Our Origins

Our chenpi story begins in Xinhui, a district of Jiangmen in Guangdong, China. To understand a citrus tea, start with its two ingredients: the mandarin peel and, where included, the tea leaves. Each has its own place, process and role in the cup.

Where is Xinhui?

Xinhui is part of Jiangmen in Guangdong, southern China. In the brand’s Chinese-language craft guide, Xinhui chenpi is described as the dried, aged peel of mandarins grown in this region. The fruit and the place matter to the identity of the ingredient, alongside the work of preparing, drying and storing the peel.

The traditional process focuses on the peel. A mandarin grown for chenpi is therefore part of a different ingredient story from a piece of fresh fruit bought only for its flesh. The peel is prepared and dried before it enters storage for ageing.

How does the brand work with growers?

The brand’s sourcing materials describe a model connecting a cultivation and experimentation base, a professional cooperative and participating citrus growers. The cooperative was established in 2016. This gives context to the relationship between agricultural work and the products that reach the tea table.

In this model, cultivation experience and technical guidance are shared through the cooperative. The published sourcing description covers activities such as variety selection, orchard management and harvesting. A cooperative network includes participating growers; it should be understood separately from land directly owned by a company.

Where does the tea come in?

Our brand profile also connects the story to Menghai, Yunnan, a tea-producing area associated with Pu-erh. A mandarin Pu-erh combines two materials: citrus peel and tea leaves. A pure chenpi selection contains the peel-focused ingredient described by its label, while a chenpi-and-white-tea blend has a different composition.

Use the individual listing and package to understand the selection in front of you. A region mentioned in the brand story does not replace the origin, ingredients or batch information for a particular product.

What does this mean when choosing a pack?

• Check the format: pure peel, tea-filled mandarin, pressed tea or another blend.
• Read the ingredients: similar-looking citrus products can contain different teas or additional ingredients.
• Separate origin from age: a place name and an age designation describe different details.
• Keep the batch information: it helps our team identify a specific pack when you have a question.

For your first selection, our chenpi and mandarin Pu-erh guide explains the main formats. To see how peel becomes an ingredient, continue to our craft guide.