It was also clear that Ichitan is a capital-intensive business, with significant investment in machinery and facilities. I found it impressive that despite suffering major losses due to a massive flood in the area, the company managed to restore its equipment and continue operations. This really showed me the importance of resilience and good crisis management in business.

Another takeaway was learning about their ethical sourcing. Ichitan uses tea leaves grown in Thailand, which helps support local employment and reduces the need for imports. I also appreciated how environmentally conscious the company is. For example, their merchandise, such as t-shirts, is made from recycled plastic waste, which connects to what we’ve been learning in ESS. I even got to learn about the history behind their tea leaves, which added an interesting cultural layer to the experience.

One of the most impressive aspects of the visit was the factory’s capital-intensive setup. The production line runs efficiently at 600 bottles per minute, with machines operating continuously for 120 hours before being cleaned to maintain the hygiene and efficiency of the machines. Additionally, their warehouse also runs entirely through an automated inventory system, allowing operations to continue 24 hours a day without human input or manpower. Observing this level of technological advancement made me reflect on how businesses benefit from automation, especially in terms of operational efficiency and consistency. The interactive experience offered during the factory tour also highlighted how much the company values customer satisfaction. It wasn’t just a tour — it was engaging and informative, which made me realize how businesses can build strong brand loyalty by making customers feel involved and informed about the production process. What stood out to me personally was the huge volume of inventory they held. In connection to BM, this made me reflect on their approach to stockpiling and why having extra inventory might benefit a business in terms of demand management or potential supply chain issues. Another aspect that caught my attention was their ethical sourcing practices. Even though some ingredients are imported from Taiwan, Ichitan still sources green tea leaves locally from Chiang Rai, supporting local employment and contributing to the Thai economy. Overall, this trip helped me better understand the practical applications of operations management, CSR, and sustainability — all of which are key themes in BM. It was especially helpful in connecting to Paper 1, as Ichitan shares many similarities with Myt PLC, particularly in the way both companies aim to modernize and adopt greener practices to meet current market expectations. It also deepened my appreciation for how modern businesses are adapting to environmental challenges through innovation, sustainable and ethical practices.

The trip was aimed to give insight into Ichitan’s manufacturing facility. Ichitan is a Thai founded and multinational brand, recognized for manufacturing green tea drinks, herbal drinks, fruit drinks, and energy drinks. 

Tan Land is a dedicated and innovative educational facility built around the Ichitan drink factory. It is designed with state-of-the-art methods to expose students to modern and automated production processes.

During this time, BM senior students have been learning about the various aspects of capital-intensive and lean manufacturing. This trip exposed students to the reality of operating a business in an era of groundbreaking innovations and changes in human resource management. Moreover, it demonstrated how businesses are making an effort to meet the great demand of being environmentally, socially and economically conscious - the triple pillar of business sustainability. 

Beyond real-life learning connections to BM and ESS, Tan Land truly captured the meaning of Learning with Fun. And this was an opportunity for us to celebrate together and to mark the end of a 2-year journey of IBBM learning.