On the banks of the Yellow River, in the ancient town of Qikou, millennia-old jujube groves stretch endlessly, their bright red dates illuminating the loess plateau. As a benchmark enterprise in Shanxi’s Lin County jujube industry, a provincial-level poverty-alleviation leader, and a municipal-level specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative company, Shanxi Qikou Hong Agricultural Co., Ltd.—founded in 2010 and deeply rooted in Linjiaping Town, Lin County—has made it its mission to “revitalize agriculture through science and technology, strengthen agriculture through branding, and help farmers increase their incomes.” The company has devoted itself to the full industrial chain of red jujubes and sour jujubes, cultivating two core brands—“Qikou Hong” and “Kehu Hong”—and building a comprehensive ecosystem that spans cultivation, processing, sales, and the integration of agriculture with cultural tourism. In doing so, it is helping Lin County’s signature agricultural products break out of Lüliang, reach markets across China, and even be exported overseas.

I. Taking Root in the Loess Soil: Establishing a Solid Foundation for Ecological Farming

Leveraging Lin County’s natural endowment as the “Home of Chinese Jujubes,” the company adheres to the principles of ecological priority and green development. It has established over 700 mu of green jujube production bases, 233 mu of organic jujube and sour jujube farms, and a 350-mu demonstration orchard for high-grafting and varietal improvement of high-quality sour jujubes. The company has selected and promoted superior cultivars such as ‘Jin Suan No. 1,’ implemented standardized and organic cultivation practices, banned the use of chemical additives, and adopted comprehensive physical pest and disease management throughout the entire growing cycle—ensuring that every fruit is naturally pure and nutritionally rich from the very source, with a high content of 18 amino acids, more than 10 vitamins, and essential trace elements.

An innovative “company–cooperative–farmer” benefit-linkage model has been established, under which abandoned jujube orchards are transferred for cultivation, engaging more than 1,000 local jujube-growing households. The model provides technical guidance, centralized purchasing, and guaranteed minimum profit-sharing, thereby revitalizing idle land while stabilizing farmers’ incomes and serving as a key platform for rural revitalization and poverty alleviation through industrial development in Lin County.

II. In-depth Research and Advanced Processing to Build a Diversified Product Portfolio

The company has established a 1,200-square-meter dried and fresh fruit processing workshop, 14 fresh-keeping cold storage facilities with a total capacity of over 5,000 cubic meters, and a poverty-alleviation workshop, achieving an annual processing capacity of 4,000 tons and realizing end-to-end value chain transformation from fresh fruit to premium products. Its core product portfolio includes:

• Red Date Series: Junzao, Hupingzao, Huanghe Tanzao, Zijingzao, Jiuzao, Jujube with Walnut, Hupi Zao, and more

• Specialty Products: Organic Jujube, Paper-Shell Walnut, Jujube Wood Shiitake, Chicken-Waist Soybeans, and Minor Grains, among others.

• Gift box customization: premium gift packaging and souvenirs, tailored for diverse occasions such as festivals, group purchases, and international trade.

All our products are committed to being additive-free and processed purely through physical methods, and have successively obtained Green Food Certification and the China Forest Certification (CFCC), earning dual recognition for quality from both the market and authoritative bodies.

III. Brand Empowerment: Expanding the Brand’s Presence in Both Domestic and International Markets

Through dedicated brand-building efforts, “Qikou Red” has been recognized as one of Shanxi Province’s Top Ten Brands and awarded the Gold Medal at the China Green Food Expo. Its products are now available in supermarkets and e-commerce platforms nationwide, including Tmall, JD.com, and Douyin, while also successfully penetrating international markets such as Spain and securing overseas orders—bringing the fragrant aroma of Yellow River red dates to the world.

Actively participate in agricultural expos, cultural expos, and jujube culture festivals, among others, leveraging an integrated model of “Qikou Ancient Town + Jujube Industry + Cultural and Tourism Experiences” to develop eco-friendly picking gardens and science education bases, thereby fostering synergies across the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors and enhancing brand visibility and industrial value-added.

IV. Staying True to Our Original Aspiration and Empowering the New Journey of Rural Revitalization

Over the years, the company has successively been recognized as a Leading Poverty-Alleviation Enterprise in Shanxi Province, a Key Leading Enterprise for Agricultural Industrialization in Lüliang City, a Model “One County, One Industry” Enterprise in Lin County, and a Specialized, Sophisticated, and Novel Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise. By leveraging its industries to create employment, building a strong reputation through superior product quality, and fulfilling its social responsibilities to give back to its hometown, the company has cumulatively increased farmers’ incomes and contributed to the high-quality development of local specialty agriculture.

Looking ahead, Shanxi Qikou Red Agricultural Co., Ltd. will remain committed to the guiding principles of “integrity as the foundation, quality above all, ecological priority, and win-win development.” The company will deepen technological innovation, optimize its product portfolio, expand market channels, strengthen its core jujube and sour jujube businesses, extend the value chain through deep processing of agricultural products and the integration of agriculture with cultural and tourism industries, and strive to establish a benchmark for specialty agriculture in Lin County. In doing so, the company aims to make a greater contribution to rural revitalization in Lüliang and to the branding and development of Shanxi’s agricultural products, ensuring that “Qikou Red” becomes a shining agricultural hallmark along the banks of the Yellow River.