CNNP Tea Corporation (China National Native Produce and Animal By-products Import and Export Corporation) was founded in 1949 and became China’s very first foreign trade company.
In the first 45 years of its existence, this state-owned corporation has achieved impressive success not only in its core business of producing and selling Chinese tea, but also in related fields (agricultural industry). At one time, it was a powerful state-owned enterprise, which included all the major tea factories in Yunnan Province, including Menhai, Xiaguan and Kunming.
The packaging style of puerhs of that time was standardized and had the following features:
The round puerh pancake was named Yunnan Chi Tse Beeng Cha (Chinese: Yunnan chi tse wereg cha, English: Yunnan Seven-sons Tea Cake).
The inscription “Products of Menghai Tea Factory of Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Xisuangbanna” was added to the product card of all puerh pancakes (except for puerh from Kunming and Xiaguan Tea Factories).
The inscription “Yunnan Chi Tse Beeng Cha” and “China National Native Produce & Animal By-products Import and Export Corporation Yunnan Tea Branch” in Chinese and English were put on the package.
And the most important thing: the famous Zhong Cha dogotype – “中茶” appeared on the package. The character Chai – “茶” (printed in different colors at different times) in a circular frame of eight red characters Zhong – “中”.
The most popular puerh of the period is considered to be Red Seal or Red Mark (Chinese: Hong Yin Yuancha). Also during the company’s existence, a series of legendary puerh pancakes have been produced under the “Zhong Cha” logo: “Green Seal, Blue Seal, Yellow Brand (Seal)”.
In the 1980s and 1990s, most tea factories were privatized but CNNP (aka Kunming Tea Factory) continues to operate under the brand name “Chinatea” and still uses the original red, yellow or green “中 茶” logo. This logo is probably the oldest in the world of pu’erh tea.
CNNP-branded products are manufactured in various factories, including Kunming, which is highly reputable. Some popular CNNP products (like the 7581) are made only in the Kunming factory and are more respected than some other CNNP products.
At present, “CNNP” is trying to return to the top of the tea market and is mainly focused on direct competition with Menghai Tea Factory. The emblem is a yellow or green tea character “茶” – framed by the characters “中”
