A man’s rise from a poor orphan in Inner Mongolia to the head of Southeast Asia’s top ice cream brand is a remarkable story of grit, strategy, and compassion.
The life of Niu Gensheng, known as China’s “Dairy Godfather,” is a testament to resilience and ambition. Once sold for just 50 yuan ( ₹600) as a baby, the 67-year-old is now at the helm of a multi-billion yuan empire that spans from China’s vast grasslands to the streets of Jakarta, reported South China Morning Post.
Niu is the founder of Mengniu Dairy, one of China’s largest dairy companies, and the visionary behind Aice, a hugely popular ice cream brand across Southeast Asia.
Born into poverty in Inner Mongolia, Niu was given away by his struggling parents shortly after birth. A cattle farmer who adopted him paid 50 yuan (US$7). His early years were shaped by hardship—when he was eight, his adoptive father lost everything in a political dispute. Niu was forced to sweep streets and do manual labour. Not long after, both adoptive parents died, leaving him to survive on his own.
In 1983, he began working as a bottle washer at a dairy factory that would later become Yili, one of China’s top dairy producers. Over the next decade, he climbed the ranks, eventually becoming workshop director. His hands-on experience and deep knowledge of production processes earned him a promotion to Vice-President of Production and Operations by 1992. His annual salary exceeded one million yuan (US$140,000).
Despite the high position, Niu left Yili amid internal politics and competition. Rather than step away from the dairy business, he launched Mengniu Dairy in 1999 with 10 million yuan (US$1.4 million) in capital—a bold move given that Yili’s assets had already reached 1.2 billion yuan (US$164 million).
Targeting underserved rural markets, Niu adopted a marketing strategy based on local dialects and competitive pricing. By 2004, Mengniu had hit 7.2 billion yuan (US$985 million) in revenue. In 2005, it overtook Yili to become China’s top dairy brand.
Betraying common sense
Niu once said his success came from “betraying common sense” in business.
In 2015, he turned his attention to Southeast Asia—specifically Indonesia—where he launched Aice, an ice cream brand aimed at low-income consumers. Selling at just 900 to 1,500 Indonesian Rupiah (6 to 10 US cents), Aice offered quality products at accessible prices. The company introduced regionally popular flavours such as durian and coconut milk coffee and supported small retailers with free freezers and electricity subsidies.
His strategy of high volume and small profits paid off. Aice now operates in more than 1,200 districts across Indonesia and generates over three billion yuan (US$410 million) ₹3,420 crore, annually, making it Southeast Asia’s leading ice cream brand.
Niu’s business philosophy goes beyond profit. “The true consumption revolution is not about making the rich more extravagant, but about allowing the poor to live with dignity,” he says.
Beyond business, Niu is committed to giving back. He funds medical treatment for sick children in Inner Mongolia and has supported the construction of schools across China.
His remarkable journey has gone viral on Chinese social media. One user wrote: “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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