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South China Morning Post
25-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Study Buddy (Explorer): China's ‘Dairy Godfather' and his booming ice cream empire
Content provided by British Council Read the following text, and answer questions 1-9 below: [1] The story of China's 'Dairy Godfather', who went from an abandoned baby to the head of a 3-billion-yuan (HK$3.25 billion) ice cream empire, is one of resilience and vision. Niu Gensheng, 67, founded the corporate giant Mengniu Dairy and created Aice, an ice cream brand popular across Southeast Asia. [2] Niu was born into poverty in Inner Mongolia, a region of China known for its vast grasslands and deserts. His parents struggled to make ends meet. Unable to care for him, they sold him to a cattle farmer, who adopted him for 50 yuan (HK$54) shortly after he was born. When Niu was eight, his adoptive father lost his money, forcing Niu to sweep the streets and do hard labour with him. Later, both his adoptive parents died. [3] In 1983, Niu became a bottle washer at a local dairy factory, which later became Yili, one of China's leading dairy companies. Over the next decade, he worked his way up to workshop director, gaining a deep knowledge of the dairy production process. [4] By 1992, Niu was promoted to Vice-President of Production and Operations at Yili, where he reportedly earned an annual salary exceeding 1 million yuan (HK$1,086,500). 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. [5] Niu used his experience and resources to launch Mengniu Dairy in 1999. At the time, his former employer, Yili, already had assets worth billions. Niu's unique marketing strategy focused on rural markets, using local dialects in advertisements and low prices to attract customers. [6] By 2004, Mengniu's revenue reached 7.2 billion yuan (HK$7.8 billion). The following year, it surpassed Yili to become China's top dairy brand. 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 market. [7] Niu adopted the same strategy focused on small profits and high volume, with prices ranging from 900 to 1500 IDR (HK$0.42 to HK$0.70), 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. [8] Today, Aice operates in more than 1,200 districts across Indonesia, with more than three billion yuan in annual revenue, securing its position as Southeast Asia's top ice cream brand. Niu describes his business philosophy as 'not about making the rich more grand, but about allowing the poor to live with dignity.' Niu is also deeply involved in philanthropy, funding initiatives that build schools across China and help children with serious illnesses in Inner Mongolia. Source: South China Morning Post, April 13 Questions 1. In paragraph 1, Aice is … A. the name of a company. B. an ice cream brand. C. an ice cream flavour. D. Niu's nickname. 2. Why did Niu's parents give him away, according to paragraph 2? 3. In paragraph 3, what did Niu do when he first joined the dairy factory? 4. According to paragraph 4, Niu's goal was to … A. become the vice-president of a dairy company. B. earn more than one million yuan every year. C. build China's largest dairy company. D. none of the above 5. In paragraph 5, what geographic areas did Niu's unique marketing strategy focus on? 6. Find a word in paragraph 6 that means 'failed to notice'. 7. Decide whether the following statements about paragraphs 6 and 7 are True, False or the information is Not Given. Fill in ONE circle only for each. (4 marks) (i) Aice is extremely popular with young children and university students in Indonesia. (ii) To help small stores, Aice provided them with freezers and financial help for electricity costs. (iii) Yili was China's top dairy company in 2005. (iv) Aice only offers flavours in Indonesia that are popular with Chinese customers. 8. According to paragraph 8, how does Niu help children in Inner Mongolia? 9. Arrange the following events in Niu's life in chronological order from 1 to 4. (4 marks) Aice is a popular ice cream brand in Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and the Philippines. Photo: Handout Answers 1. B 2. They struggled to make ends meet and could not take care of him. 3. He washed bottles. 4. C 5. He focused on rural markets. 6. overlooked 7. (i) NG; (ii) T; (iii) F; (iv) F 8. He funds initiatives that help children with serious illnesses in Inner Mongolia. 9. (a) 3; (b) 4; (c) 1; (d) 2
Fox News
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
The story behind why Indianapolis 500 winners drink milk in victory circle
The winner of the upcoming 109th Indianapolis 500 will be given an ice-cold bottle of milk in the victory circle on Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But why milk? When did the tradition begin? The origin of the tradition was in 1936, when Louis Meyer, after having won his third Indy 500, sat perched on his car and had a bottle of buttermilk in his left hand. But the tradition began with an accident. Meyer drinking the milk post-victory was unplanned. "It was a hot day. I came into the garage area … and all I could think of was some nice, cold buttermilk," Meyer said, per the Indianapolis Motor Speedway website. Meyer grew up in Yonkers, New York, and his mother told him that buttermilk would refresh him on a warm day. So, after a grueling race, Meyer wanted the drink he had growing up: buttermilk. The milk stuck because the moment of Meyer with the milk was caught by a cameraman. An executive in the dairy industry saw the footage of Meyer and requested that milk be given to every winner of the Indianapolis 500. Each winner from 1938 through 1941, and then after the race returned from a hiatus due to World War II in 1946, drank milk in the victory circle. However, there was a time when milk was not the drink handed to winners. Wilbur Shaw, who won the Indy 500 in 1937, 1939 and 1940, became president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and implemented some changes. From 1947 through 1954, the winners of the iconic race were handed cold water in a silver chalice. However, the tradition did not last as Shaw died in a plane crash in 1954, and in 1956 the milk returned. But the milk returned as an accessory prize as winners were offered $400 for drinking the milk. Since then, 69 consecutive winners of the race and 76 overall winners have enjoyed milk in the victory circle. The Indy 500 will be broadcast May 25 on FOX with coverage starting at 10 a.m. ET. It will also be available to stream live on and the FOX Sports app. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
