Changemaker Interview | With Zrou Cofounders: Cynthia & Liqin
Zrou is a plant-based reinterpretation of ground meat made from natural, locally sourced ingredients: non-GMO soybeans, konjac, coconut oil, and shiitake mushrooms. Zrou is cholesterol-free, low in calories and fat, and a quality source of dietary fiber and nutrients.
Seeds of Change volunteer writer, Kawa, interviewed Zrou Co-Founders - Cynthia and Liqin, to listen to the story about Zrou and their opinion about China planet-based meat market, the challenge they are facing, and so much more.
01: COFOUNDERS INTRODUCTION
Tell us your story of how you became the Co-Founders of “Zrou”? How did you meet each other?
Cynthia: I've worked with Frank for decades, he is someone who is full of ideas and creativity while I consider myself in charge of the implementation of the ideas. In 2019 he discovered the world of plant-based meat in the US and thought that it had both commercials as well as social value for China. He asked me to have a look at it with him. After studying a bit more about it, I started to understand the difference between plant-based versus ‘traditional vegetarian food. People gravitate to a plant-based diet for reasons of health, environmental concerns, and/or animal rights. It addresses a far bigger, overarching concern, which goes beyond the mere confines of traditional vegetarian food, and that is an idea that resonates with me.
Liqin: I founded a green pork project in 2017 and I realized that although we can take measures to improve the livestock industry in many aspects, the industry as a whole has a substantial and negative impact on the environment. In addition, the usage of large sums of antibiotics in livestock farming is also detrimental to human health. Overall, a slight improvement in one part of the value chain is far from enough to make a substantial impact on sustainability. That was also when I started learning about plant-based meat products in the US and thought that this would be a better solution.
I met Frank in 2019 and was inspired and moved by his passion and determination to create China’s own plant-based meat brand. I felt that we shared the same vision, and although we arrived at that vision via our own separate paths, I feel very lucky to be doing something impactful with such like-minded and capable partners.
What has been the steepest learning lesson for you and what has been the biggest challenge thus far?
Cynthia: We have insisted on using natural ingredients for our plant-based meat. The way that food is processed is more advanced than one might think, and so the hardest challenge is to discard what ingredients not to use. Because of our high standards, we have put a lot of effort into exploring how to stick with natural ingredients while at the same time bring out the original flavor of the meat.
Liqin: As a fast-growing startup, I think the biggest challenge has been people. We've gone from 4 co-founders to about 40 employees today and everyone's role is constantly evolving. Aside from making the right business decisions, it also very important to hire the right team and put each person into the right role, and that's a challenge. However, I do find it very exciting, and those challenges are exactly what makes it all the more interesting.
most satisfying moment in the last 18 months of operations?
Liqin: Well, there are so many. As CFO, I’m certainly happy about fundraising successes, but it's hard to pinpoint a specific moment. I honestly think that the best is yet to come. It's great to see that "Zrou" literally started from zero and today it's a leading brand among certain communities in Shanghai that has gained recognition from so many people.
Cynthia: I feel especially satisfied when I receive positive feedback from consumers when I see that they have the urge to create ingredients and wish to share their feelings about how they use “Zrou” with us.
As a woman, how do you manage your work-life balance?
Liqin: Youneed to ask Cynthia as she’s a mom. I’m a robot, I don’t need balance, I would only ask why you are not working(laughs).
Cynthia: First of all, I find the work itself very fulfilling. My family is also very supportive. My baby is quite clingy, but just because I'm working doesn't mean I can't spend time with her, and to me, it doesn't feel like a big conflict. Every week, we cycle together and will enjoy some quality time.
What is it that you appreciate most in each other as colleagues?
Cynthia: Frankis open to any idea and is willing to accept your opinion as long as you have the ability to convince him. David is undoubtedly a culinary expert. He has a profound understanding of food, and when you see his worldly knowledge of cuisine put into his work, it's quite amazing.
Liqin: I admire Frank’s passion and unwavering attitude. If he sets his mind to do something he will not back down until he makes it happen and he has the tenacity to really stick with it. David, besides being a culinary genius, is also extremely good at management. I would have never thought that there would be so many things going on at the same time in a kitchen, and to control that environment you need outstanding leadership. Cynthia is a mom, she has a family, but despite that, she works nonstop, as if she were superhuman.
02: ZROU - THE BRAND & THE PRODUCT
So, for plant-based food, what’s your perspective in terms of your product being “in China for China?”
Cynthia: Chinesefood is far too diverse to classify it into a homogenous, national diet. What we did find was that minced meat is a commonly used product in many Chinese dishes, while the most consumed meat in Chinese food is pork. So, our first step was to get closer to the Chinese diet in terms of product type, and we decided to start by imitating pork. The second step was to create the visual texture and taste of fatty meat. We chose to use konjac to emulate fatty meat and coconut oil to create the sensation of a fatty taste.
What’s the main differentiator between “Zrou” and other plant-based meats out in the market? How do you deal with or think about competition in this space, with a growing number of companies entering it?
Liqin: From a product standpoint, our philosophy has always been different. We are more balanced and wish to present a more natural source of protein in order to give consumers a healthier choice while at the same time pursuing taste. What is surprising is that many chefs use Zrou in ways that go beyond the traditional ways of using meat. This is what makes Zrou so unique, healthy and environmentally friendly, while at the same time giving chefs more possibilities to explore horizons.The plant-based meat industry has just started in China, in 2019. The past 18 months have seen this market go from nothing to having small volumes, and now everyone in the food service or restaurant business in Shanghai has heard of plant-based meat. It boils down to the joint efforts of all the players who work very hard to educate consumers. This food revolution actually needs more players to join so that it can grow faster.
How did Zrou perform during Covid? What was the biggest challenge?
Liqin: I would say that it was a bit of a challenge as well as an opportunity. Originally, we were only focused on the B2B side, but the epidemic dealt a harsh blow to the entire restaurant industry and so we could not afford to just sit back and wait. Therefore, we decided to bring forward our plans to develop the B2C side at that point which gave rise to new opportunities.
Cynthia: The supply chain aspect was very challenging and we had to do a lot of work to get the products delivered to consumers. But it was also a time where people were staying put at home for long periods of time, and people who previously did not cook began to develop an enthusiasm for cooking. The pandemic also made people start to fundamentally think about their health and consumption choices, and that's when we started to do “Own What You Eat” in order to explore more topics on that.
What is your expectation of “Zrou” in the long term? Are there any plans to crack the code to get into more plant-based alternatives?
Cynthia：We do plan to do more plant-based products in the future, for plant-based pork we will do the "Zrou" brand, and if we wish to create other plant-based products we will create other brands.
Liqin: Wewant to be the largest food company in the world. We have this confidence because we believe that plant-based food will become the mainstream choice in the near future, as that is a palpable trend. Also, Generation Z will be more inclined to support ESR companies instead of blindly buying products from big companies, and therefore we feel that many niche brands like ours will likely stand out.
I know “Zrou “ works with restaurants of all types of cuisines, what is your favorite meal and at which restaurant(s)?
Liqin: Brewdog'sZrou burgers. Once in a while when I crave burgers I would get those. I feel that the Zrou burgers there are even better than the ones made with real meat.
Cynthia: SinceI like Chinese food, I highly recommend the vegetarian set menu at CantonTable. I also have a fondness for spicy food, and there is a Mapo Tofu noodle dish that, to me, is quite special.
03: PLANET-BASED MEAT & SUSTAINABILITY
Many people regard plant-based meat as processed food - which is associated with unhealthy products? How would you answer that?
Cynthia：People have different interpretations and definitions of what processed food is. While our ingredients are all-natural, they differ from the original crop forms after being processed. I think the definition or classification of processed food needs to be refined.
Liqin: Consumers are becoming more and more concerned about food manufacturing practices and if they don't know much about the product they consume, then nature will be afraid and skeptical towards it. At the same time, the information they tend to receive is somewhat one-sided so some consumers will tend to say all processed products are bad. It's good that consumers start to care about food health and safety, but they should also try to better educate themselves in order to know the difference between light processing and heavy processing, just as an example.
Going vegan has never been easy for people living in China. What’s your advice for them?
Cythia: Eat at more restaurants that work with “Zrou,” we’ll work hard to make that number grow rapidly.
Liqin: You can also buy more “Zrou” online and cook at home. (laughs)
Excessive packaging in the food and restaurant industry is a problem that desperately needs to be addressed. Do you have any plans to reduce plastic packaging?
Cynthia: Yes, we've tried to reduce plastic use in our packaging.
Liqin：We're continuing to look for more solutions, but we don't have a lot of bargaining power at this stage. However, that doesn't mean that we are giving up, so hopefully, at some stage, we can reduce our footprint significantly.
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