Scientific approach

At Freshippo, Alibaba's grocery retail arm, seasonal greens like Chinese toon shoots, ma lan tou (Indian aster), Artemisia selengensis (white mugwort stems), and spring bamboo shoots are neatly displayed. Among them, one product draws the most attention: the breakout "super vegetable" of last year — Banlangen greens, a hybrid of Isatis indigotica (traditionally used in Chinese medicine) and rapeseed.

Priced at 9.9 yuan per 300 grams, down 40 percent from last year, the once-premium item has become widely accessible. Similarly, high-altitude Chinese toon shoots in Shanghai have fallen to 7.99 yuan per 100 grams, over 30 percent cheaper than the previous year.

Ren Yaolin, Freshippo's head of spring vegetable sourcing, attributes the lower prices to favorable weather in Yunnan for Chinese toon shoots, and expanded cultivation and centralized procurement of Banlangen greens.

Developed by Huazhong Agricultural University scientists, Banlangen greens retain broad-spectrum antibacterial properties while shedding bitterness, offering a crisp, sweet taste and comprehensive nutritional value. They can be stir-fried or boiled without losing texture, making them highly versatile in the kitchen.

Yet this technological achievement took three years of trial cultivation and market adaptation before reaching tables. "The first batches were noticeably bitter," Ren said. "We recommended trial planting in high-altitude regions, where temperature swings and abundant sunlight can enhance sugar content."

The improved version, launched in February, quickly won favor with consumers, with daily sales surpassing even Chinese toon shoots.

To stabilize supply and mitigate weather risks in Yunnan, the planting area for Banlangen greens has doubled, expanding into Ningxia Hui autonomous region and Gansu province to create a cross-regional rotation system.

Freshippo has also extended the vegetable into processed foods — such as fillings for buns and dumplings — helping absorb production fluctuations. "When farmers see strong sales of these processed items, they gain confidence to expand cultivation without fearing waste during high-yield periods," Ren explains.

According to Ren, new products such as vegetable juices, powders, and rice cakes made from Banlangen greens are also under development.

Some Yunnan farmers even travel to Ningxia during the Banlangen harvest season to generate extra income.

Rolling out seasonal produce requires nearly a year of advance planning and early order placements to secure stable supplies and guarantee farmer incomes. "Thanks to these close partnerships, we've prioritized early-maturing varieties this year, bringing them to market one to two weeks ahead of the broader market," Ren said.

"Take bamboo shoots as an example — we began selling them as early as last December, sourcing only the most tender tips." He added that advances in agricultural technology have also enabled certain crops to enter their growth cycles earlier, further extending the seasonal window.

"Following the first wave of spring produce, regional wild greens and edible flowers will gradually come into season, adding greater diversity and nuance to the spring table," he said.

Looking ahead, Ren said that beyond sourcing premium seasonal ingredients nationwide, Freshippo is strengthening collaboration with universities, closely tracking the development of new varieties in research labs and actively supporting their transition from experimental cultivation to everyday consumption.