Zhou Yubing, president of Jiangsu Bobo Monkey Technology Development Co., Ltd., has gained success in the food-related e-commerce sector, thanks to her resolve and unremitting efforts.
Zhou, a native of Shuyang, a county in Suqian, a city in East China's Jiangsu Province, studied business operations and management at a college in Japan from 2004 to 2008. To pay her tuition and living expenses, she had to work odd jobs after class, often at night. She became strong-minded, through enduring hardships, during those years.
In 2008, after she graduated, Zhou was recruited by a company in Japan, and, given her performance, was quickly promoted to a management position. As part of her job, Zhou regularly came in contact with Japanese business owners. She quickly realized they were interested in investing in the Chinese market, which was developing fast and, as such, was offering huge potential. She decided to return home and start her own business.
In 2012, Zhou rented a 15-square-meter office in Changning District, in East China's Shanghai Municipality, where she established an international-food-trading company. Although the business was profitable, Zhou was not satisfied. Why? As the sources of the products were controlled by manufacturers, and as the sales channels were controlled by service providers, she had to be dependent on others.
In 2012, after recognizing opportunities in food-related e-commerce, Zhou opened an online shop. Given her lack of experience, she made some operational mistakes. For example, she spent considerable time and money improving the layout of the shop's web page.
As a result, she missed two of China's major shopping seasons — November and Spring Festival. She suffered substantial financial losses, as she was unable to sell the excess stock.
Despite the setback, Zhou continued her business, in her hometown, by creating her brand, Bobo Monkey, in 2013. She appreciated the assistance she received from Shuyang's county government, through the support policies extended to startups.
Initially, Zhou Hao, Zhou Yubing's younger brother, helped her with the business. When they visited factories, in search of partners, they were rejected because their order was small.
Undeterred, they pressed on and eventually signed some contracts with manufacturers. Zhou Yubing was eventually able to establish a stable supply chain.
Bobo Monkey achieved more than 100 million yuan (US $14.1 million) in sales in 2017. The company's sales have grown steadily each year since then. The company now has more than 40 shops on major e-commerce platforms, through which it sells more than 200 varieties of food products. The company now has more than 300 distributors nationwide.
Bobo Monkey now has more than 10,000 square meters of storage area, and it ships more than six million parcels annually. Further, Bobo Monkey has partnered with more than 100 factories, including 40-something in Suqian, and those factories ensure the high efficiency of the company's supply chain.
Zhou Yubing believes innovation is the key to an enterprise's long-term development. She keeps upgrading her knowledge, and learning new technologies. The company has spared no effort in developing new products, improving services and exploring new business modes and methods of boosting sales.
To improve the company's operational efficiency, and the quality of its management team, Zhou Yubing adopted the "Amoeba Management" model. Based on the model, the company is divided into several groups, and each group has its goals, plans and accounting methods. That has increased employees' enthusiasm for participating in the company's operation and management.
Zhou Yubing has been enthusiastic about public-welfare activities. She often visits residents in elder-care institutions, and she participates in events that help promote the growth and development of children with autism. To support targeted poverty alleviation, Bobo Monkey has sold agricultural products from remote rural areas, and part of the profits have been donated to poverty-alleviation programs.
Zhou Yubing has received several honorary titles, including National March 8th Red-Banner Holder and being named one of the 10 Outstanding Young Entrepreneurs in Suqian.
To help promote women's employment, Zhou Yubing established a March 8th Red-Banner Holder Studio in 2019. The studio provides recruitment information to women, and it provides job positions suitable for rural women, especially those who have limited education and vocational skills.
"I will lead the company in improving its business modes, and in integrating industrial chain resources, and we will achieve the integrated development of the food industry, e-commerce and offline stores," Zhou Yubing says. She vows to uphold the values of outstanding entrepreneurs — being innovative, honest and accepting social responsibilities. She vows also to inspire more women to pursue their dreams.
Photos from Interviewee
(Women of China English Monthly July 2025)
Editor: Wang Shasha
