On November 10th, a key component of the 2025 International Shiitake Mushroom Supply Chain Conference—the "Closed-Door Study Session on Key Customer Cultivation and Consumer Market Expansion"—was successfully held at the Qihe Biotechnology West Building Smart Factory in Shandong. This conference was supported by the China Chain Store & Franchise Association and the Edible Fungi Branch of the China Chamber of Commerce for Foodstuffs and Native Produce, and hosted by Shandong Qihe Biotechnology Co., Ltd. Guests included Wang Sheng, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Chain Store & Franchise Association; Liu Ziqiang, Secretary-General of the Edible Fungi Branch of the China Chamber of Commerce for Foodstuffs and Native Produce; and Su Jianchang, General Manager of Qihe Biotechnology. Representatives from over 70 supermarkets, catering companies, and food processing enterprises across the country gathered to conduct in-depth exchanges on optimizing the mushroom industry supply chain and expanding the market.

Quality is King: Building a Solid Foundation of Trust

"Ultimately, supermarkets must rely on trustworthy products to win over consumers!" Wang Sheng, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Chain Store & Franchise Association, stated emphatically at the meeting. In his view, building a strong quality moat and optimizing product portfolio are key to supermarkets creating their own brands and gaining absolute trust. He particularly praised Qihe Biotechnology's innovative practices: "Qihe Biotechnology's 'full-category' mushroom trays entering supermarkets are the right approach, with good results, and deserve to be promoted throughout the industry!" He encouraged the company to continue its deep cultivation of the market and to organize such gatherings annually, allowing the "Qihe experience" to inspire more vitality in the industry.

"First-time customers" become "repeat customers," paving the way for wider cooperation.

"This is the first time an edible mushroom company has opened its doors to a chain supermarket—a truly innovative move!" said Liu Ziqiang, Secretary-General of the Edible Mushroom Branch of the China Chamber of Commerce for Foodstuffs and Native Produce, in his address, highly praising this "breaking the circle" seminar. He stated that as an industry leader, Qihe Biotechnology is not only the first in China to adopt automated production but also a pioneer in venturing overseas, a source of pride for Zibo in practicing a "grand food vision." He expressed his expectation that this commitment would contribute more high-quality "mushroom power" to public health.

"We and Qihe Biotechnology are of one mind and work together," a supermarket representative shared, presenting the most convincing example. He shared that the number of product categories they cooperated on increased dramatically from 4 to 27 within two years, driving a more than 70% increase in sales of specialty mushrooms, jointly creating a benchmark case of win-win product and sales. Trust takes root in cooperation and blossoms in data. "Qihe's full range of small trays has opened up a new chapter for us; this is a true win-win situation for both product and sales!"

Showcasing its strengths and capabilities, Qihe Biotechnology boasts a robust smart factory.

Behind its impressive achievements lies Qihe Biotechnology's deep-rooted commitment to industry and its pioneering spirit of innovation. Facing customers nationwide, Qihe Biotechnology's General Manager, Su Jianchang, generously shared the company's journey from "small strains" to "large industry," as well as its strategic layout in strain research and development, intelligent upgrading, and the construction of the entire industry chain. Heads of the company's domestic operations center and various business units also took to the stage to discuss products, supply, and safety, revealing the company's solid skills and ingenious strategies in the mushroom supply chain.

After the meeting, attendees visited the modern Xilou Smart Factory, witnessing firsthand the entire process of a shiitake mushroom's development from incubation and growth to packaging and shipment. The automated production lines and rigorous quality control processes transformed the "quality" and "innovation" repeatedly mentioned in the meeting into a tangible reality.

This study tour built a bridge. This industry event, held in the Zibo Smart Factory, not only shared experiences but also boosted confidence, paving a more solid path for "Made in Zibo" Qihe mushrooms to reach a wider market.