Employees work at a plant belonging to Jindakang Food in Qidong, Nantong. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Nantong Jindakang Food, based in Huilong town, Qidong, has emerged as a leader in agricultural product processing. Specializing in traditional cakes made from local red beans, glutinous rice, and popular ingredients like chocolate sauce, the company achieved 205 million yuan ($28.2 million) in total sales from January to November 2024. 

Founded in 2016 by Zhang Hui, the company began with a bold move—processing Qidong's local red beans into premium red bean paste. This innovation quickly gained the attention of major food enterprises in cities like Shanghai and Fuzhou. Inspired by this early success, Zhang established Jindakang, focusing on red bean paste production, which now produces more than 100 metric tons of red bean paste annually and consumes more than 60 percent of Qidong's red bean yield.

Spotting a shift in urban consumer preferences, Zhang later introduced glutinous rice cakes filled with bean paste, marketing them online to local consumers. The company has since become Qidong's largest buyer of premium glutinous rice.

Jindakang's ready-to-eat chocolate rice cakes, a recent addition to its product line, have been a runaway success, with daily sales exceeding 300,000.

Beyond its business achievements, Jindakang has contributed significantly to local employment and rural vitalization, supporting the community while growing commercially.