Rooted in sustainability
Ancient cultivation system lauded as global green model sows seeds of success, Alexis Hooi and Zhang Yu report in Chengde, Hebei province.
Young Kuancheng residents like 40-year-old entrepreneur Liu Jianxia are also looking to their roots to ride the latest developments, promoting Kuancheng's chestnuts at home and abroad.
Her three shops, two in the city center and one in the county, selling chestnuts and other food products, help rake in more than 2 million yuan a year.
Other than focusing on e-commerce trends, such as livestreaming, Liu's investments in innovative practices include modern food processing equipment and attractive product packaging to keep up to speed with evolving consumer tastes.
"I received a lot of local support, such as government financial aid, for my education all the way up to the tertiary level, where I majored in business management," she says.
"We've reaped a lot from our chestnuts, which are deeply embedded in our history, culture and way of life. It seems only natural to share the rich bounty of our home with everyone."
