Variety spices up life for Henan snack giant

The transformation marks a significant milestone for a company that built its reputation on a single category.

Founded in 1999, Weilong has grown from a small producer consuming just a few bags of flour a day into China's largest spicy snack company, with annual sales of 7.3 billion yuan.

Its portfolio now spans seasoned flour products, vegetable snacks, konjac products and bean-based snacks such as stinky tofu.

"If we rely on only one product, it will be difficult to grow into a 10-billion-yuan company," Zhu said. The company is expanding research and development investment and building a more comprehensive innovation system covering product development, production and reserves to support long-term growth.

The broader snack industry is also evolving.

A recent report by Mondelez International, Mintel and Black Swan Data found that about 60 percent of consumers globally consume snacks at least once a day, with younger consumers increasingly treating snacking as a lifestyle rather than simply eating between meals.

Besides convenience, emotional satisfaction and social interaction have become important drivers of snack consumption.

At the same time, China's retail landscape is undergoing a rapid transformation.

Snack specialty chains, membership supermarkets, instant retail and livestreaming commerce are reshaping how consumers select and purchase packaged foods.

Weilong said it has responded by expanding emerging sales channels while strengthening traditional distribution and developing products tailored to different consumption scenarios.

The company's online business has become a key growth engine. Revenue from online channels jumped 43.8 percent in the first half to 482.9 million yuan, driven by strong growth in direct online sales, while offline revenue rose 2.7 percent to 3.23 billion yuan.

Beyond China, Weilong is also stepping up its overseas ambitions.

Its products are now sold in more than 40 countries and regions, although Zhu acknowledged overseas sales have historically relied largely on Chinese communities and overseas students.

"This year we have reorganized our overseas strategy and established dedicated international teams," he said. "We are expanding into Southeast Asia and the United States, conducting product testing through Amazon, working with local influencers and discussing partnerships with capable distributors."

Looking forward, Mintel Group said health concerns remain the biggest challenge for the savory snack category, but consumers continue to seek indulgent flavors.

The research firm expects the next phase of growth to come from products that combine healthier ingredients with more innovative flavors, including cross-category and regional taste combinations.

For Weilong, whose business is rapidly shifting beyond its signature latiao, that trend suggests the race in China's snack market is increasingly about balancing health with flavor rather than simply adding more spicy ingredients.

The company's transformation is also reflected in its corporate vision. Weilong recently changed its mission from "Let the world fall in love with Chinese flavors" to "Serve delicious wholesome food, share joyful moments".

This change has underscored a broader emphasis on healthier products and consumer experience as it pursues its ambition of becoming a world-class food enterprise.

wangzhuoqiong@chinadaily.com.cn