As the 2024 Western China Food Industry Development Conference approaches, a series of reports have been made to delve into the burgeoning food and beverage scene in the host city—Guangyuan, Sichuan province.

Workers are busy weighing and packaging tripe products at the Sichuan Zhiqi Food Co, a tripe products provider in Guangyuan, Sichuan province [Photo by Guangyuan city]

At the Sichuan Zhiqi Food Co in Guangyuan, the production lines are in full swing. During a recent visit on Feb 28, a local reporter witnessed the bustling activity.

The washed and cut tripe is brought to the packaging workshop via conveyor belt and is packed into bags by equipment. More than 20 workers add the outer packaging one by one in an orderly manner, before the finished products are distributed through the cold chain and appear on dining tables across the country.

According to Chi Rui, the company's production director, they are currently fulfilling orders totaling 50 million yuan, representing the latest batch in production.

Renowned as a leading player in the domestic hairy tripe market, the company boasts an annual output value surpassing 1 billion yuan ($13.9 million).

The tripe products made by the Sichuan Zhiqi Food Co are sold in markets [Photo by Guangyuan city]

Focus on 'fresh' and 'crispy'

The essence of hotpot cuisine lies in the pursuit of "fresh" and "crispy" flavors, two qualities that the Sichuan Zhiqi Food Co has diligently focused on.

To maintain the highest product standards, stringent measures are taken to regulate workshop temperatures to ensure they remain below 15 degrees Celsius. Upon completion, products are promptly flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen, preserving their freshness before being dispatched via the cold chain.

"Order now, and your shipment will be ready within an hour and a half," Chi Rui assured.

A pivotal breakthrough in achieving the desired "crispy" texture came through collaborative efforts with esteemed institutions such as the Provincial Fermentation Industry Research Institute, Southwest University, and the Sichuan Agricultural Research Institute. Central to this achievement is the development of papain.

Derived from pure natural sources, papain enhances the crispness of food and has become a staple in most product lines. The company's pioneering use of this technology has set a precedent, now adopted by numerous tripe production companies nationwide.