Precision of freshness

In a product category marked by unpredictability, getting fresh produce to market is a precise operation requiring meticulous planning.

Spring vegetables, for instance, are highly seasonal, perishable, and fragmented in supply and demand. Getting the right quantity and quality to consumers nationwide requires exact consumer insights, understanding of dispersed upstream resources, and highly efficient logistics.

JD's 7Fresh chain has introduced a "24-hour vegetable" model. Produce harvested at 5 am is on shelves within 24 hours and sold only that day.

Produce ranges from Beijing strawberries and leafy greens to fresh eggs, Chaoshan beef, and pork ribs, all delivered via JD logistics. High-altitude blueberries from Yunnan, requiring longer transit, reach shelves within 48 hours.

Dingdong Maicai launched 125 spring vegetable varieties and over 130 aquatic products this season, including rare mountain vegetables as well as edible flowers.

Jiang, head of spring produce, said he spends a third of his time in the fields. "A decade ago, the market offered barely 100 spring vegetables. Today, there are 300 to 400. Consumers aren't just eating vegetables — they're consuming the feeling of spring."

The rise of fresh e-commerce has made ingredient sourcing increasingly seamless, while consumer demand for spring produce has expanded well beyond what is available locally. Many users leave comments on Dingdong Maicai's official channels, requesting vegetables from their hometowns or niche wild greens that have gained popularity through viral videos.

This growing appetite for novelty has given Jiang both direction and momentum in exploring lesser-known seasonal ingredients. Beyond visiting markets across the country, he also regularly browses social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu, drawing on user feedback and online trends to identify potential new products.

However, not every niche vegetable is a success. Some fail internal evaluations and never make it to market, while others may be launched but quickly withdrawn if sales fall short.

For example, pumpkin flowers sourced from Yunnan two years ago lost freshness in transit. This year, Jiang convinced Jiangsu farmers — closer to Shanghai — to cultivate them. Despite sacrificing some pumpkin yield, the high flower prices compensated the farmers.

Working directly with Jiangsu growers, the current trial batch is priced at 19.9 yuan for 200 grams.

"Although it's not cheap, demand has been strong, with daily sales reaching two to three thousand units," Jiang said. "Our next step is to extend their shelf life and expand cultivation to additional regions, enabling staggered harvests to lengthen the product's market window."

Beyond "trading space for time", platforms leverage altitude differences to extend seasonal availability, he said.

liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn