Proposed Transaction Expected to Expand Ready-to-Drink Product Portfolio, Enhance White Tea Value Chain, and Broaden Health-Oriented Consumption Scenarios
NINGDE, China, Jan. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oriental Rise Holdings Limited ("Oriental Rise" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ORIS), an integrated tea supplier in mainland China, today announced that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent ("LOI") to acquire the PoDu ("??") white tea beverage brand and certain related assets (the "Proposed Transaction"). PoDu is a ready-to-drink ("RTD") botanical tea beverage positioned around high-altitude white tea from Zherong County, Fujian Province.
The Company believes the Proposed Transaction is highly aligned with its long-term strategic objectives, with a focus on extending the value chain of its core white tea category into RTD products, diversifying product formats, and enhancing brand reach into higher-frequency consumer occasions. Oriental Rise will conduct comprehensive due diligence on the PoDu brand and related assets and, subject to satisfactory results, proceed with negotiations toward a definitive transaction agreement. The LOI is non-binding, and the completion of any transaction remains subject to the completion of due diligence, the execution of definitive agreements, and other customary closing conditions.
The PoDu beverage line is formulated using aged Shoumei white tea (typically aged three years or more) sourced from Zherong County, and is produced through a slow-boiling process together with selected botanical ingredients such as vine tea, monk fruit, and dried citrus peel. The product features a "zero sucrose, zero fat, zero artificial coloring, and zero preservatives,"profile, designed for a balanced taste suited for a broad range of consumption scenarios, including family gatherings, restaurant dining, and business entertainment.
The Company expects the Proposed Transaction, if completed, to complement its existing tea garden resources in Zherong County, Ningde City, Fujian Province, and to further advance Oriental Rise's strategy of selectively expanding across the tea value chain-from cultivation and processing to product innovation, branding, distribution, and consumer product development. Zherong is known for its high-altitude tea-growing environment and significant day-night temperature variation, which contribute to the development of higher-quality tea leaves suitable for premium and value-added products.
If completed, the Company expects the Proposed Transaction to generate meaningful strategic benefits by combining Oriental Rise's public company platform, capital market access, supply-chain management, quality control capabilities, and nationwide distribution network with PoDu's RTD product format and brand positioning. Expected benefits include a more diversified product mix with increased exposure to higher-margin consumer products, improved ability to capture health-oriented demand trends, stronger brand presence across additional consumption occasions, and enhanced operating leverage to support future growth initiatives.
The Proposed Transaction reflects Oriental Rise's continued execution of its vertical integration and product diversification strategy. Management remains focused on integrating assets and brands that demonstrate long-term strategic value, operational synergy, and the potential to expand the Company's addressable market within and beyond traditional tea products.
"We believe that expanding our white tea category into ready-to-drink formats is an important step in strengthening our long-term competitiveness and earnings quality," said Mr. Dezhi Liu, Chief Executive Officer of Oriental Rise. "PoDu's product concept and sourcing alignment with Zherong white tea provide a compelling opportunity to broaden our consumer reach and further enhance our product differentiation. If successfully completed, this transaction would support our efforts to extend the white tea value chain and create sustainable long-term value for our shareholders."
About Oriental Rise Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: ORIS)
Oriental Rise Holding Limited is an integrated supplier of tea products in mainland China. Our major tea products include (i) primarily-processed tea consisting of white tea and black tea, and (ii) refined white tea and black tea. Our business operations are vertically integrated, covering cultivation, processing of tea leaves and the sale of tea products to tea business operators (such as wholesale distributors) and end-user retail customers in mainland China. We operate tea gardens located in Zherong County, Ningde City in Fujian Province of mainland China. For more information, visit the Company's website at https://ir.mdhtea.cn/.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the proposed transaction contemplated by the LOI, the expected timing, structure and benefits of the Proposed Transaction, and the Company's plans and expectations with respect to due diligence and negotiation of definitive agreements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company's current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "approximates," "believes," "hopes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "projects," "intends," "plans," "will," "would," "should," "could," "may" or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company's registration statement and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
For investor and media inquiries, please contact:
Oriental Rise Holdings Limited
Investor Relations Department
Email: ir@mdhtea.cn
