Sold by destitute parents as infant, Niu Gensheng has overcome hardships to reach top of a ‘revolutionary’ Asia-wide business.
The rise of China’s so-called Dairy Godfather, from being an abandoned baby to becoming the head of a three-billion-yuan (US$410 million) ice cream empire, is a story of true resilience and vision.
Niu Gensheng, 67, is the founder of the corporate giant Mengniu Dairy, and the creator of Aice, an ice cream brand popular across Southeast Asia.
Born into poverty in Inner Mongolia, a northern region of China known for its vast grasslands and deserts, Niu’s parents struggled to make ends meet.
Unable to care for him, they sold him to a cattle farmer for 50 yuan (US$7) shortly after he was born, and the farmer adopted him.
At the age of eight, Niu’s adoptive father lost his assets after a political row, forcing Niu to sweep streets and do hard labour with him. A short time later, both of his adoptive parents passed away.
Over the next decade, he worked his way up to workshop director, gaining a deep knowledge of the dairy production process.
By 1992, Niu was promoted to Vice-President of Production and Operations at Yili, where he reportedly earned an annual salary exceeding one million yuan (US$140,000).
Despite his success, Niu faced rumours and fierce competition at Yili, leading to his resignation.
But he did not give up on his dream of building China’s largest dairy company.
Niu used his experience and resources to launch Mengniu Dairy in 1999 with just 10 million yuan (US$1.4 million) in capital.
At the time, his former employer Yili already had assets worth 1.2 billion yuan (US$164 million).
Niu’s unique marketing strategy focused on rural markets, using advertisements in local dialects and low pricing to attract customers.
By 2004, Mengniu’s revenue reached 7.2 billion yuan (US$985 million), and the following year it surpassed Yili to become China’s top dairy brand.
Niu credited his success to “betraying common sense” in business.
After building the Mengniu empire, Niu set his sights on the Southeast Asian market, which many other entrepreneurs had overlooked.
In 2015, he launched Aice, an ice cream brand targeting Indonesia’s lower-tier market.
Niu adopted the same strategy focused on small profits and high volume, with prices ranging from 900 to 1500 IDR (6 to 10 US cents), making “quality ice cream affordable for everyone”.
Aice introduced popular flavours like durian and coconut milk coffee ice cream, catering to local cultural and religious preferences.
They also provided small shops with free freezers and electricity subsidies to support local vendors.
Today, Aice operates in more than 1,200 districts across Indonesia, with annual revenue exceeding three billion yuan (US$410 million), securing its position as Southeast Asia’s top ice cream brand.
Niu describes his business philosophy as “The true consumption revolution is not about making the rich more extravagant, but about allowing the poor to live with dignity.”
Aside from his business success, Niu is deeply involved in philanthropy, funding children with serious illnesses in Inner Mongolia and helping build schools across China.
His inspirational journey has attracted widespread attention on mainland social media.
One online observer said: “From a dairy farm in Inner Mongolia to an ice cream factory in Jakarta, Niu has spent 40 years proving that a true business legend is driven by a relentless commitment to consumer equality and a deep understanding of human needs.”
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