Creative markets blossom in cool of night

Fresh flavors

Li Yongchun, a vendor of Changbaishan ice wine from Jilin province, brought a dried tangerine peel hawthorn wine to the market to mark the brand's 90th anniversary.

She has taken part in events including the Sanlitun Craft Beer Festival and Yanjing Beer Festival and now spends many weekends moving between different markets.

"There's no point in looking only at how large the foot traffic is," she said. "What matters is whether people actually buy."

Li also uses markets to test new products. She has gauged the appeal of additive-free Changbaishan blueberries and baked buckwheat cookies, watching consumer responses before deciding what to bring next time.

"People already have plenty of food at home. I have to choose something distinctive," she said.

Huang runs a 2-hectare farm in Shunyi district, where she began growing vegetables after acquiring the land in 2015. She opened her farm to the public in 2024 to help people better understand how food is produced.

Huang takes seasonal produce to the organic market including lotus seeds and roots, pumpkins, winter melons, peanuts, corn, Chinese cabbage and radishes. The first time she took strawberry jam; the second time cherry jam; and the last time homemade winter-melon tea.

She often explains why naturally grown tomatoes may not be available in winter, or why Chinese cabbage may not necessarily be a summer crop. "People still don't know enough about farms and seasonal vegetables," she said.

For her, the market is also a chance to speak directly with consumers. "Some ask how vegetables should be cooked, while others are interested in ecological farming or share their own gardening experiences," she said. At one event, Huang met a retired agricultural official familiar with ecological farming, and the two talked for a long time.

The market has also led to collaborations among vendors. Huang plans to work with a company making environmentally friendly temperature-controlled tableware for cooking activities on her farm, and with a bakery to develop seasonal jams using produce from her farm. "The ingredients they need are exactly what we grow," she said.