From small workshop to group army
Walking into the Xinjiang Nang Cultural Town outside the Great Wall of Yining City, Xinjiang, the air is filled with the aroma of roasted Nang. There are production and processing areas, experience areas and living areas planned here, with a daily production of more than 40,000 naan. In 2020, the city integrated existing production resources and created a naan industry development system of "1 industrial park, 10 production bases, 1 block and several workshops".
"In the past, the daily income was very unstable. Sometimes it was as high as the neck, sometimes as low as the ankle." In the Nang Industrial Park of Tashkerik Township, Yining City, Kurbanjiang· When Tulahun makes naan, his mobile phone always plays cheerful music. He is a well-known local naan maker. He used to run a naan shop with his family. After working in the industrial park in October 2020, he concentrated on making naan, earning a monthly income of 7,000 yuan. "It's very good now. I don't have to worry about noodles and oil, and I don't have to worry about how to sell the naan."
From small workshops to "group armies", from rough production to new techniques, we have achieved both centralized production and diversification. In the past two years, Xinjiang's naan industry has gradually moved from fragmented and small-scale operations to the path of intensive and large-scale development.
Why change? "In the past, production was scattered and smoke was everywhere, which was neither economical nor environmentally friendly." Yang Xiaolong, chairman of Yining Saiwaijiang Nang Food Co., Ltd., believes that to expand the Nang industry, we should start by adjusting the form of production organization and carry out large-scale centralized production, which is conducive to Ensure quality, cultivate brand, strengthen marketing and develop new products.
From decentralization to agglomeration, the naan industry has not only promoted industrial expansion, but also strongly stimulated employment. The Urumqi Nang Culture Industrial Park was completed and put into operation in 2018, and has provided employment to more than 1,000 people. The development of the Nang industry in Kashgar has created employment for nearly 10,000 people. The construction of the Nang Industrial Park in Aksu has created more than 5,000 jobs. The Taxiang Food Co., Ltd. in Tashkerek Township, Yining produces more than 10,000 naan per day, providing employment for more than 60 villagers...
Experts said that the naan industry is a characteristic industry in Xinjiang and also a potential advantageous industry. , through a series of measures, it can be built into a "significant advantage" industry and grow into the economic pillar of Xinjiang. Agglomeration development is the only way to go, and industrial concentration must be enhanced by actively guiding Nang enterprises to enter the park.
From small food to full chain
In the process of developing the naan industry, Xinjiang attaches great importance to industrial integration, "holds hands" with related industries, expands development space, "links primary industry, bases on secondary industry, "Holding hands with the three industries" can not only drive the development of various industries such as planting, tourism, catering, e-commerce, logistics, etc., but also stimulate the development momentum of the naan industry.
In order to expand the popularity of Xinjiang naan products and build a good brand for industrial integration, Xinjiang actively carries out promotion activities. In December 2020, the third Xinjiang Nang Industry Promotion Conference was held in Zhengzhou. During this period, Xinjiang Nang Enterprises had in-depth exchanges and cooperation with Henan Food Enterprises, and not only received orders, but also gained many "golden ideas" in terms of brand marketing, specialty packaging, and channel construction.
Kuqa Nang City, located in the Aksu region, not only produces naan, but is also a national 3A tourist attraction. Liu Qinghua, manager of Kuqa Da Nang City Co., Ltd., said that Da Nang City produces more than 5,000 naans per day. Visitors can not only taste naan, but also taste other local delicacies, buy special handicrafts, and watch performances by local folk artists.
Not only are we looking for ways in the lower reaches of the industrial chain, but the development of Xinjiang’s naan industry is also constantly driving the improvement of the upstream chain. Wheat is the main raw material for making naan. The development of the naan industry has forced the adjustment of the planting structure, which has led to the improvement of wheat planting quality and efficiency. The Xinjiang Grain and Material Reserves Bureau supports leading enterprises in the research and development and brand promotion of special flour for making naan. The group standard of "Wheat Flour for Naan (Bake)" has been promoted since 2019. Currently, more than ten flour processing companies above designated size are producing flour according to the standard. Special flour for naan.
Qitai County in Changji Prefecture is an important wheat-producing area in Xinjiang. The person in charge of the county’s Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau said that in recent years, the demand for special naan flour has increased year by year, and processing companies in the county supply an average of 140 yuan to the market every month. tons, which has given a strong boost to the planting industry. The county’s wheat planting area has exceeded one million acres. The Aksu region has created a green standardized raw material base of 1.13 million acres to ensure the high quality of naan products from the source.
In addition to wheat, the production of vegetable oil, walnuts, grapes, onions, peppers, safflower and other raw materials has also been promoted.
From homogeneity to each showing its own strengths
To promote industrial development, the focus is on highlighting characteristics. As a specialty food in Xinjiang, Nang has a distinct regional imprint, but there is also homogeneous competition. In order to solve this problem, various regions in Xinjiang have taken measures to find and strengthen their own characteristics.
Many places choose to make new twists on traditional naan. The Kashgar region selected a professional team to analyze and investigate market demand. In addition to focusing on the development of traditional oil naan and sesame naan, it also actively develops specialty naan products such as rose sauce naan, spicy skin naan, and walnut naan. Dragon fruit naan and spinach naan developed by Yining Saiwaijiang Nang Food Co., Ltd. were loved by consumers as soon as they were launched.
While developing new products, some corporate R&D teams are also working hard on product appearance, producing various specifications of naan products, and changing the traditional extensive packaging to produce small-sized, portable and convenient naan. Snack foods such as fried naan and souvenirs meet the needs of different consumers.
"There are star and camel styles, as well as large and small boxes. I never thought that naan can be made in so many ways." Ka, who works in Urumqi Naan Culture Industrial Park Del Litip, who has 15 years of experience in making naan, said with emotion, "In recent years, there have been more and more types of naan, which are not only delicious, but also better-looking."
Not only the "appearance" needs to be changed, but the "connotation" must also be improved. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Xinjiang will promote the "going out" of naan products and expand the space for industrial development. To achieve this goal and transform "potential advantages" into "apparent advantages", a brand strategy must be implemented. In recent years, some regions and companies have continued to work hard to cultivate and polish their brands. In accordance with the method of "public brand, county and city characteristic brand", Yili Prefecture has deeply explored regional culture, highlighted the development of organic naan and specialty naan, concentrated its efforts on building a regional public brand of "Ili naan", and achieved initial results.
Nang, Wowo Nang, Baogu Nang and other varieties, now many people want branded Nang such as "Abula's Nang" and "Xiang Xiao Nang". "This is the power of brand. We will dig deeper into the cultural background of Nang and enhance product attractiveness and premium capabilities through the implementation of brand strategy." Zhang Jizhong said.
In 2020, Urumqi Nang Culture Industrial Park cooperated with the School of Food Science and Pharmacy of Xinjiang Agricultural University to tackle the packaging anti-corrosion and quality deterioration technologies of Pi Ya Zi Nang, Sesame Nang, Milk Nang and other products, allowing Nang can still maintain its flavor after leaving Xinjiang and steadily enter the national market.
To “sell well”, you must also “sell well”, and marketing model innovation is equally critical.
In this regard, various regions in Xinjiang and naan product companies have actively explored. Some regions use the counterpart aid mechanism to establish sales channels in the provinces aiding Xinjiang, occupying the "beachhead" first, and then deepening the market; some companies focus on developing e-commerce, making efforts online to develop sales channels. Horgos and other places also take advantage of their port advantages and strive to develop international markets based on the needs of neighboring countries. Yining Saiwaijiang Nang Food Co., Ltd., established in July 2020, thought of new strategies when exploring markets in Chengdu and other places. During the "Sichuan First International Hot Pot Festival" held in November of that year, the company aimed at the gap in hot pot catering and pancakes, and launched marketing slogans such as "Eating hot pot with a naan" and "Hot pot falling in love with naan", which were welcomed by consumers.
Today, Xinjiang naan is not only a special food, but also carries the sincere and simple emotions of the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, continuing to write legends. Not long ago, the deeds of a truck loaded with 10,000 naan departed from Korla, Xinjiang, and rushed to Shijiazhuang, Hebei to support the fight against the epidemic, which was heart-warming. I believe that this business card will definitely generate a big industry and write a new chapter of enriching the people and rejuvenating Xinjiang.