Preserving the simplicity of a small family business, Hsuan Mao Tea Garden's work spans from planting and roasting to selling. When third-generation daughter-in-law Tu De-Ting took the helm, she used her family's Oolong tea powder as a creative starting point, stepping into the baking and dessert world. Pound cakes, macarons, and dacquoise became part of a cross-industry collaboration, bringing Red Oolong into the daily lives of younger consumers.
At Hsuan Mao, the tea display is refreshingly straightforward: neatly packaged teas are the award-winners; everything else is simply labeled "Other" and kept in large sacks, to be weighed and packed only when someone asks for it. Owner Tsai Lai-Hsing, who once trained as an interior designer, brings the same insistence on precision to his tea. Just as a craftsman will not tolerate a crooked line, he will not lower his standards once they are set. As a result, the teas he deems worthy of his personal pride are rare, and the shelves can appear sparse. But seasoned tea drinkers know the secret. Alongside the decorated, medal-winning teas, they will specifically request the "Other" — an unassuming name for what is often excellent, unwrapped tea, both a delight to drink and a bargain to buy.
In 2025, Tsai Chi-Liang joined his father as an award-winning tea farmer, earning one gold and five silver medals at Taitung County’s Red Oolong competition.
Upholding a Family’s Tea-Making Spirit
Tu De-Ting drives down the winding lanes from their shopfront to the village where Hsuan Mao Tea Garden began. Inside the old one-story house is the tea factory built by her father-in-law, Tsai Lai-Hsing. The withering machine hums quietly, filling the air with the fresh, green scent of tea leaves. Following the aroma, you can sense the family's steady, hardworking approach to tea-making.
Tsai Lai-Hsing founded Hsuan Mao Tea Garden. His father had moved from Changhua to Luye to grow tea, first planting Assam varieties before switching to Jhinshuan. "I had planned to go into interior design," Tsai recalls, "but it didn't suit me, so I went to my brother-in-law's tea garden to learn the craft."
After six years of training, Tsai was ready to strike out on his own, running a small-scale "grow, roast, and sell" operation entirely in-house. Counting from when his father first began planting, Hsuan Mao Tea Garden has been in operation since 1966, and is now in its third generation under Tu De-Ting and her husband, Tsai Chi-Liang.
Tu describes her father-in-law as "a very down-to-earth man," pointing to the family's tea gardens along the road as proof. Tsai grew up among tea bushes and is meticulous about their upkeep. When he inherited the land, he switched to organic fertilizers, adopted pesticide-free farming, and insisted on harvesting entirely by hand, adjusting picking methods to suit the growth patterns of each season.
Tsai often says he can judge tea quality simply by looking at fresh leaves. For him, tea-making begins right there in the garden, which is why he now insists on using only leaves grown on their own land. Even if they run out after harvest, he will never buy leaves or unfinished tea from outside.
Hsuan Mao’s teas all carry a strong personality. What you see packaged on the shelves are the award-winners—everything else is simply “the others.”
From selling cars to selling tea, Tu De-Ting brings an outsider’s eye to Red Oolong, sparking new culinary creations with tea as her medium.
Tea Aroma, Reborn in Desserts
In his younger days, Tsai Lai-Hsing also studied making Pouchong tea in Pinglin, where he first started using a hot-air withering machine. Powered by gas, it circulates heated air to replace traditional sun withering.
Tsai compares hot-air withering to cooking: you have to control the heat. Tender leaves require a gentle fire, while mature leaves need a stronger one. With his long experience, he judges the right stage by feel. Ideally, "keep three-tenths of the moisture in the leaves," so the leaves can ferment properly afterward. If the moisture is completely gone, so is the flavor. "If you overdo it," he says, "the leaves 'burst open,' and after full fermentation, the tea tastes empty.”
Today, he has passed these techniques to his son, Tsai Chi-Liang. Tsai Chi-Liang has been working in the family business for about a decade. Four years ago, he began overseeing the replanting of one of their fields, and in 2025, he won one gold and five silver medals in Taitung County's Red Oolong awards — joining his father among the region's decorated tea farmers. He has also become a specialized tea rolling master, continuing to refine his craft.
Hsuan Mao’s storefront may appear traditional, but its outward collaborations brim with creativity.
As the third generation in Hsuan Mao Tea Garden, daughter-in-law Tu De-Ting may not have grown up in a tea family, but years of close exposure have shaped her own vision.
From her outsider's perspective, she has introduced new branding ideas: "I want to use Red Oolong to create more diverse forms of connection." She believes Red Oolong's bright aroma and smooth taste are well-preserved when ground into tea powder, producing a concentrated and stable flavor perfect for baking and desserts.
Once a top-performing sales agent in the automobile industry, she has brought the same drive to developing Red Oolong tea powder, actively visiting bakeries and cafés to propose collaborations. This has led to creations like toast, canelés, Basque cheesecake, pound cake, and savory pies, with partners stretching from eastern Taiwan to Taipei and Kaohsiung. Over time, Tu has transformed Red Oolong tea from a traditional product into a delightful taste that fits naturally into the daily lives of younger consumers.
Red Oolong tea proves endlessly versatile. Hsuan Mao’s tea breads highlight its ability to complement a wide range of flavors.
French-style dacquoise, made with almond meringue, gains freshness and aroma when filled with cream enhanced by oolong tea powder.
Tea powder blends seamlessly into rich cheesecakes, where Red Oolong’s fragrance isn’t lost but instead elevates the overall flavor.
In Kaohsiung, Dessert with Our developed canelés infused with Hsuan Mao’s Red Oolong tea powder.
Tu De-Ting grinds these high-quality yet non-prize-winning teas into powder, creating popular tea-infused roll cakes in collaboration with patisseries.
Premium tea powder also makes its way into mochi, where soft, chewy skins pair with aromatic tea-infused fillings.
Red Oolong Gift Box A · Classic Loose Leaf (300g)
With honeyed aroma and silky smooth texture. Also available as a single tin.
Red Oolong Gift Box B · Dual Enjoyment (150g Loose Leaf + 20 Tea Bags)
The best of both worlds: refined flavor in loose leaf, and everyday convenience in tea bags.
Red Oolong Gift Box C · Tea Bag Collection (20 Tea Bags × 2 Boxes)
A fragrant duet of honey, floral, and fruity notes, crafted for a smooth, easy brew.
Red Oolong Gift Box D · Red Oolong & Honey Black Tea (150g each)
Two signature teas in one set: the depth of roasted Red Oolong balanced with the fruity-honey bouquet of Honey Black Tea.
Red Oolong Tea Bag Box (20 Tea Bags)
Designed for both hot and cold brewing, offering versatility with every cup.
