African agency in China's tea trade : : commercial networks, brand creation and intellectual property / / Ute Röschenthaler.

• Superior document: African Social Studies Series ; Volume 43
• VerfasserIn: Röschenthaler, Ute,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden ;, Boston : : Brill,, [2022]; ©2022
• Year of Publication: 2022
• Language: English
• Series: African social studies series ; Volume 43.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (364 pages)
• Notes: This study highlights the agency of African economic actors in the green tea trade between China and West Africa, their unique tea brand designs, their challenges and successes, and the social and cultural context in which they conduct their work.
• Other title: Preliminary Material /; Copyright page /; Preface /; Acknowledgements /; List of Figures, Graphs and Table /; Introduction /; Chapter 1 The Emergence of the Malian Tea Importers /; Chapter 2 The Evolution of the Green Tea Brands /; Chapter 3 Tea Prices, Brand Value and Publicity /; Chapter 4 The Traders of Mali’s National Drink /; Chapter 5 Secrets of Success, Distribution Networks and Sino-Malian Collaboration /; Chapter 6 The Tea Packet Design, Co-Creation and the Culture of Commemoration /; Chapter 7 Tea Brands as Intellectual Property and the Challenge of Piracy /; Chapter 8 Tea Brands and the Conceptual Complexities of Intellectual Property /; Chapter 9 Bureaucracy: The Commercial Tribunal, Statistics and Border Controls /; Conclusion /; References /; Index /
• Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• ISBN: 9004505695
• Hierarchical level: Monograph
• Statement of Responsibility: Ute Röschenthaler.

Every month tons of green tea travel from China to West Africa in a movement that largely thrives beyond the attention of Western observers. In this trade, Malian merchants assumed a central role. They travel to China, visit family gardens and the factories, which process and package the product. Together with their Chinese suppliers, they select the tea leaves and create their brand. On Bamako’s largest market, the Grand Marché, more than a hundred different tea brands are found, whose packages have colourfully, often eye-catching designs with brand-names such as Gazelle, Tombouctou, Arafat and Obama. This book explores the unique tea culture that celebrates with its brands the strength of desert animals, the fading glory of trading places, the excitement of social events and the accomplishments of admired politicians.