Yiyuanqing, an ancient brand of vinegar from Taiyuan city, Shanxi province, was established in 1377 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). At first, it supplied products to royal families, and following centuries of development became the Ninghuafu Yiyuanqing Vinegar Industry Co in 1997.

Using its traditional production methods, developed over centuries, the company has achieved annual increases of 15 percent since 1997, recording income of over 100 million yuan ($15,823) in 2013. The company’s two subsidiaries and two vinegar plants produce more than 10,000 tons of vinegar each year.

Working with more than 380 dealers, the company has over 3,000 outlets and operates in nine sales networks. It has cooperation agreements with major retailers such as Carrefour, Wal-Mart, and Hualian, as well as agreements to supply more than 30 hotels and restaurants.

Yiyuanqing also operates stores on online platforms such as Tmall.

The firm's achievements may well be down to its successful pairing of modern technologies such as Internet Plus, with its traditional, high-quality products.

To further raise awareness of its brand, the firm has recently been utilizing traditional direct marketing techniques to sell products in residential areas.

The company has also adjusted its product mix by classifying them into different ranges and developing new products such as a vinegar beverage.

More than 5.4 million yuan has been invested in improving product quality and production lines, with an emphasis on making production ecofriendly.

While there have been many positive changes at the company, many problems still remain. In particular, the firm lacks capital to expand production capacity to meet consumer demand. In the future, it hopes to establish an industrial park to expand production.

Residents line up for buying Yiyuanqing, an ancient brand of vinegar in Taiyuan. [Photo/tynews.com.cn]

A labor-saving conveyor independently invented by Ninghuafu Yiyuanqing Vinegar Industry Co transport raw materials for making vinegar. [Photo/tynews.com.cn]