Mikey Does

Yunnan Sourcing

Yunnan Sourcing is an online specialty tea retailer founded by American expat Scott Wilson and based in Kunming, Yunnan province, China. It operates two parallel storefronts — `yunnansourcing.com` (China-based, pricing in Chinese yuan) and `yunnansourcing.us` (US warehouse, pricing in US dollars) — and sells a broad range of Chinese teas sourced directly from farms and processing facilities across Yunnan and other tea-producing provinces. The company is best known for its pu-erh selection and its own-label pressed tea cakes, and is consistently cited as one of the most trusted and recommended vendors in English-speaking specialty tea communities.

In-Depth Explanation

Yunnan Sourcing occupies a specific and significant niche: it is a Western-accessible direct-source Chinese tea retailer with genuine sourcing relationships, transparent product information, and a long track record in a market segment where both of those qualities are uncommon. For English-speaking drinkers who want to explore pu-erh, Dian Hong, or lesser-known Chinese regional teas without travelling to China or navigating Chinese-language vendors, Yunnan Sourcing has been for many years the default starting point.

Origin: eBay to Standalone Retailer

Scott Wilson moved to Yunnan province in the mid-2000s, where direct access to tea farms, markets, and processors gave him sourcing opportunities that were inaccessible to most Western buyers at the time. He began selling Chinese teas on eBay to an English-speaking audience, with an emphasis on raw pu-erh and Yunnan black teas — categories that were then largely unknown outside specialist Chinese tea circles.

The eBay operation eventually grew into the standalone `yunnansourcing.com` website, which offered a far wider catalogue, detailed product notes, and direct checkout. The company name reflected its founding logic: a sourcing operation based in Yunnan, for buyers who couldn’t access Yunnan themselves. As the catalogue expanded beyond Yunnan to include teas from Fujian, Wuyi, Zhejiang, Hunan, Shandong, and other provinces, the name became somewhat narrower than the actual product range — but it had become established enough that it was not changed.

Two-Site Model

Yunnan Sourcing’s split-storefront model reflects a practical logistics reality. The China site (`yunnansourcing.com`) ships from Kunming and offers the widest selection at lower base prices (priced in yuan, with international shipping direct from China). The US site (`yunnansourcing.us`) stocks a curated subset of products in a US warehouse, enabling faster domestic shipping within the United States at slightly higher prices. Many regular customers maintain accounts on both sites and make purchasing decisions based on urgency, order size, and which products are in stock where.

The existence of the US warehouse also affects buying strategy during Yunnan Sourcing’s seasonal releases. New spring harvest teas typically appear on the China site first; popular products sometimes sell out before restocking arrives in the US warehouse.

Catalogue and Sourcing Approach

The product catalogue is large and organized by category and region. Core areas include:

  • Raw (sheng) pu-erh — the dominant category, ranging from current-harvest loose-leaf and pressed cakes to aged material; both single-region productions and Yunnan Sourcing house-label pressings
  • Ripe (shou) pu-erh — fermented pu-erh cakes and loose-leaf, including house-label productions
  • Yunnan black teas (Dian Hong) — Yunnan golden needle, classic Yunnan black, and numerous varietal and village-specific versions
  • Yunnan white teas — including Moonlight Beauty (Yue Guang Bai) and Ya Bao (wild tree buds)
  • Chinese green teas — Longjing, Bi Luo Chun, Mao Feng, and others from Zhejiang, Yunnan, and additional provinces
  • Wuyi and Fujian oolongs — Da Hong Pao, Tie Guan Yin, and rock oolong varieties
  • Other regional black teas — Laoshan Black (Shandong), Keemun (Anhui), Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong (Fujian)
  • Teaware — gaiwans, yixing teapots, kyusu, tea trays, and accessories, sourced alongside the tea

A key feature of Yunnan Sourcing’s product presentation is the depth of sourcing information provided per listing. Many products specify the harvest village or tea garden, mountain and altitude, cultivar or tree type (e.g., ancient arbor vs. plantation), harvest date, and processing notes. This level of detail is standard practice for high-end pu-erh merchants in China but was unusual in English-language tea retail at the time Yunnan Sourcing established it, and it set a benchmark that other Western-facing specialty vendors have since adopted.

Own-Label Pu-erh Cakes

Yunnan Sourcing produces and sells its own-label pressed pu-erh cakes — both raw and ripe — which are manufactured in Yunnan to Scott Wilson’s specifications from specific material he sources. These house-label cakes are distinguishable from the third-party teas in the catalogue and have their own following within the pu-erh collecting community. Notably, some vintage Yunnan Sourcing house pressings from earlier years have become reference points in discussions of pu-erh aging on r/puerh — because YS customers bought them in quantity and have posted long-term tasting notes tracking how the teas develop over years.

Community Presence

Yunnan Sourcing is unusually active in its engagement with the English-speaking tea community for a company of its scale. Scott Wilson has participated in AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions on r/puerh and r/tea, answering questions about sourcing, processing, vendor relationships, and pu-erh production directly. This direct founder engagement is uncommon among tea retailers and has contributed significantly to the community trust the brand carries.

The r/tea and r/puerh communities regularly recommend Yunnan Sourcing to new buyers as a first port of call. It features prominently in vendor recommendation threads, “where to buy pu-erh” FAQ entries, and first-purchase guides. The volume of community discussion about specific YS products — with tasting notes, aging reports, and comparisons — is substantially greater than for most comparable vendors.

Sample Programme

Yunnan Sourcing offers samples (small quantities, typically 25–50g) of most products in its catalogue. This makes the company particularly accessible to newer tea drinkers and to experienced drinkers wanting to try unfamiliar teas before committing to a full cake or larger quantity. The sample programme is frequently cited in community discussions as a reason for recommending YS to beginners.

History

  • Mid-2000s: Scott Wilson relocates to Yunnan province and begins sourcing Chinese teas; starts selling on eBay to English-speaking buyers, with early focus on raw pu-erh and Yunnan black teas.
  • Late 2000s: `yunnansourcing.com` launches as a standalone storefront, replacing the eBay operation with a dedicated catalogue; product range begins expanding beyond Yunnan province.
  • 2010s: Catalogue grows substantially to cover most major Chinese tea categories; house-label pu-erh cake productions begin; teaware added as a parallel product line.
  • 2010s–present: US warehouse (`yunnansourcing.us`) established to serve North American customers with faster shipping; two-site model becomes standard operating structure.
  • Ongoing: Seasonal new tea releases (spring and autumn harvests) become a regular calendar event for YS customers; Reddit AMA sessions by Scott Wilson contribute to community engagement and brand trust.

Social Media Sentiment

  • r/puerh: Yunnan Sourcing is the single most-mentioned vendor on the subreddit. It appears in nearly every “where do I buy pu-erh?” thread as a default recommendation, often described as “the place to start.” Long-term tasting notes on YS house cakes are a recurring post format. The community is broadly positive but not uncritical — stock rotation, the occasional out-of-stock issue on popular items, and debates about which site to order from (China vs. US) are common discussion topics.
  • r/tea: Regularly recommended in vendor threads for pu-erh and Yunnan teas. Less emphasis here than on r/puerh, but YS is present in most “good Chinese tea online” conversations.
  • Reddit AMAs: Scott Wilson’s AMA sessions have generated significant engagement and are archived references in the community. Questions typically span sourcing ethics, pu-erh production, spring harvest conditions, and vendor relationships.
  • Steepster: Over 2,600 teas catalogued with active tasting note community; one of the most reviewed vendors on the platform. Review tone is generally positive with nuanced product-by-product assessments.
  • YouTube: Featured in numerous specialty tea review channels; YS teas and cakes appear in unboxing, tasting, and pu-erh aging content across English-language tea channels.

Last updated: 2026-06

Related Terms

See Also

Research

  • Wilson, Scott. Annual harvest posts and AMA responses on r/puerh and r/tea (2012–present). Reddit.
    Summary: Primary source for Scott Wilson’s accounts of sourcing practices, farm relationships, and the operational history of the two-site model. AMA threads are archived and searchable on Reddit.
  • Heiss, Mary Lou, and Heiss, Robert J. (2011). The Tea Enthusiast’s Handbook. Ten Speed Press.
    Summary: Covers pu-erh as a tea category and the role of direct-source importers in making Chinese specialty teas accessible to Western buyers — the commercial context in which Yunnan Sourcing operates.
  • Yunnan Sourcing product listings (2006–present). `yunnansourcing.com` and `yunnansourcing.us`.
    Summary: Primary source for catalogue scope, house-label production details, and sourcing information provided per product (village, altitude, cultivar, harvest date).