Yonghong Food seeks to expand with PE backing

Beef jerky seen as 'next big thing' in China's rapidly evolving food sector

In the mind of manager Yi Ming, no matter how niche a market is in China, if a type of consumer product can achieve a leading position, the economic benefits can be huge.

Yi, who led operations for brands including Marlboro, Heineken, Tiger and Dole Juice in the past 25 years, is the new chief executive officer of Yonghong Food Co Ltd, one of the top three players in the Chinese beef jerky market.