Li Qi

People in Beijing may notice that Yili bread and Beibingyang soda water have regained their popularity in recent years through new ideas in both production and marketing, but they may know little about Li Qi, the decision maker behind the innovations.

Li Qi [Photos/bjby.bjwmb.gov.cn]

Li Qi, 61, chairman and general manager of Beijing Yiqing Holding Ltd, a State-owned food manufacturer in Beijing, started his career in the company in the 1970s and was responsible for a group of Yili brands from 2002 to 2010, when the brands were losing their market share in fierce competition with other players.

Li holds that it's necessary to stick to traditional methods, as well as try to improve through modern technologies and marketing strategies, which he considers essential if a company hopes to meet the demands of customers and keep or even expand its market share.

In 2011, Beijing Yiqing Holding Ltd opened its first store in the Yili chain in Beijing. Through customer feedback, it  got to know more about the market which helped improve its products and service.

The sale volume of Yili bread has multiplied by 20 times in a ten-year period, making the product the most profitable in the industry. Partly on that basis, the company was honored as a leading food manufacturer in the domestic market in 2008 and 2013.

Li Qi in a Beibingyang soda water plant [Photos/bjby.bjwmb.gov.cn]