Qiqihar's barbecue industry heats up in NE China Heilongjiang

A livestreamer advertises products at the barbecue livestream hub of Qihan Yangjia, a company in Qiqihar city, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (People's Daily Online/Xu Chenglong)

Qihan Yangjia, a company based in Qiqihar city, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, sold 7.13 million yuan ($981,000) worth of local beef via livestreams in a single month, as the city aims to build a 100-billion-yuan barbecue industry.

The company's revenue exceeded 200 million yuan in 2023, with online sales accounting for about 70 percent of the total, and a repurchase rate of 67 percent, according to Wang Hailong, general manager of the company's e-commerce department. Guangdong and Fujian provinces ranked as the top two sales regions.

Qiqihar's efforts to build a thriving barbecue industry rely on quality beef, with prices 20 times higher than ordinary beef.

Qiqihar Longjiang Yuansheng Wagyu Industry Co., Ltd. ensures quality traceability by using chips for each head of cattle.

Photo shows Wagyu cattle of Qiqihar Longjiang Yuansheng Wagyu Industry Co., Ltd. in Qiqihar city, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (People's Daily Online/Xu Chenglong)

The company imported nearly 2,000 purebred Wagyu from New Zealand and Australia in 2012 and 2013.

"Qiqihar's excellent ecology and cold climate contribute to Wagyu beef's high levels of marbling and tender texture, resulting in high-quality beef products," said Cai Chengda from the company.

Longjiang county in Qiqihar has implemented favorable policies to develop its high-end beef cattle industry. By the end of 2023, the county raised 496,000 beef cattle, a 7.3 percent increase year on year, and the output value of its livestock sector grew 13.5 percent to 6.85 billion yuan. The high-end beef cattle industry has become a pillar industry in the county.

Authentic Qiqihar barbecue relies on beef sourced from the city. According to Qichacha, a leading platform offering company information inquiry services, there are 23,105 Qiqihar barbecue restaurants in China, accounting for approximately 12 percent of all barbecue restaurants nationwide.

A worker checks a head of cattle at Qiqihar Longjiang Yuansheng Wagyu Industry Co., Ltd. in Qiqihar city, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (People's Daily Online/Xu Chenglong)

Data from Qiqihar's commerce bureau shows that the city's barbecue industry has been gaining momentum since the launch of cold chain warehouses in June 2023, with online retail sales exceeding 2 billion yuan in 2023.

As part of its promotional effort, Qiqihar launched the 2024 Longjiang Food Culture Festival and Qiqihar Barbecue Food Festival on June 24.

"This year, to promote the deep integration of Qiqihar barbecue with creative design, we're inviting the public to contribute creativity to Qiqihar barbecue and utilize more creative design elements to boost the development of the Qiqihar barbecue industry," said Cong Qi, deputy director of the Service Trade Department at the Commerce Bureau of Qiqihar.

People enjoy a barbecue in Qiqihar city, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (People's Daily Online/Xu Chenglong)

Qiqihar barbecue, an outstanding representative of Heilongjiang's distinctive cuisine, boasts a history spanning over 300 years. In 2022, the World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry named Qiqihar the world's barbecue capital.

This year, Qiqihar is advancing 13 key projects across the entire barbecue industry chain, with a total investment of 6.3 billion yuan.

Photo shows barbecue dishes in Qiqihar city, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (People's Daily Online/Xu Chenglong)

Photo shows the scene of the 2024 Longjiang Food Culture Festival and Qiqihar Barbecue Food Festival. (People's Daily Online/Xu Chenglong)

Photo shows a creative barbecue-themed vehicle at the 2024 Longjiang Food Culture Festival and Qiqihar barbecue food festival. (People's Daily Online/Xu Chenglong)

Photo shows barbecue-themed cultural and creative products at the 2024 Longjiang food culture festival and Qiqihar barbecue food festival. (People's Daily Online/Xu Chenglong)

Photo shows a beer brand in Qiqihar city, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (People's Daily Online/Xu Chenglong)