Customer Inquiry: I run a tea business abroad, and a customer recently asked about a type of Taiwanese insect-bitten tea, which they believe is called insect-bitten tea. Is this a tea your company is familiar with? Since I mostly deal with Oolong and High Mountain teas, I’m not very familiar with other varieties.
What is Insect-Bitten Tea?
Liao Chang Xing: Hello Mr. Ho, wishing you a prosperous business! The most common insect-bitten tea is Pengfeng tea, commonly known as Oriental Beauty tea. It gets the name insect-bitten tea primarily because the tea leaves are bitten by the “Jacobiasca formosana” (green leafhopper), which triggers a natural honey aroma. Without this insect bite, the flavor would be rather ordinary. Because high-quality Pengfeng tea must be bitten by these insects, it earned the name insect-bitten tea.
Although insect-bitten tea leaves may not look uniform or appealing, they feature a natural honey aroma and are produced without pesticides, making them a natural and healthy beverage. It is also a uniquely Taiwanese tea, which has gained immense popularity in mainland China in recent years. Many of our clients take it there to sell, and mainland tea lovers have embraced it warmly. Especially in recent years, as public demand for food safety continues to rise, the healthy and natural qualities of insect-bitten tea have made it even more popular.
▲This is the green leafhopper (locally known as “Yanzai”), the most crucial tea maker behind insect-bitten tea.
Let me introduce a bit more. Insect-bitten teas are produced across both northern and southern Taiwan. Alongside Oriental Beauty (also known as Pengfeng, Meiren, or Yanzai tea), well-known varieties include Honey Black Tea, Honey Oolong, and Honey White Tea. The next time a customer asks, you’ll be all set to introduce it to them. If you have any needs, feel free to reach out to Liao Chang Xing—we supply a wide variety of insect-bitten teas!
