Yin Hao, a retired veteran from the Chinese military, opened a steamed bun restaurant in Hangzhou, the capital city of East China's Zhejiang province. The name of his restaurant is called "Bingge Baozi", meaning the steamed buns it sells are made by the retired soldiers. At his restaurants, about 60 percent of the employees are retired veterans.
Yin Hao's idea of running a bun restaurant was inspired by his experience of serving in the military. "When I was in the military, I participated in the guard and security duties for the Shenzhou-9, Shenzhou-10, as well as other manned space missions. I learned that the astronauts usually have steamed buns for breakfast before a mission. Those buns are called 'buns of success', implying 'bound to success' in Chinese. I want to share this meaningful aspect of the bun culture with everyone."
Putting the Chinese character "Bingge" (Soldier) in the brand is an inspiration to Yin Hao. "I think the name of this brand can promote the spirit of Chinese soldiers and help more retired veterans pursue their dreams of employment and entrepreneurship."
Getting up at 4am every morning to make buns is a tough task. Yet, these retired veterans in his restaurant, after being honed by the military, possess a strong sense of responsibility and mission. The steadfast dedication, coupled with their integrity and diligence, has fueled the success of "Bingge Baozi".
"Bingge Baozi" has grown from one restaurant in 2022 to 18 restaurants today. Last year, they sold over two million buns.
Recently, "Bingge Baozi" launched a "military-friendly" offer: "Free buns for active-duty military members and a 20% discount for retired veterans". This act of respect has warmed the hearts of many active-duty and retired service members.
