Hồng Trà Núi Cốc (Nui Coc Black Tea) is a fully oxidised black tea from our cooperative in Thai Nguyen, northern Vietnam, named after Nui Coc Lake. It is made from young shoots picked by hand in our La Bang gardens. In the cup it is clear amber-red, with ripe fruit and honey on the nose, round and soft with low astringency. That softness lets it be drunk on its own, while it still takes milk and works iced, which makes it a fit for cafés, milk tea menus and blenders who want a Vietnamese origin black tea. This guide explains what it is, how it differs from the bulk black tea Vietnam exports, and how to buy it.
| Item | Nui Coc Black Tea |
|---|---|
| Type | Fully oxidised black tea (hong tra) |
| Origin | Cooperative gardens at La Bang, Dai Tu, Thai Nguyen province |
| Leaf | Young shoots, hand-picked; no machine harvesting |
| Dry leaf | Dark, with a blue-black sheen |
| Cup | Clear amber-red; ripe fruit and honey aroma; round, soft, low astringency, warm sweet finish |
| Uses | Straight, with milk, iced; café and milk tea menus; blends |
| Supply | Bulk and retail packing; quantity set against the season’s production |
What “Nui Coc black tea” means
Thai Nguyen is known for green tea, and most of our cooperative’s output is green. Hồng Trà Núi Cốc is the black tea we make from the same gardens. “Hong tra” is the Vietnamese name for black tea (literally “red tea”, after the colour of the cup), and Nui Coc is the lake beside our Dai Tu site. The leaf is picked by hand as young shoots, then rolled and fully oxidised before drying, which turns the leaf dark and the cup red.
How it differs from Vietnam’s bulk black tea
Vietnam is a large black tea exporter. FAO ranked it sixth in the world for black tea exports in 2022, and black tea made up roughly two-fifths of Vietnam’s tea exports in 2024. Most of that volume is orthodox or CTC black tea made in industrial factories and sold in bulk for blending, at lower prices per tonne than green tea. Our article on Vietnam’s tea exports by type sets out the figures and sources.
Nui Coc Black Tea is a different product: small-batch, hand-picked young shoots from one cooperative’s gardens, with a soft cup that stands on its own. It suits buyers who want a named origin and a traceable lot rather than a commodity grade.
Who it suits
- Cafés and milk tea shops: the round, low-astringency cup takes milk without turning harsh, and can be served iced.
- Tea brands and retailers: a Vietnamese origin black tea to sit beside green and oolong in a range, under your own label if you wish; see private label tea in 7 steps.
- Blenders: a base with fruit and honey notes for flavoured or breakfast-style blends.
Supply, lots and documents
We sell Nui Coc Black Tea in bulk as well as in retail packing. Because it is made in batches through the season, the quantity available is set against what each season produces rather than by a fixed table, so tell us the volume and packing you need and we will confirm what we can supply. Our harvest calendar shows when leaf comes in.
The tea is processed at our La Bang facility, which holds ISO 22000:2018 food safety management certification. For a formal export order we provide the standard document set; see export documents for Vietnamese tea. We do not describe this tea as organic, and no organic certification is claimed.
How to evaluate a sample
Brew it next to the black tea you use now, at the same leaf weight and water, and taste it both straight and with milk. Look at the colour of the cup, the aroma when hot and as it cools, and whether the finish stays sweet or turns drying. Our guide on how to request and evaluate a tea sample covers the method, and the brewing guide on the product page gives our recommended starting point.
Taste Nui Coc Black Tea. Importers can request a sample of Nui Coc Black Tea, alongside Traditional Northern Green Tea or Special Green Tea, through our Contact page, or message our export team on Zalo/WhatsApp at +84 855 318 678. Tell us how you plan to serve it and the volume you expect.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nui Coc Black Tea a CTC tea?
No. It is made from hand-picked young shoots, rolled and fully oxidised in small batches, not cut-tear-curl processed for tea bags.
Can it be used for milk tea?
Yes. The cup is round and low in astringency, so it takes milk well, and it can also be served iced.
Where is it grown?
In our cooperative’s gardens at La Bang, Dai Tu, Thai Nguyen province, and processed at our La Bang facility.
Is it organic?
We do not describe it as organic and no organic certification is claimed. The La Bang facility where it is processed holds ISO 22000:2018 food safety management certification.
What is the minimum order?
Quantity is confirmed case by case against the season’s production. Tell us the volume and packing you need.
