“We are not trying to build a simple e-commerce platform; we aim to bring the entire industrial chain to the cloud.” At a digital economy symposium in Yubei District, Chongqing, the head of Youyoucao E-Yu made this slightly “ambitious” declaration to dozens of small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises in the audience. Behind these words lies a traditional agricultural technology company deeply rooted in Southwest China for years, attempting to redefine its industry positioning with an internet mindset.
This is no ordinary strategic upgrade. Over the past three years, Youyoucao E-Yu has quietly undergone a digital “surgery” across Hubei and Chongqing: integrating its internal ERP system with a cloud-based data middle platform, collaborating with local logistics companies to build a network of “direct-from-origin shipments + community micro-warehouses,” and launching customizable agricultural supply chain SaaS tools for B-end clients. These moves may seem scattered, but they all point to the same goal—ensuring that the enterprise’s internet development goes beyond surface-level activities like “opening online stores or livestreaming,” and instead penetrates every capillary of production and circulation.
“Many companies think the internet is just about driving traffic and selling goods, but what we see is a data-driven efficiency revolution,” said the CTO of Youyoucao E-Yu during an internal technical review meeting, citing a set of data: small and medium-sized farmers connected to its digital platform saw average inventory turnover days shorten by 18%, and order fulfillment accuracy jump from 82% to 96%. Behind these numbers are IoT sensors in fields transmitting real-time soil moisture and light intensity, AI algorithms accurately predicting regional consumer demand, and a true testament to enterprise internet development evolving from a “tool-based” to a “systematic” approach.
Notably, Youyoucao E-Yu’s transformation is not an isolated case. In policy documents from both Chongqing and Hubei, “promoting traditional enterprises to adopt cloud computing, utilize data, and gain intelligence” is frequently emphasized. As one of the first physical enterprises in the region to complete an internet architecture overhaul, Youyoucao E-Yu’s experience is now being promoted by local economic and information departments as a “model” for similar companies. An industry observer involved in the research commented: “It proves that in non-first-tier cities, traditional enterprises can still grow the ‘skeleton’ of the internet. The key is finding the intersection of industry pain points and digital technology.”
Of course, the transformation process has not been smooth sailing. The founder of Youyoucao E-Yu admitted during a closed-door meeting that the biggest challenge came from within the organization—resistance from veteran employees to digital workflows, management’s doubts about return on investment, and breaking down cross-departmental data silos required meticulous effort. To address this, the company set up a dedicated “Digital Transformation Task Force,” blending business backbone staff with external technical consultants, tackling obstacles one by one in a “small steps, fast iterations” approach.
Today, Youyoucao E-Yu’s internet development has entered its second phase: exporting capabilities outward. Its self-developed “Nongliantong” platform has attracted over 200 upstream and downstream enterprises, covering areas such as agricultural supply, cold-chain transportation, and terminal sales. In the third quarter of 2024, the platform facilitated transactions worth over 230 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 47%. An analyst who has long tracked the company believes that Youyoucao E-Yu is evolving from “enterprise digitalization” to an “industrial internet platform,” which could be a key variable in its future valuation leap.
“The internet is not a cure-all, but not embracing the internet is absolutely no-go,” the head of Youyoucao E-Yu concluded in the interview. Behind him stood a large electronic screen, scrolling real-time data on logistics vehicle routes from the mountainous areas of western Hubei to downtown Chongqing, warehouse inventory heat maps, and terminal sales curves. These flickering numbers are sketching the survival and breakthrough path of a traditional enterprise amid the new economic wave.