Country gets a taste for sweet treat from Xinjiang

"Our ice cream combines the traditional ice cream-making techniques of the Uygur and other ethnic groups," says Wang, who has developed over 30 flavors with more than 20 ingredients.

Ili ice cream has also drawn a legion of fans online. In video clips and photos posted on social media platforms, visitors can be seen enjoying an ice cream buried beneath thick layers of jam, nuts and dried fruit, or posing against the picturesque scenery with an ice cream in hand.

Constant industrial development and the business acumen of local entrepreneurs have also made it possible for people in other parts of China to indulge their sweet tooth by getting the frozen treat delivered to their doorstep.

Amatjan Abduriyim decided to open an ice cream factory in Yining after getting a degree in food science and engineering.

"Our business is getting on track," says Amatjan Abduriyim, adding that orders from other parts of China are increasing.

Since last year, over four metric tons of ice cream have been sold to Southwest China's Chengdu, Central China's Henan province, and other regions, Amatjan Abduriyim says.

"I never thought the ice cream that used to be peddled along the streets of Ili would develop into an industry with such a big market," Wang says.