Description
Few consumers have heard the name of Tao Huabi, but they all know her “Lao Gan Ma”chili sauce, which has become a most recognized Chinese national brand.
In the last two decades, I have written on a dozen of iconic companies, but the founder of “Lao Gan Ma” chili sauce is one who had touched and inspired me as someone with integrity.
Indeed, Tao Huabi has become a legendary figure in China. Not because of the hardship or the ups and downs she had gone through, nor was it because she had founded such a great company in the foodstuff industry. She is special because she had created annual sales of over four billion RMB with a commonly seen product, using a rather old-fashioned management philosophy.
Tao is also known for her integrity in business dealing. From day one as she started the Rice Tofu business till today when her empire sprawls across the nation, she had borrowed from the bank only once. Cash on delivery has always been the principle she lives on. She didn’t have one day of schooling and all she can read is her own name, and yet she had found the market for farm produce of 5.5 million farmers in China.
