In early summer, walking into the production workshop of Inner Mongolia Higil Dairy Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Hijir Dairy), pasteurized milk automatic processing equipment is running at high speed, and on the assembly line, sterilization, filling, packaging and other links are busy and orderly; In the milk tofu production workshop, the milky aroma is overflowing, and the staff making milk tofu are testing the moisture of the formed milk tofu.
As the saying goes, the aroma of wine is not afraid of deep alleys. However, in the view of Yun Huhe, general manager of Xijir Dairy, in the era of extremely fierce competition in the dairy market, the aroma of wine is actually afraid of deep alleys. In order to find a stable product channel for its own brand Qibol series products, Yunhuhe has been looking for a suitable sales team. From pasture cattle to dairy processing and production, and then to market sales, Yun Huhe admits that this road is far more difficult than imagined, "It is not difficult to raise good cattle and 'produce' good milk, but how to 'sell' milk is really not an easy thing." ”
"Old Ranch" - all the way forward in the wave of industrial development
The weather is getting hotter and hotter, and in addition to being busy in the factory, Yunhuhe will also return to the pasture to prevent the heat and cool down the cows. From the initial free-range manual milking and milk delivery, to the dairy cow cooperative breeding, and now to the full mechanized farm operation, Ebakang Ranch has gone through nearly 20 years.
Under the careful management of Yun Peilong, the "first generation" cattle breeder, the ranch gradually transitioned to the hands of Yun Huhe, the "second generation of cattle". For father and son, the cows in the pasture are more like their "children", and it is this idea that cattle raising has become a love and inseparable thing.
In the face of the current dairy farming environment, Ebakang Ranch also started the herd optimization work last year, and so far, the ranch has eliminated between 300 and 400 dairy cows.
At present, there are more than 600 dairy cows and more than 200 beef cattle in the pasture, including more than 200 lactating cows, with an average yield of about 33 kilograms and a kilogram of milk cost of about 3 yuan/kg.
According to Yun Huhe, at present, the prices of various bulk raw materials and feed are relatively stable, but when buying feed from feed suppliers, they are no longer purchased on credit, and must be settled in cash, so the protection of the current ranch cash flow is also particularly important. "For small and medium-sized ranches, we must do a good job in adjusting the structure of the herd, and at the same time ensure a certain amount of cash flow."
From more than 180 cows in 2005 to the present, Yibaikang Ranch has experienced the ups and downs of the industry.
At the same time, Ebekang Ranch is also constantly moving forward on the development path of "selenium-rich milk". "In 2006, the ranch cooperated with the national agricultural and animal husbandry authority, with the pasture as an experimental base, and after years of cultivating 3,000 acres of selenium-rich purple corn as nutritional feed for dairy cows, the plant selenium element was converted into animal organic selenium through the cow body to produce selenium-rich milk." Yun Huhe told reporters that in the six years of the experiment, the raw milk produced by cows who ate selenium-rich corn feed was continuously sent to Beijing for testing, and finally succeeded in 2013, "The test results at that time showed that the selenium content in 100 grams of milk was 3-4.6 micrograms." ”
Combined with authoritative scientific research achievements and high-quality raw milk, in 2014, "Kibol Natural Selenium-rich Milk" was officially launched, and the products were sold through a member distribution system, and more than 1,000 milk subscribers will be ordered from 2021 to 2022. "Due to the impact of the epidemic at that time, the supply of milk processing and production was insufficient, which led to the loss of some milk subscription members." Considering the development of the future market, Yunhuhe decided to set up its own dairy processing plant to fundamentally solve the problem of production and processing.
In 2022, Inner Mongolia Higil Dairy Co., Ltd. was officially established, and Yunhuhe also entered a new industry, gradually learning to explore the way of development.
New industry - open up the market with quality and innovation
It has been 10 years since the first bottle of "Qibol Natural Selenium-rich Milk" was launched, and how to expand the market and enrich product categories has also become a "must-answer question" in front of Yunhuhe.
In addition to selenium-rich pasteurized milk and yogurt products, Yunhuhe decided to start with traditional dairy foods in Inner Mongolia to create brand products that can better "digest" the raw milk of the pasture. To this end, Yunhuhe invited professionals who have been engaged in the production of traditional dairy food for more than 20 years in Xilin Gol League to come to the company as the head of the product research and development department, and carry out R&D, production and product quality control of milk foods such as milk tofu, butter, and milk skins.
In May 2023, Higir Dairy officially obtained the "SC" license (food production license); In October of the same year, under the certification body certification approved by the CNCA, two categories of products such as milk and yogurt of Higir Dairy obtained a more authoritative "Selenium-rich Product Certification Certificate".
At present, in addition to the traditional dairy food of Xijir Dairy into the local restaurants, the milk tofu products have also successfully entered some hot pot restaurants in Beijing, becoming a unique dish.
In fact, the competition in the traditional dairy food market has always been fierce, and how to find its own product positioning is also the key to the long-term development of Higil Dairy in the future. The person in charge of the product research and development department told reporters: "Our product positioning is to use innovative methods to keep the nutrition and deliciousness of dairy food. The most critical element of making high-quality and delicious traditional dairy food is high-quality milk, and the key indicators such as protein content and milk fat content of milk determine the flavor of dairy food. ”
According to reports, milk tofu and milk skin products have made new adjustments and improvements after fully considering the eating habits of mass consumers, "We have made new adjustments from the fermentation process, fermentation time, production methods and other aspects of milk tofu to ensure that the taste of milk tofu and milk skin is more outstanding." The person in charge of the product research and development department said that the milk tofu that entered the Beijing hot pot restaurant can still maintain its chewy taste after being boiled in the pot for half an hour, which is loved by consumers.
For the expansion of the product sales market, in addition to looking for a local sales team that can cooperate, Yunhuhe also plans to start from the daily vegetable supply channel to enter the consumer market in many aspects. In addition, Yunhuhe also plans to open a live broadcast to bring goods, "We will gradually let the Qibo brand go to the whole country." ”
On the farm side, in order to reduce the cost of the farm, some of the cows in the pasture are fed selenium-rich silage to ensure the production of milk ordered by members, and the rest of the cows are fed with regular silage. For the operation plan of the ranch in the second half of the year, Yunhuhe said that it will slow down the speed of herd optimization, "At present, the proportion of cattle structure in the pasture has reached an ideal state. ”
The mountains do not let the dust, and the rivers do not give up. For the future development of the road, Yun Huhe admitted that there is a lot of pressure, but he understands that the tide of industry development will not stop, and if it does not advance, it will retreat, and the driving force to move forward without distractions is precisely in the busy details of the ranch and factory every day, "I hope that in the future, consumers' awareness of milk drinking will become stronger and stronger, and the dairy consumer market will be good, and we can also get better." Yun Huhe said.
丨Source: Dairy Times reporter Yang Lixia
丨Editor of this issue: Dong Xianhe
丨School reading: Dong Xianhe
丨Producer: Zhang Yao Feng Bin
丨Director: Zhao Min
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