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Entrepreneurial Tide Surges Along the Xiang River, Jiangsu Enterprise Shines Brightly in Star City

From October 14th to 16th, 2025, the National Rural Entrepreneurship Project Competition was held in Wangcheng, Changsha, Hunan Province. This six-month-long event, having progressed through preliminary, municipal, and provincial rounds, attracted over 3,000 teams nationwide. Ultimately, only 59 elite teams advanced to the final stage. Representing Jiangsu Province, Mr. Shi Liping, Chairman of Yihe Pet Products Collection (Yihe Chongpin Hui), stood out with the highest score of 92.54 for his roadshow project titled "World-Class Champion in Pet Wet Food Segment," securing the first-place prize and clinching the top honor of the competition.

Technical and Model Breakthroughs Underpin Champion's "Hard Power"

At the competition, Mr. Shi Liping's presentation, centered on the core philosophy of "creating resonance between commercial value and social value," garnered high praise from attending officials and judges. As the leader of a National Key Leading Enterprise in Agricultural Industrialization, he distilled Yihe Group's development philosophy into the "Four Linkages Mechanism." This innovative model has not only driven breakthroughs in the pet wet food sector but also made the "Hundred-Meter Industrial Belt" model a powerful engine for rural revitalization.

Leveraging this dual innovation in technology and business model, Yihe Group achieved new breakthroughs in revenue for 2024, maintaining a stable compound annual growth rate of over 35% for three consecutive years. Behind these impressive figures lies the social value generated by the "Four Linkages Mechanism": directly increasing income for over 5,000 farming households, reducing costs by more than RMB 10 million annually for the industrial cluster, and indirectly creating over 3,000 jobs. This truly embodies the symbiotic win-win scenario of economic and social benefits.

Behind the Championship: New Directions for Rural Entrepreneurship

Yihe's victory not only demonstrates the high caliber of rural entrepreneurship projects but also confirms the vast potential for diversified industrial development in rural areas. As stated by Mr. Maierdan·Mugaiti, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs: "Rural entrepreneurship is a vital pathway for developing rural industries and increasing farmers' income." Yihe's practice undoubtedly provides valuable and replicable experience for rural entrepreneurship projects across the country.

In recent years, with the continuous optimization of the rural entrepreneurial ecosystem, Yihe is poised to achieve even greater brilliance on the stage of rural revitalization, propelling rural industries towards a phase of higher-quality development.

Introduction: Starting with Passion, Acting with Purpose. On July 29th, a group of new Yihe employees, driven by their initial commitment to "loving cats, dogs, and the world," gathered together! In this immersive training program focused on "Cultural Empathy - Business Alignment - Growth Together," the newcomers decoded Yihe's core values ​​of "customer-centricity, openness and inclusiveness, pragmatism and innovation, and responsibility," helping each new Yihe employee quickly identify their growth path.

01 Cultural Empathy: From Mission to Action Guidelines

"Why does our mission emphasize 'loving the world'? Because every bag of pet food carries the trust of life."  Li Simin from the Human Resources Department, using examples of high-achieving employees, led the newcomers in analyzing daily work through the "value prism"—
Customer-centricity: Carefully understand customer needs, ensuring every detail conveys care; Pragmatism and innovation: From equipment improvement to process upgrades, demonstrating "innovation is about implementation" through action; Openness and inclusiveness: Valuing different voices, sparking innovation through the clash of ideas; Taking responsibility: Not afraid of challenges, proactively breaking through—
Project failed? Reviewing and improving is growth! Ambiguous tasks? Proactively filling the gap is an opportunity! Is there a reward for responsibility? Taking responsibility itself is value!

02 Business Alignment: Seeing the Mission in the Industry Chain

In the practical teaching sessions, every link contained cultural undertones: Development Path Exhibition Hall: Yang Wei from the Administrative Department revealed Yihe's ten-year journey—from OEM breakthrough to brand rise, every step of "defining the future with passion" embodies the strength of the entire chain working together. Workshop Flow Decoding: Factory Director Wang Fei provided on-site instruction—"The production line is the defense line of quality, and even more so, the defense line of our mission." Fresh Brand DNA: Brand Director Yu Xiaowei dissected the "4 major freshness aspects" (breeding, slaughtering, processing, logistics), revealing how to win market trust with "freshness." The Birth of a Bestseller: R&D Director Ge Hao shared the entire process of product development from user research → thousands of iterations in the laboratory → market verification, "behind every bestseller is the implementation of our values."

03 Growth Together: Values ​​Guiding Action

Growth Together: Values ​​Guiding Action Value Action List (Commitments written by the newcomers) 📝 User-Centric: "I will continuously optimize the product experience, taking customers from satisfaction to delight." Open and Inclusive: "Actively participate in cross-departmental collaboration, igniting sparks of innovation through the clash of ideas." Pragmatic and Innovative: "Let the data speak, let the results prove it; every step must be solid." Taking Responsibility: "I will never pass the buck; a task is only complete when it's fully closed-loop."
Spark Gathering Place: New employees share their suggestions for the company and their personal aspirations.

04 Onboarding Oath: A Relay Ceremony of Cultural Inheritance

All new Yihe employees solemnly swear: "Please remember—the formulas you design, the processes you review, and the customers you serve are all votes for the vision of 'the most trusted pet company'. User-centric: Deeply understand needs, exceed expectations; Open and inclusive: Diverse collaboration, shared success; Pragmatic and innovative: Down-to-earth, dare to break new ground; Taking responsibility: Mission accomplished, team progress.
Oath Taker: 2025 New Yihe employees, let passion take root, let growth happen, and we will move forward together in the future!"

The frequent occurrence of hip dysplasia in large breeds, joint degeneration in senior pets, and patellar luxation in small breeds has driven the increasingly widespread and mature application of functional ingredients for joint health in pet food. Glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM (dimethyl sulfone) are currently the most mainstream joint care ingredients. With their proven efficacy and high safety profile, they have become core components in functional pet foods, prescription diets, and health supplements, providing comprehensive protection for the joint health of pets of different ages and breeds.

Glucosamine

Glucosamine, as a "basic raw material" for joint care, is a core precursor substance for the synthesis of pet joint cartilage and is currently the most widely used functional joint ingredient in pet food. Its core function is to replenish the joint cartilage matrix, stimulate chondrocytes to synthesize collagen and glycosaminoglycans, repair damaged cartilage tissue, increase the secretion of synovial fluid, improve the viscoelasticity of synovial fluid, reduce friction between bones during joint movement, and alleviate joint wear. Glucosamine is mainly available in two forms: glucosamine hydrochloride and glucosamine sulfate. Glucosamine sulfate has higher bioavailability and is less irritating to the pet's gastrointestinal tract, making it more suitable for long-term addition to pet food. In terms of application, glucosamine is suitable for pets of all ages. Adding it to puppies can help with joint cartilage development and prevent congenital joint problems; adding it to adult pets can maintain joint health and relieve joint fatigue after exercise; adding it to senior pets can delay cartilage degeneration and reduce joint stiffness, pain, and other discomforts, especially suitable for large breeds such as Golden Retrievers and Labradors, as well as breeds prone to joint problems.

Chondroitin

As the "golden partner" of glucosamine, it works synergistically with glucosamine to form the core system of joint care. Chondroitin is an important structural component of articular cartilage, mainly found in the cartilage matrix. It has strong hydrophilicity, absorbing large amounts of water to maintain cartilage thickness and elasticity, acting like a "sponge" to cushion the impact of joint movement and protect the cartilage from damage. Simultaneously, chondroitin inhibits the activity of matrix metalloproteinases, preventing the degradation of the cartilage matrix, reducing the release of inflammatory factors, alleviating joint inflammation, and further consolidating the joint protection effect. In pet food, chondroitin is often used in a scientifically balanced ratio with glucosamine. Their synergistic effect enhances joint care efficacy, avoiding the limited effectiveness of a single ingredient. For example, in senior pet food, the combination can effectively slow down joint degeneration and help older pets maintain normal mobility; in large breed dog food, a properly formulated ratio of chondroitin and glucosamine can reduce joint stress and prevent common problems such as hip dysplasia.

MSM
While not as widely used as glucosamine and chondroitin as a "co-enhancing ingredient" for joint care, MSM has become an important ingredient in high-end pet joint foods due to its unique anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. MSM is a naturally occurring organosulfur compound found in plants and animals. Its core function is to provide bioavailable sulfur, an essential component of healthy connective tissue (cartilage, ligaments, tendons), enhancing its resilience and elasticity and aiding in the repair of damaged joint tissue. More importantly, MSM has a mild anti-inflammatory effect, inhibiting the activation of inflammatory pathways, reducing the release of inflammatory substances, alleviating pain and stiffness caused by joint inflammation, and improving symptoms of joint discomfort in pets. Furthermore, MSM can increase cell membrane permeability, promoting the absorption of key ingredients such as glucosamine and chondroitin, improving their bioavailability, and achieving a synergistic effect of "1+1+1>3". Currently, MSM is widely used in high-end prescription pet foods and joint health supplements, especially suitable for pets with significant joint inflammation, high activity levels, or senior pets.

In addition to the three core ingredients mentioned above, pet food often incorporates other functional ingredients that support joint health, further enriching the joint care system. For example, type II collagen can mimic the antigenic structure of articular cartilage, stimulating the body to produce specific antibodies, reducing autoimmune damage to cartilage, and synergistically enhancing joint repair effects with glucosamine and chondroitin. Omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA and EPA) have anti-inflammatory effects, helping to relieve joint inflammation while nourishing the soft tissues around the joints. Green-lipped mussel extract is rich in natural glucosamine, chondroitin, and Omega-3 fatty acids, making it a natural compound joint care ingredient suitable for pets sensitive to synthetic ingredients. The combined use of these ingredients makes pet joint care more comprehensive and precise, meeting the individualized needs of different pets.

In practical applications, the addition of functional joint health ingredients should be scientifically formulated based on the pet's age, size, breed, and health condition to avoid indiscriminate addition. For puppies and young pets, the focus is on preventing joint problems, with dosages primarily for basic care to avoid overloading the liver and kidneys. For senior pets and breeds prone to joint issues, the proportion of core ingredients needs to be appropriately increased, while also considering the mildness and absorbability of the ingredients. For pets already experiencing joint discomfort, prescription diets will use higher doses of ingredient combinations to assist in clinical treatment and alleviate symptoms. With the continuous improvement of industry standards, such as the upcoming implementation of NY/T 4838 "General Requirements for Complete Pet Food - Prescription Diets," the addition of functional ingredients for joint health will become more standardized, and the purity, proportions, and safety of ingredients will be further guaranteed. As pet owners increasingly value their pets' joint health, the application of functional ingredients for joint health in pet food will show a diversified, refined, and natural development trend. In the future, more natural and efficient joint care ingredients will be discovered and applied, and the proportions of ingredients will be more precise to meet the personalized needs of pets of different breeds and at different physiological stages. At the same time, the safety and functionality of ingredients will become the focus of the industry, driving pet joint food towards a more scientific and healthier direction, safeguarding the joint health of pets, and allowing every furry friend to run flexibly and enjoy happiness.