tea enterprises alongside emerging brands. Renowned names such as Zhongcha, Zhecha·Shifeng, and Lu Zhenghao showcased their offerings side by side. Exhibits encompassed all major categories, including the six major tea types, tea utensils, tea machinery, packaging, food products, and tea‑related technologies. As the host venue, the Hangzhou Pavilion highlighted local public‑brand teas like West Lake Longjing, Jingshan Tea, and Qiandao Lake Tea, along with related derivatives, integrating AI‑powered interactions and digital art installations to create immersive cultural experiences. Robots even appeared on site, serving as “tea masters” to offer guests tastings, vividly illustrating the innovative synergy between technology and tradition.
• The expo aligns with three major industry trends—new tea‑based foods, new tea beverages, and tea‑technology—establishing a showcase for cutting‑edge products and pioneering concepts. At the 2025 edition, a dedicated “New Tea Foods & New Tea Beverages” zone was introduced, hosting over 20 manufacturers of deeply processed tea‑based foods and new‑style tea drinks, including Zhiweiguan, Bawang Chaji, and Luyu Pao de Cha. These exhibitors launched cross‑category offerings such as tea‑infused snacks, blended tea drinks, tea‑flavored coffees, and tea‑based ice creams, precisely targeting younger consumer segments. Meanwhile, Jingshan Tea Development Co., Ltd. unveiled an intelligent matcha‑making machine that employs robotic arms to replicate the Song‑dynasty tea‑whisking technique, perfectly reproducing the “snow‑foam milk flower” aesthetic in just minutes. The Tea Utensils and Aesthetics Zone brought together classic pieces like Jingdezhen blue‑and‑white porcelain and Yixing zisha teapots, alongside avant‑garde designs. Intangible Cultural Heritage masters and emerging artisans collaborated through material innovations and functional enhancements, driving the contemporary evolution of time‑honored craftsmanship.
• In line with the industry strategy of “integrated management of the three teas,” the expo has created a technological hub fostering deep integration among industry, academia, research, and application. During the 2025 edition, nearly 100 distinguished international guests from more than 40 countries, international organizations, and regions visited the expo. Specialty teas and tea cultures from Korea, Laos, Vietnam, India, Bulgaria, Nepal, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Iran, and other nations converged, showcasing diverse tea‑making wisdom. Buyers from the United States, Australia, Mexico, Germany, Singapore, and beyond engaged in in‑depth tastings and negotiations across various zones, resulting in numerous cooperation intentions. The expo also meticulously organized over 50 high‑quality cultural events, including themed forums, a conference for short‑video content creators in the tea sector, a Song‑dynasty tea‑whisking competition, a tea‑culture book fair accompanied by a Song‑style tea market, and a tea‑beverage bazaar featuring master‑curators’ selections.
• For Chinese enterprises, this expo represents a strategic gateway for expanding into global markets, connecting with international resources, and demonstrating innovative capabilities. The eighth edition, scheduled for May 21–25, 2026, will debut a novel “one expo, two venues” integrated layout, simultaneously hosted at the Hangzhou International Expo Center (Guobo Pavilion) and the Hangzhou Tea Expo Convention and Exhibition Center (Longwu Pavilion). The Guobo Pavilion will serve as a “tea trade extravaganza,” with a planned exhibition area of 60,000 square meters and expected to attract over 1,500 exhibiting brands. The Longwu Pavilion, positioned as a “window for tea innovation,” will feature 17,000 square meters of exhibition space, focusing on living intangible heritage, emerging tea‑beverage trends, and the integration of tea with cultural tourism. It anticipates drawing brand participants from more than 30 countries and regions, with returning exhibitors from Vietnam, Nepal, Korea, Malaysia, Laos, and others, alongside first‑time large‑scale presentations of specialty teas from emerging producing areas in Africa and South America. Participating companies can leverage this platform to access global procurement networks and seize early opportunities in the high‑quality development and internationalization of the tea industry.