Sold 1.8 Billion in a Year, Huangtianhe Completed 7 Consecutive Rounds of Financing, with Foreign Capital as the Largest Shareholder?

For 30 years, Wang Hai has been undefeated in fighting counterfeit products, but this time he might have met his match. One is the already legendary Pang Donglai, and the other is the well-backed Huang Tiane.

No need to say more about Pang Donglai — the ceiling of retail, a holy place for workers. Huang Tiane is quite well-known, but many people don’t know its background. Today, let’s take a look at the story behind this edible raw egg.

Huang Tiane, a brand of eggs — not goose eggs. An ordinary egg sells for a few cents, but Huang Tiane can sell for two or three yuan, earning it the nickname “LV of eggs.” You might ask why it’s so expensive. They say it’s free of Salmonella, which is present in regular and free-range eggs too, but Huang Tiane eggs are safer. They have no fishy smell and meet the standards for edible raw eggs. Plus, they naturally contain carotenoids, making the yolk naturally yellower.

All-natural, additive-free, nutritious, and healthy — for children’s health, it’s a must-buy. So, 50 million moms in China have become core users of Huang Tiane.

Founded in 2019, Huang Tiane has ranked first in nationwide sales of high-quality eggs for three consecutive years. By 2023, its sales exceeded 1.8 billion yuan. Such rapid growth is truly impressive.

Therefore, when Wang Hai says they added lutein, isn’t that damaging the brand? Only someone not trying hard would say that.

Regardless, Huang Tiane is undeniably successful. China’s egg market is huge — over 300 billion yuan — but there’s no well-known brand with a recognizable name. Huang Tiane has successfully captured consumer awareness, applying effective positioning strategies, and its behind-the-scenes founder is an 80s generation.

Feng Bin, born in the 80s, is the founder of Huang Tiane. He was a teacher in his early years, then worked in sales at a feed company, where he got involved in egg-laying chicken projects. From grassroots to CEO of a company, he has been deeply involved in the egg industry for 20 years. In 2015, he visited Japan and experienced edible raw eggs for the first time, which deeply shocked him. He then decided to introduce this standard into China.

To bring edible raw egg standards to China, Feng Bin visited Japan three times to meet Kato Hirokazu, known as the “Father of Edible Raw Eggs in Japan,” and eventually even recruited him.

In July 2018, Feng Bin founded Fengji Food Co., Ltd., and in 2019 launched the Huang Tiane brand, with Kato Hirokazu serving as chief scientist. In early promotional materials, Kato Hirokazu’s image was prominently featured for endorsement, with slogans like “Imported Japanese edible raw egg standards for 38 years.”

Many Chinese people trust Japanese technology and quality, so this kind of promotion likely had a good effect.

But having technology alone isn’t enough — funding is crucial. The financing history of Fengji Food shows Feng Bin’s strong network.

When Huang Tiane was launched, it received tens of millions of dollars in investment, from U.S.-based Purui Fund, a subsidiary of Cargill, one of the world’s top grain traders and the largest agricultural fund globally, and also from a Texas-based retired teachers’ fund. A newly established company attracting top global funds indicates Feng Bin’s powerful connections in the capital markets.

From 2020 to 2023, the company completed six rounds of funding, with the largest single investment reaching 600 million yuan. Investors include domestic financial and industrial capital, such as the company under Pagoda Garden, as well as state-owned capital like Renmin Chuangtou, a company affiliated with People’s Daily, which itself is under the People’s Republic of China. Recently, they openly challenged China Food Safety News with three bold questions, showing strong confidence.

There are also many foreign investors, including Yishan Capital, affiliated with Singapore’s logistics giant Prologis. In total, nearly ten capital sources, including domestic and foreign, private and state-owned, support Fengji Food.

According to AiQicha, the largest shareholder of Fengji Food Group is Singapore’s BRF, holding about 10.75%, with foreign capital holding nearly 30%.

Founder Feng Bin directly owns 4.06%. However, through two other affiliated companies, he holds over 17%, making him the single largest controlling shareholder.

Of course, in modern business competition, having strong capital backing isn’t a bad thing — it helps companies grow faster and stay ahead of competitors. But when it comes to product quality, there’s no room for compromise. Whether the lutein in Huang Tiane eggs is natural or added via feed — this can’t be decided by one-sided claims. Relevant authorities should provide a clear explanation.

Author’s note: Personal opinion, for reference only.