Watermelons from Maoshan in Jiangjin, Chongqing, are in season. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)
Chongqing - What does an electric vehicle giant have to do with watermelons? In Chongqing’s sweltering summer, the fruit is a favorite way for locals to cool down. Now BYD is bringing Maoshan watermelons from Caijia Town in Jiangjin District to its Chongqing stores, reaching a customer base of more than 2 million car owners.
The Maoshan cultivar is sweet but suffers from weak branding. Grown at 500 meters on selenium‑ and zinc‑rich sandy soil, the melons are crisp and flavourful. Yet a short shelf life makes long‑distance transport difficult, limiting pricing power and sales.
New grower Li Youfu knows this struggle. His first‑year crop of 45,000 jin (approx. 22.5 tonnes) found no buyers. “Others in town sell well,” he asked, “so why can’t I?” Established growers have fixed channels, but newcomers lack networks and brand support.
The solution came from BYD. In early July, its Chongqing subsidiary asked the Chongqing Jiangjin District Commission of Commerce for farm products to gift as customer perks. The local commission recommended Maoshan watermelons.
BYD initially planned a one‑time purchase of 5,000 jin for marketing, but after tasting, Qu Taibo, a deputy operations manager at BYD, said, “It would be a pity if they went unsold.”
The model is simple. BYD regularly offers watermelons in its direct stores at 1.8 yuan/jin, well below the market price. It collects weekly orders, ships them to a central 4S store, and then redistributes them. This cuts middleman costs and solves the transport problem.
Results came fast, nearly 1,000 jin sold in two weeks, with many repeat buyers. Qu added: “Customers love them and keep coming back. We’ll expand from 37 direct stores to over 200 dealer outlets and explore a more regular cooperation.”
For BYD, this delivers more than goodwill. It strengthens owner loyalty, boosts brand image, and aligns with ESG goals like community engagement. Since sales cover costs, the model is self‑sustaining.
For Caijia Town, Party Secretary Liu Wei sees a new path: “With BYD’s network, our products gain real exposure. We’ll scale up, build brands, and seek similar partners for tea, mushrooms, and fish.”