Liou-Guei Select: Packaging Local Wisdom in Stories and Flavors

Liou-Guei Select (六龜十八選) is a program managed by The Eighteen Arhats Moutain Nature Reserve Association to market local community product through a repackaging concept that focuses on education, culture, and sustainability.

Indonesian Delegation Visit: Learning from Community-Based Ecotourism in Taiwan

On July 9, 2025, as part of the Exchange Learning Community-Based Ecotourism & DMO Between Taiwan and Indonesia program, this place was visited by an Indonesian delegation consisting of Wita Simatupang (INDECON), Benyamin Semandu (Waerebo), and Yudith Wangge (Sipijena). The visit aimed to study community-based conservation area management models, adopt local product repackaging practices through Liou-Guei Select as a strategy for culture-based economic empowerment and sustainability, and establish collaboration with Taiwanese local partners for joint ecotourism development.

Basic Concept: Repacking Community Products

Liou-Guei Select is not the primary producer of the products offered, but rather acts as a brand manager and repacker. Products such as organic pepper, mountain tea, aiyu jelly, and plum wine are the result of harvests by local farmers and artisans around the Liou-Guei district. Liou-Guei Select itself has a special meaning, namely “selected” products from Liou-Guei.

The association purchases products from the community, then repackages them in practical, modern, and attractive packaging—without altering the contents or traditional production processes—while also conveying an interpretation of the products to consumers. Through this approach, Liou-Guei Select provides added value that is not only aesthetic but also educational.

Attention to Consumer Needs and the Story Behind Them

Liou-Guei Select pays attention to the needs of its consumers. Tea products for young women, for example, are packaged in single-use servings, in line with the needs of women who are chic, unique, and don’t like complications. The main advantage lies in the story behind the product. Each package includes interesting information about:

• The origin of the ingredients: for example, organic black pepper grown in the fertile soil of Liou-Guei.
• The profile of the producing community: such as local farming groups or traditional production houses.
• The production process: from harvest to packaging.
• Cultural and environmental significance: how the product reflects the relationship between society and nature.

In this way, Liou-Guei Select transforms local products from mere commodities into educational tools and cultural experiences.

Economic and Environmental Impacts

The Liou-Guei Select program has had a positive impact on the surrounding community. Local communities remain focused on quality production, without having to worry about branding and marketing strategies. Meanwhile, the association plays a role in quality standardization, packaging design, distribution, and consumer education.

This creates a strong collaboration model between environmental conservation, economic empowerment, and cultural identity strengthening. Local products that were once only known within a small circle now have access to a wider market, both locally and nationally.

Blending with Taiwan’s Stories, Flavors, and Nature

Through Liou-Guei Select, the Eighteen Arhats Mountain Nature Reserve Association not only markets local products but also designs an experience that invites consumers to feel, understand, and appreciate Taiwan’s social and natural ecosystems. The visit of the Indonesian delegation to this place underscores the importance of knowledge exchange and best practices between countries in order to build sustainable, fair, and culturally rooted ecotourism.

So, when you visit this area, don’t forget to try or bring home Liou-Guei Select products. Because more than just food or drink, you’re bringing home a piece of the story from the fertile land, the resilient community, and the sustainable natural environment.

Sources:

Eighteen Arhats Mountain Natural Humanities Association. 2024. Eighteen Arhats Mountain Natural Humanities Association supports small farmers and promotes environmental education. Love Kaohsiung. https://takao.kcg.gov.tw/article/1212

Liou-Guei Mountain Tea Shines on the International Stage. 2023. Love Kaohsiung. https://takao.kcg.gov.tw/article/1028

Maolin National Scenic Area Administration. 2023. Enjoy the FLOW: A Healing and Learning Journey! Tour Kaohsiung Destination Marketing Organization. https://www.maolin-nsa.gov.tw/en/news/2282/

Taiwan Ecotourism & Local Revitalization Alliance (TERRA). 山城椒傲‑黑白胡椒 / Liou‑Guei Select black & white pepperhttps://terrataiwan.com/product/1