Chongqing Design Meets Smart Manufacturing | Episode 3: The Transformation of Specialty Agricultural Products from the Wuling Mountain Area

Editor’s Note

In recent years, AITO automobiles have defined a new paradigm for premium mobility, while Qiteng’s quadruped explosion-proof robot has taken the lead in the specialized intelligent equipment track. Industrial design has become the core enabler for Chongqing’s manufacturing industry to leap to higher value in the industrial chain and achieve iterative upgrades.

As the only world “City of Design” in western China, cutting-edge creative concepts have deeply intersected with Chongqing’s century-old industrial heritage. A large number of “Chongqing Design” masterpieces—distinguished by their aesthetics, quality, strength, and potential—are emerging and gaining acclaim across the Bashu region.

From today onwards, the “Encountering Design·Shaping the Future” series will present a panoramic view of Chongqing’s landmark industrial design projects of 2025. Through words and lenses, the series will immerse you in the mutually reinforcing journey between industrial design and Chongqing manufacturing.

From “Aquatic Vegetable” to Global Premium Ingredient – “Chunxiao Si” Ready-to-Eat Water Shield

Water shield has been regarded as a refined delicacy since ancient times. The timeless allusion to the “longing for water shield and perch” has made this dish a symbol of nostalgia in the hearts of the Chinese people. Shizhu County is China’s largest water shield-producing region. In the past, local water shield was mostly exported as raw ingredients under OEM arrangements, resulting in low added value.

To break through the industry bottleneck, Chongqing Shui Huo Tu Food Company targeted overseas market demand, leveraged its proprietary heat-resistant sealed packaging patent, and utilized industrial design to drive transformation and upgrading. The company successfully launched China’s first ready-to-eat water shield product—”Chunxiao Si.” Adhering to a design philosophy of “natural health, light luxury, and convenience,” the team continuously optimized the product’s visual identity, packaging specifications, and gift box designs. In terms of form, they broke with tradition by adopting a dessert cup style, creating a new ready-to-eat light meal category. Visually, they used a green-and-white color scheme, paired with transparent containers and an exclusive logo, highlighting the product’s regional origin and natural texture. Functionally, they diversified packaging specifications to suit both everyday consumption and business gifting. Thanks to systematic design upgrades, annual sales exceeded 8 million boxes, with the product becoming popular in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and other markets. It has become the leading brand in China’s water shield deep-processing sector, achieving a leap from raw material exports to premium international specialty ingredients.

A Tiny “Fragrant Toon” Paves the Way to Rural Prosperity – Baiyexing Fragrant Toon Sauce Series

Pengshui County, located in the Wuling Mountain area, is known for its fragrant toon, often called the “vegetable on the tree.” With its unique flavor and rich aroma, it has been a royal tribute since the Tang Dynasty. The harvest season for toon is concentrated between the Qingming and Guyu solar terms, lasting only about ten days, making it a rare seasonal delicacy. How to preserve the authentic toon flavor year-round became a pressing challenge for the company.

Chongqing Baiyexing Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. collaborated with universities to tackle this technical challenge. Together with the Food Science College of Southwest University, they developed a patented toon sauce manufacturing process, enabling year-round supply of the product. The company adopted a design concept of “mountain spring delicacy, millennium toon flavor,” using packaging design to empower brand upgrading. They launched products in various specifications to meet diverse needs, including everyday consumption, cultural tourism gifting, and corporate bulk purchases. The packaging skillfully integrates elements of Wuling’s mountain and water landscapes, Pengshui’s local scenery, and Miao ethnic motifs, showcasing rich regional cultural characteristics. Leveraging these distinctive design advantages, the product has achieved outstanding market performance, with annual sales exceeding 20 million yuan. The company’s toon cultivation base has helped 193 local farming households (485 people) increase their income. Through industrial design, this tiny toon has transformed from a wild mountain ingredient into a hot-selling premium product, spurring the development of a vibrant specialty industry chain.