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M.S.young man finds career in steamed bun

2009-11-12 16:25 BJT

With a MS degree, he gives up his senior executive position to sell steamed buns

Returning from Beijing to Lianyungang to open a store, he says he will promote the steamed bun culture

Lu Changxi places ready-made steamed buns into a box
Lu Changxi places ready-made steamed buns into a box

Lu Changxi, a moral and outstanding postgraduate student aged 27, took an unusual path in life from a R&D general manager at a large-scale food company in Beijing to a steamed bun maker at a simple store, just to realize his "steamed bun dream".

Tangxingxiang is a small, common alley in Julong Community, Lianyungang. Lu's steamed bun store, which looks exactly the same as other neighboring grocery stores, has been in trial operation for three days up til November 10. When the reporter met Lu, he had just finished kneading dough and rolling flour. Then Lu sat beside a laptop to carefully read about food processing.

The reporter found that the inside of Lu's store looks much better than its façade, which is furnished with all types of machines including a dough kneader, dough roller, ferment machine and steam boiler.

There is a plate on the wall saying "About the steamed bun maker". Lu Changxi, 27, has a master's degree in food science from Henan University of Technology, and an inexhaustible interest in the culture of China's traditional staple diet.

Lu said that he was born into a farming family and developed an interest in food science when he was an undergraduate. To put it more understandably, he is interested in making bread and steamed buns. In 2006, Lu became a postgraduate student to carry on his study, and soon was qualified as a visiting researcher at the Institute of Agro-food Science and Technology at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. When he was still a visiting researcher, Lu published many papers on food science that caused sensation in the industry. In early 2009, when Lu was still a postgraduate student, he was recruited by a large-scale food company as the R&D general manager, and earned over 4,000 yuan per month. In August 2009, Lu made the decision to set up his own business, and resigned. "I was born in Xuzhou, and ate steamed buns when I was young. When I became an undergraduate and learnt the scientific method of making steamed buns, I found that there are many secrets to making small steamed buns." Lu wants to commercialize and mechanize the production of steamed buns with his expertise.

There are certainly many difficulties to be faced during the early stage of his business. Lu currently makes steamed buns weighing 25 to 50 kilograms. With beautiful shape, good taste and cheaper prices than the average market retail prices, Lu's steamed buns sell out within half an hour when they are fresh from the steamer. "I make steamed buns primarily for my own happiness, then to popularize the steamed bun culture and conduct scientific research, and lastly to make profit," said Lu.

 

Translated by LOTO

Editor: Shi Taoyang | Source: CCTV.com