A Tour of Ziyan Foods' Hainan Factory

Recently, Mr. Liao Yu, CEO of Chuangfeng Group, and Mr. Wang Fei, Executive President, traveled to Hainan with Ms. Zhou Xian, Head of Overseas Operations at Nonggengji. Accompanied by Mr. Ge, Chairman of Ziyan Foods, they toured Ziyan’s new factory in Haikou. This marks Ziyan Foods’ sixth production base nationwide and the latest addition to its supply chain network.

Inside the factory, automated production lines operate efficiently, with key processes—from precise ingredient measurement to intelligent sorting—managed through automation and digital systems. Ziyan has established a smart supply chain system that covers the entire value chain, from procurement and production to sales and logistics. The large-scale deployment of IoT technology and smart devices has reduced variables caused by human intervention, enabling visualized control of the production process and consistent flavor standards.

Over the past decade, the expansion of China’s restaurant industry overseas has been all about “selling food abroad.”

Now and in the future, the focus is on the global expansion of the entire supply chain.

When consumers walk into a Chinese restaurant overseas, what they taste is the flavor of the food, but what they don’t experience is the infrastructure behind it—from ingredient sourcing and central kitchens to cold-chain distribution and quality control systems. Whether a restaurant brand can truly “take root” in North America has never depended on the length of the line on opening day, but rather on whether its back-end systems function effectively.

Chuangfeng and Ziyan Foods are prime examples of companies that fully understand this principle. In 2024, the two companies entered into a strategic partnership to jointly establish a manufacturing facility on the East Coast. They have since opened stores in Manhattan and Flushing, New York, as well as in Jersey City and Edison, New Jersey, gradually building significant momentum across the East Coast.

For the trip to Hainan, Chuangfeng invited Mr. Zhou, the head of Nonggengji’s overseas operations, to join them. As a leading brand in the global expansion of Hunan cuisine, Nonggengji has been actively expanding its overseas presence in recent years. Its first store in South Korea, which opened in April, went viral online, and its first U.S. location—the Flushing, New York branch, opened in partnership with Chuangfeng earlier this year—continues to perform well.

Chuangfeng Group acts as a central hub, promoting the sharing of supply chain resources and brand collaboration.

This partnership continues to deepen. During the visit, the three teams engaged in in-depth discussions on sharing supply chain resources in the North American market, direct cross-border procurement of raw materials, and coordination of cold-chain logistics. Ziyan’s domestic production capacity and overseas supply chain network will provide strong logistical support for Nonggengji’s store expansion in North America. At the same time, the three parties are also exploring opportunities to expand their business into Central and South America.

The significance of a factory goes far beyond the production figures on the assembly line.

It represents the culmination of China’s capabilities in standardizing Chinese cuisine and marks the brand’s transition from “individual store expansion” to “full-chain global expansion.” Over the past 20 years, Ziyan has built a domestic production network spanning six major bases; today, this network is extending overseas, using its Hainan factory as a hub to connect with broader international markets.

Chuangfeng Group has established a strong presence in North America and is committed to helping Asian restaurant brands tap into the North American market. We believe that as high-quality brands such as Ziyan and Nonggengji become firmly established in the United States, more Chinese restaurant brands will confidently expand globally with the support of a robust supply chain system.

After all, the arrival of a dish is never the end.

The true destination is the moment when culture takes root and flourishes in a foreign land.