October saw the official opening of Finlays' new refined tea production facility at Sinan, in Guizhou, in south-western China. At a total investment of US$16.97 million, the 23,535 square-metre site processes tea for both the domestic and international markets and aims to achieve an annual output of more than 18,000 tonnes within five years.
Finlays is building its supplier base across China, with approximately 70% of the raw product to be supplied from Guizhou province – China's largest tea producing region. The company is trialling mobile smart-technology covering the entire production process from on-farm primary processing to factory-based secondary processing, to offer supply-chain transparency and real-time origin traceability.
Finlays is also working closely with its small-to-medium-scale suppliers, to encourage them to meet internationally recognised standards, including both Good Agricultural Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices certification. The company is committed to investing in innovation and education to support local tea-growing communities. The new facility will provide a trusted route to global markets for Guizhou farmers, assisting them to gain additional income.
