Zhu Yicai, chairman and executive director of China Yurun Food Group Ltd
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【11】 【12】 Zhu started up his business in meat processing in 1990 with just 200 yuan, and later went on to establish Yurun, one of the first companies to make ready-to-eat packaged meat products in China. Today, Hong Kong-listed Yurun is the market leader with a 25 percent share of China's "low-temperature meat products" market - pre-cooked convenience food that can be quickly reheated or eaten right away.
Zhu realized that urban professionals were getting wealthier and busier, creating a huge market for high-quality convenience food. At the time canned goods were the only alternative for consumers. As a result Yurun has grown quickly, acquiring some 30 loss-making State-owned companies and making them profitable.
Zhu is an advocate of food safety standards. He also tries to help the disadvantaged, employing 15,951 people who lost their jobs at State-owned enterprises and more than 9,000 rural laborers. His philanthropic efforts include support for the Guangcai charity program and a 30 million yuan donation to the quake-ravaged Sichuan area.
Q: What do you value the most from the spirit of entrepreneurs?
A: I understand that entrepreneurial spirit is a kind of dedication, which might be interpreted by Yurun''''s motto - honesty, diligence, modesty and fortitude.
Q: Could you share with us the most valuable experience you gained in starting your business?
A: Our objective is to benefit with the society. We proposed that the food industry should be a moral industry and we have always adhered to that belief. We provide quality food, obey laws and regulations, and pay taxes, so the society is the first beneficiary. And then come our employees and shareholders, who also benefit from Yurun's growth.
Q: What have you gained and what have you lost as an entrepreneur?
A: I enjoy the process of achieving success, though the work is hard. As they say, "you can't eat your cake and have it," so an entrepreneur has to be prepared to sacrifice his or her health and pleasure for career success. I feel rather guilty for my family because most of my time has been spent on business. My company is important to me and I value it as a hard-earned success.
Q: What is your next goal?
A: Our goal is to build Yurun into one of the top Chinese and a world-ranking company. We still have a long way to go but we will persevere with the goal and try our best. This year marks a new start in Yurun's development. With a startup spirit, we will pursue further growth.
Q: What's your advice to the young people who want to start their own business?
A: The answer might be "unremitting effort". When young people determine to devote themselves into a new career, the most important thing is to learn to persist. With persistence, they can overcome obstacles. For instance, the recent financial storm is a disaster to China and the world. Many companies are facing difficulties, but I believe by perseverance all the problems will be resolved.
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