China Vegan Entrepreneurs 03 | Mr. Zhang, Qing’an vegan yogurt

“Sometimes doing things the slow way is faster.”

— Mr. Zhang, Qing'an founder

*Qing’an founder Zhang Ke and his family*
Meet Mr. Zhang
**Name:** Zhang Ke
**Location:** Chengdu, Sichuan
**Previous Occupation:** Management Consulting
**Project:** Qing'an vegan yogurt powder

“I just want a healthy yogurt my daughter can eat!”

When Zhang Ke discovered his young daughters were lactose intolerant, he began a search for nutritious plant-based alternatives to the dairy products they used to consume. But yogurt turned out to be hard to replace. Mr. Zhang learned how to make yogurt at home with different plant milks, and his daughters loved the results. Realizing that many families might have the same need for fresh, nutritious, dairy-free yogurt, he decided to try to take his homemade yogurt to market. After over 300 rounds of testing and iteration, he had a yogurt that was not only tasty and dairy-free, but also shelf-stable: a self-fermenting powdered yogurt mix.

“If I need a steady supply of fresh dairy-free yogurt, maybe others do, too”

At first, Mr. Zhang just wanted to make a healthy yogurt for his lactose-intolerant daughter. Concerned about his daughters’ nutrition, he did a lot of research and experimented with different plant milks to make the cleanest, healthiest, and most nutritious yogurt possible.

Mr. Zhang’s challenges in meeting his daughters’ nutritional needs made him think there must be other families out there with the same problem. He decided to develop his homemade yogurt into a marketable product. He continued experimenting with plant milks, as well as different bacterial strains and fermentation methods to improve the flavor and texture.

A logistical problem inspires a novel solution
In June 2019, Mr. Zhang officially launched his first product: a ready-to-eat plant-based yogurt. He called his brand “Zhu Ni Qing An" (祝你轻安, “I wish you happiness and peace”), reflecting the brand’s core philosophy: bringing families joy, health, and peace of mind. He wanted to make the product as clean-label as possible, without any preservatives, thickeners, or artificial colors and flavors. Unfortunately, this meant that it had a very short shelf life that limited its ability to be mass-produced or transported long distances.
After solving the first problem of a delicious and nutritious dairy-free yogurt suitable for growing kids, Mr. Zhang faced a new problem: **how do you make a plant-based yogurt that is both all natural *and* shelf-stable?**
Mr. Zhang went back to the drawing board and began experimenting with a new idea: powdered yogurt. By blending powdered plant milks with probiotics, he could create a self-fermenting yogurt that consumers could make themselves by just adding water.
During the product development process, Mr. Zhang tested many different vegan probiotic strains and combinations, but it took a long time to find the right formula that could consistently produce the desired results. He reached out to friends for feedback and advice, and even sought professional guidance. Finally, after months of research and development and more than 300 rounds of testing and iteration, Mr. Zhang had perfected a blend of plant powders and bacterial strains that could produce a reliable and tasty self-fermenting powdered yogurt.

Test, launch, and test again

Qing'an’s self-fermenting plant-based yogurt powder officially launched in March of 2020. By August, the brand had begun mass-production through a factory partner. After beginning mass-production, Qing'an continued experimenting with new flavors and functional ingredients. Their current product line includes three flavors: original, beet, and turmeric. They also launched single-serving packages in April 2021.

Positive market response

Just two years after their first launch, Qing'an’s yogurt powder is now sold in several online stores, as well as in hotels, restaurants, and cafes. The brand operates its own WeChat store, as well as a WeChat official account which publishes articles on product promotions, yogurt-related recipes, and personal growth. They have not invested much in advertising—Mr. Zhang prefers to grow organically through customer recommendations. “Sometimes,” he says, “doing things the slow way is faster.”

Mr. Zhang closely monitors customers’ repurchase rates, taste ratings, and sharing behavior. He was surprised that Qing’an yogurt has also gained popularity among non-vegans, with some even saying that these yogurts changed how they think about plant-based eating. The most rewarding part of the journey so far, he says, is seeing his yogurt making people happy: "once a customer was feeling down, and I treated her to a cup of yogurt. Her mood improved instantly!".

THE RESULTS

369 rounds of testing and optimization to achieve the final formula
5 products (3 flavors of powdered yogurt and 2 flavors of powdered milk tea)
RMB 700,000 in sales within the first 6 months after launch

What’s next for Mr. Zhang?

For now, Mr. Zhang plans to continue testing and optimizing Qing'an’s current products and experiment with new functional and convenient plant-based foods, such as dairy-free instant milk tea. In the future, he also intends to upgrade to biodegradable packaging materials.

Check out Qing’an

Scan the QR code below to visit Qing’an’s WeChat official account and online store.

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