Overview#
Plum Flower is the flagship brand of Mayway Corporation, a family-owned business that has been a leading importer and distributor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) since 1969. Founded by Alan and Meilin Lau in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Plum Flower has grown to become the world’s largest-selling brand of imported Chinese medicine.
Key Facts#
- Founded: 1969 (Mayway Corporation)
- Founders: Alan & Meilin Lau
- Headquarters: 1338 Mandela Parkway, Oakland, CA 94607
- Phone: (800) 262-9929
- DSLD Products: 604 (across all variants)
- DSLD Brand ID: 884 (main), 647 (Plum Flower Brand)
- UPC Prefix: 739934
- Market Position: World’s largest-selling brand of imported Chinese medicine
Brand Philosophy#
The plum flower (梅花) was chosen as the brand symbol because it represents endurance and perseverance in Chinese culture. The plum blossom blooms in late winter, symbolizing resilience and hope.
Product Range#
Product Forms#
- Teapills (丸) - Traditional pill form
- Tablets - Sugar-coated tablets
- Extract Powders - Concentrated extracts (300+ varieties)
- Whole Herbs - Raw herbs (400+ varieties)
- Organic Herbs - Certified organic options
Popular Formulas#
- Xiao Yao Wan (Free & Easy Wanderer)
- Gan Mao Ling (Cold & Flu Formula)
- Bi Yan Pian (Nasal Formula)
- Gui Zhi Fu Ling Tang (Cinnamon & Poria)
- Shou Wu Pian (He Shou Wu Formula)
Quality Standards#
- GMP Certified - All manufacturing partners are GMP-certified
- Top 1% Factories - Partners ranked in top 50 of 2,000+ factories in China
- Pharmaceutical Grade - Teapill producers certified for pharmaceutical manufacturing
- Lab Tested - Heavy metals and microbial testing
- No Additives - No hidden substances, preservatives, or colors
- Unsulfured Herbs - Traditional extraction methods
Corporate Information#
Mayway Corporation#
- Location: Historic Art Deco Coca-Cola bottling plant (1940s) in Oakland, CA
- Moved to Oakland: 1992
- Business Model: B2B wholesale only (does not sell to general public)
- Customers: 26,000+ health retailers, herbalists, and acupuncturists (USA & Europe)
- Certifications: Green Business certified
Sister Brands (Mayway Portfolio)#
| Brand | Description |
|---|---|
| Min Shan® | Premium teapills from Lanzhou Foci (since 1929), exclusive U.S. distributor |
| Bamboo Pharmacy® | Consumer-focused line with easy-to-understand product names |
| Gold Gryphon® | Similar quality, may have higher sulfur dioxide residues |
DSLD Presence#
| Brand Variant | Products |
|---|---|
| Plum Flower | 509 |
| Plum Flower Brand | 93 |
| Plum Flower Modern Masters Series | 1 |
| Plum Flower Modern Masters | 1 |
| Total | 604 |
Retail Presence#
| Channel | Status |
|---|---|
| Mayway Dispensary | ✅ Primary (wholesale) |
| Amazon | ✅ Available |
| Acupuncture Supply Stores | ✅ Wide distribution |
| Health Food Stores | ✅ Available |
Data Sources#
- Mayway Official Website
- Mayway - Our Brands
- Yelp - Mayway Oakland
- Best Chinese Medicines - Plum Flower
- NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD)
Generated by DogTag | Last verified: 2025-12-30
Relationships
From this profile →
- → Sister Brand: Min Shan (external)
- → Sister Brand: Bamboo Pharmacy (external)
- → Sister Brand: Gold Gryphon (external)