Proposed Deal Anticipated to Expand Ready-to-Drink Product Lineup, Strengthen White Tea Value Chain, and Extend Health-Focused Consumption Contexts
NINGDE, China, Jan. 09, 2026 — Oriental Rise Holdings Limited (“Oriental Rise” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ORIS), a fully integrated tea provider in mainland China, today declared it has executed a non-binding letter of intent (“LOI”) to purchase the PoDu (“破独”) white tea beverage brand and specific associated assets (the “Proposed Transaction”). PoDu is a ready-to-drink (“RTD”) herbal tea beverage centered on high-elevation white tea from Zherong County, Fujian Province.
The Company views the Proposed Transaction as closely aligned with its long-term strategic goals, with a focus on extending the value chain of its core white tea category into RTD products, diversifying product forms, and increasing brand visibility in higher-frequency consumer settings. Oriental Rise will conduct thorough due diligence on the PoDu brand and related assets and, pending satisfactory outcomes, proceed to negotiate a definitive transaction agreement. The LOI is non-binding, and any transaction completion remains contingent on the conclusion of due diligence, execution of definitive agreements, and other standard closing conditions.
The PoDu beverage range is crafted using aged Shoumei white tea (usually aged three years or longer) sourced from Zherong County, and is made via a slow-boiling method combined with chosen herbal ingredients like vine tea, monk fruit, and dried tangerine peel. The product boasts a “zero sucrose, zero fat, zero artificial coloring, and zero preservatives” profile, developed for a balanced flavor suitable for a wide array of consumption situations, including family get-togethers, restaurant meals, and business entertainment.
The Company expects the Proposed Transaction, if finalized, to complement its existing tea garden resources in Zherong County, Ningde City, Fujian Province, and further advance Oriental Rise’s strategy of targeted expansion across the tea value chain—encompassing cultivation, processing, product innovation, branding, distribution, and consumer product development. Zherong is recognized for its high-elevation tea-growing environment and significant diurnal temperature fluctuations, which contribute to the development of higher-quality tea leaves ideal for premium and value-added products.
If completed, the Proposed Transaction is projected to deliver meaningful strategic advantages by merging Oriental Rise’s public company platform, capital market access, supply-chain management, quality control capabilities, and national distribution network with PoDu’s RTD product format and brand positioning. Expected benefits include a more varied product mix with greater exposure to higher-margin consumer products, enhanced ability to capture health-focused demand trends, stronger brand presence across additional consumption occasions, and improved operational efficiency to support future growth initiatives.
The Proposed Transaction underscores Oriental Rise’s ongoing implementation of its vertical integration and product diversification strategy. Management remains committed to integrating assets and brands that demonstrate long-term strategic value, operational synergy, and potential to expand the Company’s target market both within and beyond traditional tea products.
“We consider expanding our white tea category into ready-to-drink formats a key step in enhancing our long-term competitiveness and earnings quality,” stated Mr. Dezhi Liu, Chief Executive Officer of Oriental Rise. “PoDu’s product concept and sourcing alignment with Zherong white tea present 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 Holdings Limited is a fully integrated supplier of tea products in mainland China. Our primary tea products include (i) primary-processed tea comprising white tea and black tea, and (ii) refined white tea and black tea. Our business operations are vertically integrated, covering cultivation, tea leaf processing, and the sale of tea products to tea industry operators (such as wholesale distributors) and end-user retail customers in mainland China. We operate tea gardens located in Zherong County, Ningde City, Fujian Province, mainland China. For more information, visit the Company’s website at .
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the proposed transaction outlined in the LOI, the expected timing, structure, and benefits of the Proposed Transaction, and the Company’s plans and expectations regarding due diligence and negotiation of definitive agreements. These forward-looking statements involve both known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections regarding future events that the Company believes might impact its financial position, operational results, business strategy, and financial requirements. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by terms such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or similar expressions. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as required by law. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee such expectations will be realized, and the Company warns investors that actual results may differ materially from anticipated results, encouraging them to review other factors that may affect future results in the Company’s registration statement and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Oriental Rise Holdings Limited
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