In Assam, India, you don’t necessarily expect to see the Japanese-style sencha (steaming) processing of green tea. However, head on over to the 500-hectares Chota Tingrai Tea Estate in the Tinsukia district of upper Assam, where one can witness Japanese machines and rolling tables for the best twists and polish, bright green infusions and mellow liquors with a sweet aftertaste. The tea garden is a part of Jalan Industries, and it’s a melting pot of rich heritage and path-breaking modern-day innovations. It’s also the only tea estate in India to use this Japanese process, according to the estate.
The garden, which has been making Japanese style green tea since 2016, says the response from the market and consumers has been very positive. “The authenticity of the product has been well appreciated,” said Mrityunjay Jalan, director of Jalan Industries, which runs Chota Tingrai Tea Estate. The factory is known as Chota Tingrai Hara green tea factory.
How the Japanese green tea factory was set up – which is a story of two families of Japan and Assam – is interesting, too.
“The idea of putting up an authentic green tea plant in Assam was first given to us by David Marsh of Lipton Tea Plc in 1975/76 [those days, Lipton and Brooke Bond were separate entities]” said Mrigendra Jalan, who currently heads Jalan Industries.
“The idea was appealing to my father Late Mahadeo Jalan and the decision was taken after Liptons Japan tied us with Japanese machine manufacturers,” said Mrigendra. “The machines were imported from Japan in 1978 and the factory commenced production. It was a modern plant, but the quality of the green tea was nowhere near the original Japanese quality. Our teas were harsh and bitter. After two years of experimenting, Chota Tingrai gave it up as a bad investment. However by then Chota Tingrai's name as a green tea producer was known in tea circles.”
Mrigendra explained that Mr. Ichiro Hara, owner and founder of Umenoen Tea Ltd., wanted to give it another shot and contacted him. “We got working in the 1980s but gave up again as the teas did not improve,” he said.
Fast forward to 2016. “Mr. Hara’s son, Shoji Hara, was again contacted by us to have another try as new generation machines had come into Japan and import restrictions had eased. One could get any machine or instrument for quality very easily,” Mrigendra remembered.“
A brand new set of latest generation machines were imported and tea master Yanagawa San was also roped in to start afresh. We now have a world-class product being made in a world-class factory,” he added.
Mrityunjay revealed that by using Japanese machines and techniques – along with specially selected high-quality Assam clones – the factory can produce green tea that has a green, polished appearance, fresh earthy aroma, bright green infusions and mellow liquors with a sweet aftertaste.
The tea is sold under the brand name Midori, which is a Japanese word that expresses the color of shoots, young leaves or whole plants. It also is used for representing forests, nature or the environment. It is said the word Midori first appeared in Japanese history during the Heian Period (794-1185/1192).
“The manufactured green tea is stored in the cold storage before it is vacuum packed, ensuring that the produced tea retains all of its original properties and that it increases its shelf life,” Mrityunjay said. “The manufacturing process involves high precision steaming, Japanese rolling tables for the best twists and polish, and a gradual drying process to ensure that the teas do not oxidize and retain all the properties that a green tea product should embody."
The factory is also equipped with its own pyramid tea bag machine for the manufacture of the most premium tea bags and its own HojiCha machine. Hoji Cha is a popular Japanese form of roasted tea with a smoky flavor profile that has high antioxidant contents and negligible caffeine contents, making it a very unique and healthy beverage that can be enjoyed both hot and cold.
“During a time when green tea is catching a lot of eyeballs in the market, Chota Tingrai has set out on an endeavor to ensure that the right product reaches the consumer,” Mrityunjay said. “It believes that the product will embody its properties and benefits only when it's produced the right way. With the help of the pioneers of green tea, Chota Tingrai has taken special care in each of the steps from plucking to packaging to deliver on its promise and bring you the authentic green tea experience.”
Currently, the factory is producing close to 1 lakh kgs per annum and is supplying its tea to various packeteers, wholesalers, retailers and cafes across India, as well as to some of its buyers in the United States of America. “We want to double production by next year while keeping our quality standards,” shared Mrityunjay.
Prasanta Choudhury, who has been a manager with Chota Tingrai for two years, told World Tea News: “This green tea is refreshing when compared with other green teas in the market and the product is green in color. It's made in an automatic plant, where no extra labor is required other than one person feeding the green leaf in the machine.”
Chota Tingrai also stocks its teas in the United States and it can be accessed by big and small customers easily.
Jayant Jalan of Absolute Tea, who bought the tea for his clients, said, “Customers loved it. The aroma was typically like a spring tea. The taste was astringent with a citrusy note.”
Roopak Goswami – a contributor to World Tea News – has worked for more than two decades as a newspaper journalist in Northeast India. Tea is his passion, and he covers the tea industry regularly.
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