As we move into 2026, we wanted to share an update about the future of Viori’s Beautiful Reason Initiatives in Longsheng.
2025 was a turbulent yet exciting year for Viori. Many new opportunities opened up and several important milestones were reached. Most importantly, our customer base continued to grow, meaning more people are switching to a more natural way of caring for their hair. A way that not only supports healthier hair and scalp, but also contributes to a meaningful social mission: Viori’s Beautiful Reason initiatives supporting the Red Yao community in Longsheng.
At the same time, Viori — like many growing companies — is navigating the challenge of finding a balanced growth path. Some of the opportunities that opened up in 2025 required investments into the business. As a result, profits in 2025 were lower than in previous years. This means that in 2026 the amount of Beautiful Reason funds available for projects in Longsheng will also be lower.
Naturally, the an important question becomes: what does this mean for the Red Yao community?
Fortunately, our approach to the Beautiful Reason Initiatives has always been built around a simple philosophy: teach a man how to fish, rather than giving him a fish. From the beginning, the goal has never been to create dependence on Viori. Instead, we aim to support projects that help the community develop skills, products, and opportunities that can sustain themselves over time.
Over the past five years, this philosophy has shaped many of the projects we have worked on together with the Red Yao.
One example is the embroidery program. Together with a group of local aunties, we helped adapt their traditional embroidery into market-friendly products through product design support, marketing assistance, and some startup capital. Today, these beautiful handmade ornaments are sold not only to Viori customers, but also directly to tourists visiting the villages.
Another example is the tea project. Through the BRI program, we invested in equipment, helped with branding and packaging, leased a tea plantation to ensure organic practices were maintained, and invited tea masters to train the local farmers. As a result, farmers are now producing their own high-quality Organic Red Yao Black Tea, which is sold both to Viori customers and to tea enthusiasts visiting the Longsheng region.
The rice project is another long-term investment. While rice farming has always been part of life in Longsheng, we supported the farmers cooperative with training in organic farming practices and provided the financial capital needed to pursue organic certification. After a three-year process, the cooperative has now achieved certification — meaning the farmers can proudly offer the only organically certified rice in the Longsheng area.
These are the types of investments that continue to create value long after the initial support is given.
And this approach becomes especially important during times when business realities change. Businesses do not always experience smooth sailing or continuously increasing profits. Viori is no exception. While 2025 opened many doors for the company, those opportunities also required reinvestment into the business — which means fewer Beautiful Reason funds available in 2026. (More details will be shared in our upcoming 2026 Impact Report.)
Because of the foundation that has been built over the past five years, many of the projects in Longsheng are now able to stand on their own. The embroidery team continues to sell their products, the tea cooperative now produces and markets its own tea, and the rice farmers now have a highly valued organic product.
So what will Viori focus on in 2026?
Even with more limited Beautiful Reason funds, we remain committed to supporting the Red Yao community in meaningful ways.
First, Viori will continue paying a 2.5× premium for the rice we purchase from the farmers cooperative. This is perhaps the most direct form of support we provide. Not only does it ensure farmers receive a fair price for their harvest, it also encourages the continued care of their rice terraces and organic farming practices. In fact, Viori purchases 2-3 times more rice than we actually need, helping include more farmers in the organic program and maintaining harmony within the village farming groups.
Second, Viori will continue supporting the farmers cooperative itself by covering some of its basic administrative costs. Although the cooperative now has products to sell, it is still developing into a fully independent and profitable business. Covering these modest fixed costs helps give the cooperative the stability it needs to grow.
Third, we plan to host another round of Viori community trips to Longsheng. The visits we organized last year brought meaningful income directly to local families through guesthouse stays, meals, activities, and local handicraft purchases. These trips have also been something many villagers themselves have encouraged us to expand.
Looking ahead, our commitment to Longsheng remains the same: to support where support is needed, and always in partnership with the community itself.
If you would like to support the Red Yao community beyond purchasing Viori products, there are several ways to do so. Visitors can purchase locally made embroidery ornaments, where profits go directly to the artisans, or join one of our trips to Longsheng and experience community-based tourism firsthand.
Thank you for continuing to support Viori and the Red Yao community. Every step forward is something we build together.