Famed Hainan dish helping companies thrive

HAIKOU－With its delicate fruit, sweet juice and tender meat, Hainan coconut chicken hotpot has gained a delicious reputation across China. Now, the dish is steam-charging the rise of major industries in the tropical island province.

Hainan coconut chicken hotpot is made using fresh Hainan coconut, coconut water, seasoning, water chestnuts and chicken from Wenchang city, which is famous for its fowl.

As the traditional Spring Festival draws near, the Hainan (Tanniu) Wenchang Chicken company has been churning out three times more chickens and coconut chicken hotpot packages than usual. The company is located in the provincial capital, Haikou, and also has operations in Wenchang.

Its slaughterhouse in Haikou rolls at full speed through the night. Workers pack chickens and partially-prepared hotpot packages for restaurants and supermarkets around the country. Last year, Hainan produced about 110 million Wenchang chickens worth about 12 billion yuan ($1.89 billion). Roughly 80 percent were used to make Hainan coconut chicken hotpot.

Riding on the popularity of the dish, Tanniu is experiencing the sweet taste of success. In 2018, just 5 percent of its products were shipped outside Hainan. These days, however, the figure has jumped to 30, as the company expands sales across the country.

While companies like Tanniu see their businesses grow, many chicken farmers in Wenchang are also reaping the benefits. Companies usually prefer to partner with farmers, providing them with baby chicks, vaccines, fodder and teaching them chicken farming techniques. When the chicks mature, the companies buy them back.

Hu Qiumei lives in Luokedui village in Wenchang. She has become skilled at chicken farming since she started partnering with a company in 2019.

She feeds her chickens every day after breakfast. "In the past, chicken farming was risky because of the danger of infectious diseases," she said. "And if market prices were not good, I would lose money."

But partnering directly with companies has proved to be a different story. Last year, Hu raised more than 30,000 chickens in partnership with Tanniu, guaranteeing her a handsome income of 100,000 yuan. Tanniu sold over 3 million Wenchang chickens outside Hainan last year, up 50 percent year-on-year, with sales revenues of 140 million yuan.

The coconut industry is thriving, too. Selling coconuts and coconut water for hotpot meals brings the Hainan Lyukang Siji Food over 1 million yuan in monthly revenues.

Xinhua