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When it came to expanding into the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong brand China Tea & Herbalworld managing director Paul Kao turned to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to help realize his online retail ambitions.
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Founded in 1948, the company produces a line of packaged teas designed to reduce high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.
Mr Kao’s first step was to list products on HKTDC’s Design Gallery digital shop-in-shop on JD.com International in January 2025, to gain an initial insight into the market’s potential.
The move proved timely. In 2025, HKTDC launched its E-Commerce Express program to support small and medium-sized enterprises in expanding their online businesses. One of the program’s first activities was a visit to leading e-commerce platforms in Shenzhen in May 2025, which proved to be a turning point for the company. Meetings with industry experts quickly turned ideas into action plans.
“By participating in the HKTDC study tour, we gained a deeper understanding of mainland e-commerce operations and logistics. This provided a solid foundation for our expansion into cross-border e-commerce,” explained Mr Kao.
Following the tour, the firm set up online shops on T-Mall, Douyin, and RedNote and deployed techniques such as livestreaming and influencer recommendations.
As orders grew, the company realized it needed a team based in Shenzhen.
Once again, support from the HKTDC proved invaluable. Its Shenzhen office provided tailored, end-to-end support, including helping to scout office premises and set up social media accounts.
Another opportunity came through HKTDC’s annual Hong Kong Shopping Festival, a monthlong series of online promotions. The 2025 edition recorded over 100 million online impressions, with participating companies reporting significant boosts in traffic and sales.
China Tea & Herbalworld has signed up for the festival’s third edition in August, based on its successful experience to date.
Mr Kao noted that he has benefited enormously from HKTDC’s sustained promotion of Hong Kong as a premier source of quality goods.
HKTDC’s efforts “have significantly boosted the credibility of Hong Kong brands,” he said, citing both online promotions and offline exhibitions. Healthy food and drinks will be a focus at HKTDC’s Food Expo and the Hong Kong International Tea Fair, starting on August 13. Open to the public, the events will offer a bounty of business opportunities alongside mouth-watering flavors and tasting experiences for traders, visitors, and tea enthusiasts alike.
