This is what people in Qinghai, China call the ‘Holy Fruit’ of the plateau – sea buckthorn. Rich in nutrients, this resilient fruit takes almost five years to establish its roots and ripen, finally bearing fruit at the end of the fifth year.

Yuen Muk-wing/ Chairman of a sea buckthorn company in Hong Kong

Y: This is sea buckthorn, native to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. This is a very small but incredibly sour fruit, with vitamin C levels more than ten times that of a typical lemon. Right now, we can pick its leaves to make sea buckthorn tea. As for the fruit, we can turn it into pulp, which contains over 400 active ingredients. The seeds can be processed into extract oil rich in various Omegas. Sea buckthorn is truly a treasure.       

B: When you first arrived in Qinghai, how did you find land to plant sea buckthorn?

Y: We owe it to the support of the local government. On one hand, their aim is to alleviate poverty; on the other, they are training local farmers how to utilize sea buckthorn effectively. As a result, most of our staff here are local farmers.

Xu Shunwu / Sea buckthorn picker

Collecting sea buckthorn leaves and fruit during this season can increase a family’s income by about RMB20,000. This has significantly improved our lives.

B: I understand you were originally a doctor. Why did you leave a well-paid job and a successful career to start a business in Qinghai?

Y: Working as a doctor, I realized that sitting in that room all day and facing patients, limits my impact. I could only help a few people each day. I believed I could contribute more to society and improve public health on a larger scale.

Y: I chose this place, fully aware of the challenges ahead. At high altitudes, we face low oxygen, sandy wind, drastic temperature changes, and strong UV rays. Despite these harsh conditions, sea buckthorn has thrived for 200 million years, which makes it well worth deeper study and development. As a Chinese, I hope our products will reach global markets.

Y: One of the most important aspects of this endeavor is a strong foundation in science. Food safety is our top priority. We use extensive equipment and strictly follow protocols to ensure safety. For pesticide residue detection in our sea buckthorn, we perform over 500 tests per ingredient.  

Y: We specifically test for heavy metals, such as lead, zinc, copper, and other harmful elements. Our products not only meet China’s national standards but also comply with EU safety labels and the US FDA standards, showing we work diligently in this direction.

Y: Michael, look at how beautifully these trees are growing—lush and even. When it's time to collect, we start with the roots.

Today, Yuen Muk-wing's son, Yuen Fong-ting (Michael), a UK graduate in chemical engineering, is now working alongside his father, helping bring sea buckthorn to the international stage.

B: Ms. Yuen, what inspired you to start a business with your husband in Qinghai?

Ms. Yuen

Ms. Yuen: we’ve seen growing public demand for comprehensive health care over the past decade. The pandemic, however, did affect our business. When Michael learned this situation, he decided to step in and offer his support.

Michael Yuen Fong-ting

Michael: I realized it wasn’t feasible to continue as we were, as business was dwindling. So, I decided to adopt new digital marketing strategies to promote sea buckthorn to international customers.

Fourteen years ago, Yuen Muk-wing set out from Hong Kong to start a business in Qinghai and created a range of ‘Made in China’ products using sea buckthorn. Today, his company leverages Hong Kong’s strategic role as a global hub, to sell its products across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. This remarkable journey stands as a beautiful testament to the collaborative spirit of Hong Kong people working and growing alongside China’s development.