As Henan province transitions from being the nation's "granary" to "China's kitchen," Suiping county in Henan's Zhumadian city is emerging as a model of modern agricultural development. Capitalizing on its rich agricultural resources, Suiping is driving an industrial revolution powered by technological innovation and advanced food processing, forging a path toward high-quality agricultural modernization.

Empowering the taste economy

Inside the production facility of Synear Foods (Suiping) Co., Ltd., rows of glistening glutinous rice dumplings glide through automated assembly lines. From forming to packaging, the streamlined process illustrates the company's high-tech edge.

"Our ‘Shishiruyi’ black sesame tangyuan (glutinous rice dumplings) surpassed 100 million RMB in sales in less than two months,” said Wang Li, administrative manager at the company, “Demand remains strong, and we're running at full capacity to deliver the products.”

Wang highlighted the company's fully automated warehouse, where large digital displays monitor temperature, inventory and equipment status in real time. A massive electronic board tracks order shipments and client data, enabling agile production adjustments.

Embracing digital transformation, the company has incorporated big data, Internet of Things, and advanced manufacturing systems across its operations. From production and storage, to cost management, every stage is now digitalized and visualized. This transformation has significantly enhanced efficiency, transparency and delivery capacity.

Suiping is home to many such enterprises. According to Li Jinfeng, director of the Suiping County Science and Technology Bureau, the county is recognized nationally for its food industry. It has fostered smart, green and high-end clusters in frozen foods, grain processing and baked goods. Key enterprises anchor a complete supply chain linking raw material bases, central kitchens and logistics.

Fostering innovation momentum

Not far from Synear Foods, Huayang Beverages (Suiping) Co., Ltd. is a hive of activity. On fully automated lines, "Huayang 1982" sodas are precisely filled, capped and labeled by robotic arms. In towering warehouses, forklift operators load beverages onto trucks bound for markets nationwide.

With a total investment of 1.26 billion RMB, Huayang's plant was launched in September 2023 and now runs four production lines. By 2025, it plans to expand with two additional aseptic lines, targeting an annual output value exceeding 10 billion RMB and creating over 2,000 jobs, according to Yang Haoran, the general manager of Huayang Beverages.

“The government's support was crucial. The planning permits and property registrations were approved by the government within just seven days, allowing us to seize market opportunities quickly,” said Yang.

Suiping has introduced hands-on services, delivering technology and direct support to enterprises. Additionally, it has established a multi-level scientific and technological innovation talent system to both discover new talent and train existing talent.

Connecting to the value chain

Backed by a 7.5 billion RMB investment, Jinmailang (Suiping) Food Industrial Park leverages local agricultural strengths to build a full production chain — from contract farming and processing, to packaging.

Suiping now hosts the China (Zhumadian) International Agri-Product Processing Park, forming a coordinated industrial cluster. It processes over five million tonnes of wheat annually and 1.5 million tonnes of oil crops, with high-value products accounting for 35 percent of output. A pre-cooked food park, with central kitchens and cold-chain logistics, is projected to reach five billion RMB in output by 2028.

Blending governance reform with industrial upgrades, Zhumadian city is scripting a new chapter in high-quality county-level economic development, according to Li Zhennan, an official of Suiping county.