Herbal tea maker supports immediate, long-term social causes

Jiaduobao Group established Guangdong Jiaduobao Beverage Co Ltd in Dongguan, Guangdong province, 10 years ago to produce herbal tea. After a decade, the company and its canned herbal tea products have become well known across the country, with branches in Beijing, Zhejiang and Fujian.

The sales volume of the company's canned red "Wong Lo Kat" tea reached 6 million tons in 2008, more than twice Coca-Cola's sales of canned beverages on the Chinese mainland, according to the China Industrial Information Issuing Center.

The company stated at its 10-year anniversary ceremony that it will continue to provide healthy and safe drinks to consumers and also increase efforts in philanthropy for education and poverty relief.

In addition to its integration of the traditional Chinese food culture and effective marketing strategies, Jiaduobao's success is also due to its dedication to corporate social responsibility and social causes, experts said.

Since 2001, Jiaduobao has sponsored a program to help poverty-stricken students go to college. So far, the company has donated more than 8 million yuan to sponsor more than 1,600 students.

After the devastating earthquake in Sichuan province last year, Jiaduobao Group donated 100 million yuan for earthquake victims. The amount made it the biggest donor at a charity event broadcast live on China Central Television (CCTV) last May, and immediately triggered a rise in popularity of its herbal tea products.

Many online postings called on people to drink only Wong Lo Kat to support the company's generosity and sense of corporate responsibility following the disaster.

At the end of 2008, Jiaduobao also contributed 1 million yuan to build or renovate playgrounds at 25 disadvantaged schools.

Jiaduobao's acts of charity have attracted numerous accolades. The company won the Chinese Charity Award last year and was named the 2008 China People's Well-Being Movement Pioneer.

Jiaduobao this year established the Jiaduobao Fund for Poverty Alleviation in cooperation with the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA).

While previous charity donations were large, one-time donations, the foundation was established to allow the company to make long-term micro-endowments with the fund.

The company's employees and partners were encouraged to join a monthly donation project, and 3,000 responded, the company said.

"Many colleagues signed up for the monthly donation project. We share the common belief that although we are not rich people, we can do good things as much as possible," said Li Heran, a Jiaduobao employee.

The CFPA praised the company's efforts.

"Jiaduobao's continuous concern and practices for the public interest have built its image as a responsible corporate citizen," said Li Li, the CFPA's assistant secretary general.

"The company has played an exemplary role in society, calling on more people to join hands to support and promote philanthropy in China," he said.

(China Daily 11/09/2009 page10)