Zhongjihao

What Zhongjihao does

Zhongjihao (中吉号) is a vertically integrated Pu'er tea company founded in 2007 and headquartered in Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The company controls 2,500+ mu of property-rights ancient tea gardens distributed across the four core Pu'er tea regions — Bulangshan (Banzhang, Banpen, Laoman'e, Zhangjia), Yiwu Mahei, Lincang Mengku, and Bangdong Xigui — covering 90%+ of famous mountain names. Production is centralized at a self-owned factory exceeding 50,000 square meters, combining 11 sets of modern Pu'er processing machinery with 200+ traditional stone molds, delivering annual capacity of 2,000+ tons. The 200+ SKU product portfolio spans round cakes (圆茶), bricks (砖茶), bowl-shaped teas (沱茶), Yunnan black tea (滇红), gift sets, and teabags, with signature lines including the Zhongji Four Beauties (中吉四美) single-origin series and the annual Collector's Green Cake (珍藏青饼).

The company operates a hybrid go-to-market combining 50+ self-operated showcase stores, a nationwide franchise/dealer network with strict regional protection and unified pricing, a brand marketing center in Shenzhen's Luohu district, dedicated sales hubs in Guangzhou's Fangcun tea market and Dongguan, and a Tmall flagship store for direct-to-consumer e-commerce. Pricing varies widely by product tier — zodiac cakes retail around ¥1,380 per 400g cake and ancient tree gold melon tribute tea at ¥2,300 per 1.6kg box — reflecting positioning across gifting, collecting, daily drinking, and franchise/wholesale segments. The company is publicly listed on China's NEEQ (stock code 838212), with founder and chairman Yang Shihua, a national-level tea appraiser, maintaining operational control.

Revenue is generated from one-time Pu'er tea product sales across all formats, franchise/dealer onboarding fees with tiered rebate policies, and private-label customization services. The company is certified by industry bodies including the China Tea Circulation Association and the Guangdong and Yunnan Tea Associations, has received CCTV coverage as 'China's Most Valuable Pu'er Tea Brand,' and operates the Zhongji Respect for the Aged Charity Fund as part of its brand-building activity.

Name

Zhongjihao

Legal name

云南中吉号茶业有限公司

Website

https://zhongjihao.com.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zhongjihao is a vertically integrated Pu'er tea company founded in 2007, controlling 2,500+ mu of ancient tea gardens in Yunnan and producing 200+ SKUs from a 2,000-ton-capacity self-owned factory, distributed via 50+ stores, a nationwide franchise network, and Tmall e-commerce to collectors, gift buyers, and daily tea drinkers in China.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pu'er Tea Manufacturing

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tea Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAG), Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates) (CRADAHAE), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Pu'er tea production
• Tea retail franchise
• Ancient tree tea
• Tea processing
• Yunnan tea brand

Headquarters

HQ city

Shenzhen

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Pu'er Tea Product Sales: 中吉号 produces and sells over 200 varieties of Pu'er tea products including raw tea (生茶), ripe tea (熟茶), and various shapes (cakes, bricks, bowls, teabags). Products are sold through self-operated stores, franchisees, dealers, and e-commerce channels. Revenue generated from product sales with per-cake prices ranging from hundreds to thousands of RMB.
2. Franchise Fees and Dealer Network: The company recruits franchise dealers nationwide. Franchisees pay to join the network and receive exclusive territories, standardized store designs, marketing support, supply chain access, and profit-sharing arrangements.
3. Customized/PPrivate Label Products: 中吉号 offers private customization services (私人定制), allowing customers to order bespoke Pu'er tea products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Zhongjihao (中吉号) is a vertically integrated Pu'er tea company that owns and operates ancient tea gardens in Xishuangbanna (Yunnan), processes tea at a 50,000+ sqm facility using a combination of 11 sets of modern Pu'er processing machinery and 200+ traditional stone molds, and sells 200+ Pu'er tea SKUs (cakes, bricks, nests, teabags, raw and ripe teas) through self-operated flagship stores, franchise/dealer network, and a Tmall e-commerce flagship store. The company also offers private-label customization and zodiac commemorative tea series with artist collaborations.

Product overview

Zhongjihao (中吉号) is a full industry chain Pu'er tea company operating across tea garden cultivation, primary processing, and finished product production. The product portfolio is organized around multiple sub-brands and product series: the core product categories include 中吉普洱圆茶 (round cakes), 中吉砖茶 (bricks), 中吉红茶 (black teas), 中吉沱茶 (nest-shaped teas), 中吉礼品茶 (gift teas), and 中吉号袋泡茶 (teabags). Signature named products include the 中吉四美 series (four single-origin ancient tree teas from famous mountains: 纯麻黑, 茶王树, 蛮砖, 倚邦), 珍藏青饼 (annual collector's cakes), 兰之恋 (youth-oriented orchid-scented tea), and zodiac commemorative teas (猪年生肖饼 - 生财, 狗年旺财). The company also offers private customization services (私人定制) leveraging its upstream tea garden assets and manufacturing facilities. Products span raw (生茶) and ripe (熟茶) Pu'er, Yunnan black tea (滇红), and specialty formats including tea cakes, bricks, nests, melon shapes, and teabags.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 中吉四美: Signature product series featuring four famous mountain teas: 麻黑, 茶王树, 蛮砖, and 倚邦
• 吉祥系列
• 珍藏青饼
• 生肖纪念茶

Products and services

• Zhongjihao Round Pu'er Tea (中吉普洱圆茶) Traditional round-cake (圆茶) Pu'er tea line, the company's flagship product category featuring compression-molded tea cakes in various weights (typically 357g/饼), sourced from famous mountain origins across Yunnan including Banzhang, Banzhang, Yiwu Mahei, Lincang Mengku, and Bangdong Xigui. Sold through self-operated stores, franchisees, dealers, and e-commerce.
• Zhongjihao Brick Tea (中吉砖茶) Brick-formatted (砖茶) Pu'er tea line offering an alternative compressed shape suitable for aging and storage, sourced from Yunnan ancient tree tea materials.
• Zhongjihao Black Tea (中吉红茶) Yunnan black tea (滇红) product line including Ancient Tree Dianhong (古树滇红) series such as Xiang Hongluo (香红螺) and Jin Si Hong Li (金丝红礼), produced from ancient tea tree leaves in Yunnan with floral and fruity tasting notes.
• Zhongjihao Nest-shaped Tea (中吉沱茶) Nest-shaped (沱) Pu'er tea including Gold Melon Tribute Tea (金瓜贡茶) and Silver Hair Nest (银毫沱) products in various weights (100g, 250g, 1.6kg), sourced from ancient tea trees in Banzhang Mountain and other regions.
• Zhongjihao Gift Tea (中吉礼品茶) Gift-set tea products including zodiac commemorative cakes (生肖纪念饼) such as Year of the Dog 'Wangcai' (旺财) and Year of the Pig 'Shengcai' (生财) featuring collaborations with artist Wu Huaxing, targeting premium gifting, business gifts, holiday gifts, and wedding gift markets.
• Zhongjihao Teabag Tea (中吉号袋泡茶) Convenience-format tea bags (袋泡茶) made from ancient tree tea leaves including Ancient Tree Dianhong, targeting modern, urban, and younger consumer segments including high-end business users.
• Zhongjihao Four Beauties Series (中吉四美) Signature product series of four premium single-origin ancient tree Pu'er teas representing four famous tea mountains: 纯麻黑 (Chun Mahei from Yiwu Mahei), 茶王树 (Cha Wang Shu from Yiwu Guafengzhai), 蛮砖 (Man Zhuan from Manzhuan Mountain), and 倚邦 (Yi Bang from Yibang Mountain). Each is single-origin ancient tree tea showcasing the unique terroir of its respective mountain.
• Collector's Green Cake (珍藏青饼) Collector's green cake (珍藏青饼) series (2013, 2014 editions), made from ancient tree materials using traditional recipes and compression. Positioned for long-term aging and collection; the 2014 Banzhang edition (班章珍藏青饼) won a gold award (96.55 points) at the Shenzhen Tea Expo.
• Private Label / Custom Tea Service (私人定制) Custom/private-label tea production service (私人定制) allowing customers to commission personalized Pu'er tea products, leveraging the company's full industry chain from tea garden to finished product. Targets both individual consumers and enterprise gift buyers.
• Zodiac Commemorative Tea - Pig Year 'Shengcai' 2018 (猪年生肖饼 - 生财 2018) 2018 zodiac (pig) commemorative tea cake with artist Wu Huaxing (武华兴) collaboration. Produced from Menghai Gaoshan Qiaomu Ancient Tea Garden using the classic formula from the preceding 'Wangcai' dog zodiac product. 400g/饼, retail price ¥1,380/饼, 7 cakes/tie, 28 cakes/case.
• Gold Melon Tribute Tea 2015 (金瓜贡茶 2015) Gold melon tribute tea (金瓜贡茶) made from Yunnan large-leaf early-spring tips (大叶种清明前后早春毛料), traditionally hand-rolled, Banzhang Mountain origin, raw tea (生茶). 1.6kg/box, 8 boxes/case. Retail ¥2,300/box.
• Ancient Tree Tea - Aged Old Tea Head 2018 (中吉号古树茶 - 陈年老茶头 2018) Aged old tea head (陈年老茶头) product from 2018, a special fermented Pu'er product formed during the pile-fermentation process, known for rich texture and brewing suitability.

Quantifiable outcome

• 年生产能力2000吨以上
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 昌兴存茶（东莞市昌兴茶叶仓储有限公司）coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2019中吉号茶业与东莞昌兴存茶达成战略合作，中吉号纯料古树老班章产品入库昌兴专业生态仓库。昌兴存茶总占地面积40亩，仓储中心面积3万平方米，茶叶仓储量可达6000吨。双方合作打通产品、品牌、仓储、交易一站式服务，为普洱茶收藏市场提供专业仓储和交易平台。
• 版纳石化集团 / 勐海县瑞贡老班章旅游开发投资有限公司coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 March 2019中吉号与版纳石化集团旗下的勐海县瑞贡老班章旅游开发投资有限公司合作，在老班章村设立「老班章指定合作基地」揭牌仪式。双方共同管理保护老班章古茶园，开展茶旅结合新模式，为茶友提供从茶园到茶杯的全方位体验服务，包括乘坐电瓶车参观古茶园、统一停车标准化管理等。版纳石化2017年投入巨资改造村内基础设施，修宽道路、修建停车场、标准化工厂及体验品鉴中心。
• 武华兴（书画家）minorStrategic or Co-development Partner著名书画家武华兴先生（世界第一位货币艺术家，中国第一位国画作品走向华尔街的艺术家）携手中吉号共同推出生肖纪念茶系列，包括2018年狗年生肖茶「旺财」和2019年猪年生肖茶「生财」。武华兴融茶入画，以茶入画，推出极具艺术价值和收藏价值的茶画结合产品。
• 小彩旗（杨丽萍弟子）coreGTM or Marketing Partner中国著名舞蹈艺术家杨丽萍的弟子「时光舞者」小彩旗签约代言中吉号，代言理念为「让喝茶时尚起来」，推出联名产品「兰之恋」。通过明星代言吸引年轻消费群体，明星签售活动收入全部捐献「中吉敬老基金」。
• 真功夫餐饮minorGTM or Marketing Partner中吉号与真功夫餐饮开展跨界品牌联盟合作，2019年春季推出「买中吉号茶叶送真功夫霸王餐」活动，消费者在天猫旗舰店购买中吉号产品满额即送霸王餐优惠（最高免费吃一个月），实现跨行业流量互导。
• 杨丽萍文化传播公司coreStrategic or Co-development Partner中国著名舞蹈艺术家杨丽萍女士倾情代言中吉号，公司以「吉祥茶文化」为品牌理念，将传统茶文化与艺术美学相结合，提升品牌形象和文化内涵。
• 中国普洱批发网minorGTM or Marketing Partner中国普洱批发网对中吉号进行全方位报道宣传合作，作为茶叶行业专业媒体平台进行品牌传播和产品推广。

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Menghai Dayi Tea (大益茶): China's largest and most recognized Pu'er tea brand, with full industry chain operations across famous mountain origins and a national distribution network — directly comparable to Zhongjihao but at much greater scale and brand recognition.
• LongRun Tea (龙润茶业): Listed tea group with diversified Yunnan tea portfolio spanning Pu'er, green and black teas and franchise distribution — a broader peer with comparable GTM but a wider product set.
• Bama Tea (八马茶业): Major Chinese tea retailer and brand with national chain store footprint covering multiple tea categories — comparable in distribution scale and brand-building approach but with less Pu'er specialization.
• Yunnan Pu'er Tea Group (普洱茶集团): State-linked Pu'er tea enterprise producing and distributing Pu'er across wholesale, retail and government channels — a regional incumbent with overlapping garden-to-cup capabilities.

Direct peers

• ChenShengHao Tea (陈升号): Pu'er tea producer also focused on Banzhang ancient tree teas with integrated garden-to-cup operations and franchise expansion — the closest direct competitor to Zhongjihao in the premium ancient tree Pu'er niche.
• Xiaguan Tuocha (下关沱茶): Historic Yunnan Pu'er tea manufacturer producing tuocha (nest-shaped) and cake formats from Dali — operates similar full-chain model and national dealer/franchise distribution.
• Haiwan Tea (海湾茶业): Pu'er tea producer with own tea gardens, processing facilities and brand portfolio across aged and raw Pu'er categories — directly comparable in vertical integration and B2B/franchise GTM.
• Six Mountains Tea (六大茶山): Pu'er tea brand with own gardens and a multi-region Yunnan sourcing model offering raw and ripe Pu'er to collectors and franchisees — overlapping product structure and distribution approach.

Emerging players

• Mengku Tea (勐库戎氏): Yunnan-based tea producer focused on Mengku and surrounding origins with full industry chain control — comparable in scale and regional focus, but with less national brand awareness than Zhongjihao.
• Cha Bailin Tea (茶百灵): Emerging Pu'er tea brand leveraging e-commerce and modern marketing for premium positioning — comparable in targeting younger collectors but with smaller garden assets and lighter vertical integration.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zhongjihao