---
title: "Qiaqia: Teaching Foreigners to Crack Sunflower Seeds, Generating 600 Million Yuan in Overseas Revenue"
description: "Only people in five countries can expertly crack sunflower seeds: China, Russia, the US, Turkey, and Spain. Yet Qiaqia, a Chinese seed brand, has defied expectations by selling shell-on seeds to countries where people don't traditionally eat them, teaching foreigners to enjoy this snack. After 16 years of going global, Qiaqia now exports to nearly 50 countries and regions, including Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US, with overseas revenue approaching 600 million yuan. But getting foreigners to 'get hooked' on cracking seeds is no easy feat. Take Japan, for example..."
author: "FBIF"
publisher: "New Distribution"
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published: "2024-04-10"
language: "en"
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---

# Qiaqia: Teaching Foreigners to Crack Sunflower Seeds, Generating 600 Million Yuan in Overseas Revenue

> Only people in five countries can expertly crack sunflower seeds: China, Russia, the US, Turkey, and Spain. Yet Qiaqia, a Chinese seed brand, has defied expectations by selling shell-on seeds to countries where people don't traditionally eat them, teaching foreigners to enjoy this snack. After 16 years of going global, Qiaqia now exports to nearly 50 countries and regions, including Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US, with overseas revenue approaching 600 million yuan. But getting foreigners to 'get hooked' on cracking seeds is no easy feat. Take Japan, for example...

Only people in five countries can expertly crack sunflower seeds: China, Russia, the US, Turkey, and Spain.
But one seed brand has defied expectations by selling shell-on seeds to countries where people don't traditionally eat them, teaching foreigners to crack seeds.
That brand is Qiaqia.
After 16 years of going global, Qiaqia now exports to nearly 50 countries and regions, including Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US, with overseas revenue approaching 600 million yuan.
But getting foreigners who don't know how to crack seeds to 'get hooked' is no easy feat.
Take Japan, for example. People there assume that shell-on seeds are for hamsters. To indicate that these seeds are pet snacks, such products often feature a large hamster on the packaging.
Japanese sunflower seeds for hamsters
Image source: 没事发发呆yxl 小红书
This perception is gradually being changed by Qiaqia, because Qiaqia's packaging shows four steps of how humans crack seeds.
In a Japanese business supermarket, a note near the Qiaqia seeds section reads: "Peel the shell and eat the kernel inside." Additionally, a staff member added their thoughts: "Peeling the shell and eating the kernel is indeed troublesome, but it's delicious."
Corner of a Japanese business supermarket
Image source: 小鱼在东京 小红书
Now, Qiaqia has successfully entered Japanese business supermarkets, and its seeds can be seen in many such stores like "業務スーパー". On Japan's major e-commerce platform "Rakuten Market", a search for "向日葵の種 (sunflower seeds)" shows not only hamster seeds but also edible seeds "chacheer" (also written as "chacha"), which is Qiaqia.
Qiaqia's presence has gradually gotten Japanese people hooked on cracking seeds. In Rakuten Market reviews for Qiaqia seeds, a recurring phrase is "辞められない止められない商品ですよね。" (A product you can't resist or stop).
Rakuten Market Qiaqia seed product reviews
Image source: Rakuten Market
Beyond Japan, Qiaqia has also sold seeds to over 50 countries and regions, including South Korea, Thailand, and the US, and has entered local mainstream channels such as 7-Eleven in Thailand and E-mart in South Korea.
In 2022, Qiaqia's export value (including its Thailand factory) reached 501 million yuan, with exports to other RCEP member countries totaling 359 million yuan, accounting for 72%, with Thailand being the largest trading partner at 42%.
In Thailand, Qiaqia has firmly secured the top market position. What exactly has Qiaqia done to change foreigners' perception of shell-on seeds as "bird food" and teach them how to crack seeds, generating 600 million yuan in overseas revenue?
Behind Qiaqia's global seed sales, a wave of Chinese snack brands going overseas is rising. More and more snack brands are starting to expand abroad, trying to bring Chinese snacks to the world stage. But how to make snacks with Chinese cultural elements "go global", how to build overseas supply chains, and how to align with standards in different countries and regions are unavoidable issues for companies going global.
From Qiaqia's journey, we might find some lessons.
**Qiaqia's Overseas Voyage Begins**
**Seeds Evoke Nostalgia Among Overseas Chinese**
Chinese people have loved cracking seeds since ancient times. The earliest record of seeds dates back to the early Northern Song Dynasty, when "Taiping Huanyu Ji" first documented "seeds".
Seeds are a staple at Chinese gatherings and meals. During the Spring Festival, almost every household includes seeds in their New Year purchases. Overseas Chinese also regard seeds as a "taste of home".
Initially, Qiaqia did not sell seeds overseas. Some overseas Chinese returning home for visits or business would bring Qiaqia seeds abroad to give to relatives and friends.
Later, Qiaqia began its "going global" phase. In a livestream conversation between FBIF and Lu Jie, head of Qiaqia's overseas business unit marketing, he shared several anecdotes:
2000 was a key year for Qiaqia's overseas expansion. That year, just one year after its founding, Qiaqia took its first step abroad.
That year, an agent from Hong Kong attended a government-hosted New Year symposium for overseas Chinese in Beijing. At the event, he happened to taste Qiaqia seeds, found them special and delicious, and was also stirred by "homesickness".
This Hong Kong client eventually became Qiaqia's first overseas agent.
Among Qiaqia's early agents in Malaysia was an elderly Chinese man who regarded seeds as a "taste of home".
During the Spring Festival, a relative brought him a bag of Qiaqia seeds. This bag of seeds reminded him of the flavors of home. At that time, such elderly overseas Chinese still harbored deep patriotic feelings. So, after the Spring Festival, the elderly man sent his son to Qiaqia's headquarters in Hefei to discuss overseas expansion.
These small stories pieced together Qiaqia's initial "naive period" of going global.
As Qiaqia gradually got on track in the domestic market, its approach to overseas expansion shifted from passive to active. In 2008, Qiaqia's revenue reached 2 billion yuan. That year, Qiaqia established its first overseas office in Vietnam, formally laying out its overseas market strategy.
Qiaqia's lucky draw event in Vietnam
Image source: vedan.com
### **The First Step to Selling Seeds to Foreigners**
### **Localization**
There is a steady path for domestic brands going global: overseas Chinese are more likely to accept Chinese products, and through their purchases and use, they spread the word to other groups.
In the early days, Qiaqia's audience was overseas Chinese. But as going global shifted from passive to active, Qiaqia set its sights on those foreigners who didn't know how to crack seeds—getting them all to crack seeds and become addicted would be a huge blue ocean market.
But there's a prerequisite for getting foreigners to crack seeds: different countries have different cultural backgrounds, and requirements for packaging, product flavors, and food standards vary, so adaptation to local markets is necessary. This corresponds to the process of localizing products for overseas markets.
The first issue Qiaqia faced was that overseas products must meet local standards. "Initially, we entered different countries and regions through parallel imports, but we soon found that some countries have very strict food regulations, and our exported goods must comply with local food laws," Lu Jie said.
Take Malaysia, for example. Malaysia is predominantly Muslim, and local consumers tend to accept local Muslim food certification standards, namely the HDC-halal certification. Qiaqia spent a month undergoing certification audits from raw materials to each production process. This laid the foundation for Qiaqia's products to enter the local market.
Additionally, to cater to foreign tastes, Qiaqia adjusted the flavors of its seeds accordingly.
In China, we know Qiaqia seeds come in flavors like walnut, sea salt, and caramel, because domestic consumers prefer salty and sweet tastes, but these flavors may not be liked by foreigners.
Take the Thai market, for example. Besides the pecan and original flavors available in China, Qiaqia added coconut milk to create a coconut flavor in Thailand, which became very popular.
Qiaqia's coconut-flavored seeds launched in Thailand
Image source: chachafood_Offcial
Additionally, red date and coffee flavors can also be seen in the Thai market.
Thai Qiaqia seed flavors
Image source: shirley 小红书
**Qiaqia Uses a "Foolproof Tutorial"**
**to Teach Foreigners to Crack Seeds**
After localizing products, Qiaqia came up with various ways to get foreigners to love "cracking seeds".
Since foreigners don't know how, they wrote a "foolproof tutorial". Qiaqia set aside a special area on packaging in different countries, writing seed-cracking instructions in multiple languages.
  * Hold the seed with your fingers, pointed end up
  * Put the pointed end in your mouth
  * Bite gently with your teeth to separate shell and kernel
  * Eat the kernel and spit out the shell
Qiaqia seed packaging in South Korea with "foolproof tutorial"
Image source: AYukimi 小红书
Qiaqia collaborates with Confucius Institutes abroad, using seeds as teaching aids in classrooms. Teachers can not only teach students to crack seeds but also use seeds as an entry point to spread Chinese culture.
Qiaqia's ground promotion in Thailand
Image source: 界面新闻
In the US, Qiaqia deeply integrates seeds with Spring Festival culture, holding New Year goods festivals in New York, Houston, Los Angeles, etc., using seeds as a medium to spread Chinese New Year culture and help foreign friends better understand customs and flavors.
Korean Confucius Institute using Qiaqia seeds as teaching aids
Image source: 新华财经
To penetrate local markets further, Qiaqia also conducts ground promotions abroad. Qiaqia's ground promotions always precisely capture local people's hearts.
For example, during Thailand's Songkran Festival, when many Thais drive home, Qiaqia distributes free samples at gas stations. On long, boring journeys, even Thais who don't know how to crack seeds might be inclined to figure it out.
Qiaqia also incorporates lucky draws into promotional activities, with prizes tailored to local preferences. For instance, in Thailand, the prize was a genuine leather jacket; in Vietnam, it was a gold necklace.
In advertising and marketing, Qiaqia also adapts to local conditions.
Qiaqia hires local celebrities as brand ambassadors. In 2022, Qiaqia announced Thai market brand ambassador—Sunny Suwanmethanont.
It is understood that Sunny Suwanmethanont is a Thai actor who has won Best Actor awards, known for his positive and sunny image. Qiaqia's collaboration with Sunny Suwanmethanont has been well-received and recognized by Thai consumers.
Sunny Suwanmethanont endorsing Qiaqia seeds
Image source: chachafood.com
Additionally, Qiaqia films promotional videos in local settings, runs consumer activities during Thai festivals, conducts integrated online and offline promotions targeting Thai youth's lifestyles, and partners with Sunny Suwanmethanont to appear on MBK's big screens.
"We firmly believe that cracking seeds starts from childhood, so we continuously guide young people and some local consumers to crack seeds," Lu Jie said.
Besides Qiaqia actively teaching foreigners to crack seeds, Chinese students and overseas Chinese are also "main forces" for Qiaqia's promotion. Lu Jie told FBIF that Qiaqia didn't actually invest much effort in cultivating the market early on, because Chinese descendants and students subtly influence local consumers to crack seeds, which is a testament to cultural inclusiveness and integration.
### **"Persistent Persuasion"**
### **Breaking into Local Mainstream Channels**
The most crucial step in selling seeds to locals is getting Qiaqia seeds onto the shelves of local supermarkets.
Now, Qiaqia seeds can be found in mainstream channels in many countries, including Australia, North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, such as E-mart in South Korea, 7-Eleven in Thailand, business supermarkets in Japan, and Big C in Vietnam.
Qiaqia seeds in a South Korean supermarket
Image source: AYukimi 小红书
All this is related to Qiaqia's overseas distribution system. As mentioned earlier, many overseas Chinese gradually became overseas distributors after tasting Qiaqia.
As overseas demand grew, starting in 2008, Qiaqia successively established offices in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Middle East, and other regions. Through these offices, Qiaqia goes deep into local markets to build connections with distributors and consumers.
Take Thailand, for example. When Qiaqia first entered Thailand, distributors developed the market, and at that time, distributors mainly promoted through local mom-and-pop stores and regional retailers, but such channels had relatively limited influence.
At that time, Thailand's mainstream channel was 7-Eleven, positioned as a community supermarket. It is understood that Thailand's 7-Eleven is operated by Charoen Pokphand Group, which also owns Lotus's, and as of June 2017, it had at least 10,000 stores (compared to just over 2,300 in China at the end of 2017), accounting for nearly half of Thailand's retail market. Thai consumers visit 7-Eleven almost twice a day to buy goods.
Qiaqia's goal was to get its products onto 7-Eleven's shelves.
But the entry threshold for local products into 7-Eleven is already high, and at that time, Qiaqia had not yet established overseas brand awareness, and as a foreign product, the threshold was even higher. Besides meeting national standards, 7-Eleven also has additional requirements for product quality, packaging, and brand. Furthermore, at that time, 7-Eleven's seed category already had two local brands, making the SKU nearly saturated for 7-Eleven.
Despite the difficulty, Qiaqia, together with local distributors, repeatedly approached 7-Eleven to promote its products. Since the entry threshold was high, Qiaqia invited them to inspect its factory in Hefei; for packaging requirements, they modified the packaging to meet 7-Eleven standards; for insufficient brand awareness, Qiaqia continuously participated in local exhibitions to increase product exposure.
Through such "persistent persuasion", Qiaqia seeds eventually successfully launched on 7-Eleven shelves.
Multiple flavors of Qiaqia seeds in a Thai 7-Eleven
Image source: 王德福 小红书
In Lu Jie's sharing, to promote Qiaqia seeds and get into mainstream channels, Qiaqia primarily relies on local distributors for promotion, but also imparts "experience" to them, such as distributing free samples to all supermarket employees when a new store opens.
After entering local mainstream channels, Qiaqia seeds began to accelerate. In Thailand, after entering 7-Eleven, Qiaqia gradually gained a foothold. According to reports, Qiaqia has listed 4 SKUs in Thai 7-Eleven, even squeezing out the local "Big Brother" brand. In 2018, Qiaqia's Thailand business grew by 300%.
In Vietnam, after conquering mainstream channels, many local supermarkets proactively sought cooperation. "A local green grocery supermarket that mainly sells fresh produce also listed Qiaqia products," Lu Jie explained. When your product is listed in a store's surrounding supermarkets, that store will proactively contact distributors to bring in the product.
Currently, Qiaqia has established an overseas sales network, cooperating with nearly 100 foreign distributor clients. "In the future, Qiaqia will continue to expand its overseas distribution network in currently blank markets such as Western Europe, the Middle East, and South America," Lu Jie said.
In addition to building a distribution network, Qiaqia also decided to move its supply chain overseas. In 2017, Qiaqia built a factory in Thailand, which officially began production two years later. Lu Jie introduced that currently, Qiaqia's Thailand factory, centered in Thailand, covers the local Thai market while also covering the entire Southeast Asian market with Thailand as the core, and even radiates to European and American markets.
After 16 years of overseas expansion, Qiaqia has achieved certain results. According to the Q3 2023 financial report, Qiaqia's overseas market grew by over 10%.
On October 27, 2023, Qiaqia responded during an institutional survey that Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam, is growing well, the US market is also seeing recovery growth, and it will actively expand in Indonesia, the Middle East, and other regions. Overall, the company's overseas market growth is slightly faster than its domestic offline market, and the current situation is good, with overseas revenue accounting for about 10% of total revenue.
Looking ahead, Qiaqia will continue to deepen its overseas channels, seek growth opportunities, and while entering blank seed markets, develop a second category of nut products.


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