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How the Wu Family Built a Global Tea Empire Across Three Generations
Description
Episode 97 of Family Business Stories with Fexingo traces the Wu family's journey from a single tea shop in Taipei to a multinational tea conglomerate spanning 30 countries. Lucas and Luna unpack how second-generation patriarch David Wu pivoted from wholesale to premium retail in the 1980s, and how third-generation CEO Emily Wu navigated the specialty matcha boom without losing the company's 1950s roots. The episode centers on one key decision: the 2016 acquisition of a Japanese matcha mill that doubled revenue within three years. Along the way, the hosts discuss the delicate balance between tradition and scale, the role of family councils in succession, and why the Wu family refuses to franchise. A concrete case study in multi-generational resilience.