Fresh produce store brings convenience to workers, income to villagers

Earlier this year, State-owned Guiyang Agricultural Investment Group (GAIG) launched affordable fresh-produce convenience stores within industrial parks, improving daily services for workers while creating new income opportunities for nearby rural communities.

At the end of last year, the group partnered with the collective company of Xiaopo village, located near the Wangzhuang Township Industrial Park in Qingzhen city, to open two convenience stores at the factory areas of Guizhou Huaren New Materials Co and Guizhou Huajin Aluminum Industry Co.

"The stores operate under a joint-investment model, with both parties sharing profits," said Pu Lina, general manager of GAIG Shuanggou Trading Co. "This helps boost collective village income and provides dividends to local residents."

The two stores opened in January and now serve an average of 400 to 500 customers daily. To date, total revenue has exceeded 2 million yuan ($295,525), with expected village dividends of more than 90,000 yuan this year.

Many factory employees live in on-site dormitories and return home only on weekends, making it difficult to find fresh food and daily necessities. The new stores provide workers with convenient access to fresh fruit, milk, eggs, and other essentials, all delivered daily.

The stores also offer specialty products from Xiaopo village, including free-range eggs, honey, and yellow peach wine, creating additional sales channels for local agricultural goods.

Free-range eggs from Xiaopo village are sold at the convenience store in the Guizhou Huaren New Materials Co factory area. [Photo/guiyang.gov.cn]

"The store offers a wide variety of products, and the milk and fruit are always fresh," said Zhou Qiang, an employee of Guizhou Huaren New Materials Co. "It saves us a lot of time when shopping."

Staff members at the convenience store in the Guizhou Huajin Aluminum Industry Co factory area check a customer's bill. [Photo/guiyang.gov.cn]