CHANGKHAM
The Origin of Changkham
The Origin of Changkham (Brand Story)
The story of Changkham began with a seemingly accidental encounter.
That year, while dining at a local restaurant in Chiang Mai, we inadvertently discovered several tea trees growing behind the restaurant. They were not part of a manicured tea plantation but grew naturally within the mountain forests, appearing to be quite old. Out of curiosity, we picked a leaf and tasted it. At that moment, a long-ignored fact was confirmed: these were genuine tea trees.
The excitement and shock of that moment remain unforgettable. In our perception, tea only existed in planned plantations, yet the mountains of Chiang Mai quietly preserved another, more ancient and primitive kind of tea.
Thus, in 2018, we officially embarked on a journey to find wild ancient tea trees in Chiang Mai. In 2019, we attempted to produce Black tea and Oolong tea for the first time, and the aroma and taste were surprisingly delightful. In 2020, after completing our second tea product, the sudden outbreak of the pandemic forced an interruption to our learning and exploration. It wasn't until 2023 that we returned to the wild tea forest that had once moved us, only to be met with regrettable news—the tea trees had all been cut down and replaced with coffee plants.
This was not the farmers' fault. Perhaps they didn't know these were tea trees worthy of being cherished; or perhaps they knew, but lacked the tea-making technology and market access. Faced with the reality of livelihood, choosing coffee or other economic crops was the most direct and helpless decision.
It was this specific experience that truly solidified our resolve—to establish a new company in Chiang Mai dedicated to Thai ancient tree tea. And so, Changkham was born.
We hope that through the power of our brand, we can:
- Protect the ancient tea tree resources that still exist in the mountains
- Ensure farmers receive a stable and sustainable income
- Harvest tea without damaging the forest ecology