Ningbo tangyuan producer gears up for peak sales

Gangyagou staff pack freshly made tangyuan. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]

Ningbo Gangyagou Food Co Ltd, a time-honored food brand – located in the city of Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province – is currently in full production mode.

That's as it gears up for the peak sales season during the upcoming Lantern Festival of tangyuan, the traditional dessert of glutinous rice balls, with both domestic and international markets firmly in its sights.

At its factory, preparations are now in full swing. According to Production Manager Xiao Lihua, the plant resumed operations on the fifth day of Chinese New Year and has been running at full capacity ever since to ensure a steady supply. With over 80 percent of its stock already prepared, production is now in its final push.

Inside the workshop, the aroma of sesame paste fills the air as vats of filling are stirred and fed into the waiting production lines.

"Each 57.5-kilogram batch of filling can produce about 23,000 tangyuan. At peak times, we prepare up to 150 batches a day," said Xiao.

Black sesame remains the top-selling flavor, leading to an increase in production to meet demand.

This year, the company has increased its stock of tangyuan and other glutinous rice products by 30 percent compared with last year.

Two new products – Wangcai Tangyuan and Fuyuanzi – which debuted last year have been particularly popular, with Wangcai Tangyuan becoming a best-seller at local supermarkets.

Gangyagou's tangyuan has also gained international recognition. In 2024, the company exported nearly 1 million tangyuan to markets including the United States, New Zealand, Thailand and Canada.

Before this year's Spring Festival, 100,000 tangyuan were shipped overseas to cater to the growing Lantern Festival demand.

To promote Ningbo's traditional flavors abroad, Gangyagou has organized tasting events at prestigious academic institutions including Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania in the US – allowing both overseas Chinese and foreign students to experience authentic Chinese culture through food.