Folks in Shandong city prosper with 'dragon' steamed buns

Colorful steamed buns made by Sun Yinghua's company. [Photo by Ding Yanjun for chinadaily.com.cn]

A group of young women in Yuhe sub-district of Weifang city – located in East China's Shandong province – have turned their traditional skill of making flower steamed buns into a very lucrative business, especially in the Year of the Dragon.

Flower steamed bun, a kind of steamed bread with various patterns and colors, is a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage culinary treat in Shandong with a history spanning over 300 years.

Sun Yinghua, the leader of the group, established Weifang Fuyihe Food Co Ltd with the help of the local committee.

The company recruited 50 women who had experience in making steamed bread and provided them with professional training. The firm not only promotes the local traditional culture, but also creates jobs and income for the locals.

To cater to the market demand in the dragon year, the company added dragon elements to its flower steamed buns, using natural fruit and vegetable juice to color the dough. The novel steamed buns instantly became a hit with customers.

The company produced more than 20,000 flower steamed buns per day and received loads of orders for the Spring Festival. Its employees work shifts to ensure timely delivery and quality.

All in all, the company aimed to bring more festive spirit to shoppers with the colorful and creative flower steamed buns. (Edited by Fan Yuanyuan)