From Imperial Court Delicacies to Viral Snacks: The Cultural and Market Evolution of Hawthorn Products

A ripe hawthorn berry, when bitten into, reveals flesh that is both sour and sweet - a flavour that has journeyed from the imperial kitchens of the Qing Dynasty to today's live-streaming bestseller lists. The century-long evolution of hawthorn products not only represents the inheritance and innovation of flavour but also bears the marks of changing consumer demands and industrial transformations across different eras, ultimately evolving from royal tribute to a widely popular snack.

The "noble origins" of hawthorn products began with the culinary wisdom of the Qing Dynasty court. According to the "Rehe Chronicles," when Emperor Kangxi was hunting in Xinglong County, he lost his appetite due to travel fatigue. Local hunters offered him freshly picked hawthorn berries, and their sweet-sour taste instantly stimulated his appetite. Subsequently, hawthorn was incorporated into imperial cuisine, with royal chefs combining it with rock sugar and honey to create hawthorn paste and preserved fruits, maintaining nutrition while balancing the tart flavour. During Emperor Qianlong's reign, the tradition of "autumn hawthorn consumption" emerged in the palace, where the imperial kitchen would combine hawthorn with malt and qu (fermentation starter) to create "Three Immortals Cake," a digestive delicacy exclusively for the royal family. This royal patronage elevated hawthorn beyond its wild fruit status, establishing its cultural foundation as both food and medicine.

During the late Qing and early Republican period, hawthorn products transitioned from the imperial court to common households, becoming part of ordinary people's flavour memories. As trade increased, farmers in major hawthorn-producing regions like Hebei's Xinglong and Shandong's Qingzhou began processing fresh fruit into preserved products like fruit leather and hawthorn balls. In times of scarcity, malt sugar-cooked hawthorn products were precious treats for children - a rolled piece of fruit leather could yield plenty of sweet and sour pleasure, while round hawthorn balls, coated in crystalline sugar frost, offered a perfect balance of flavours. During this period, hawthorn products were primarily handmade, with simple tastes and packaging, yet they became iconic snacks in Northern regions due to their affordable prices and unique flavours, completing their transformation from "royal delicacy" to "popular treat."

After China's Reform and Opening-up, hawthorn products underwent industrial transformation, gradually developing into a scaled industry. In the 1980s, hawthorn processing factories were established nationwide, replacing traditional handcrafting with standardised production lines. Processes like washing, pitting, pulping, and cooking became mechanised, improving not only output but also food safety. During this phase, hawthorn products began emphasising packaging design, with regional brands like "Beijing Fruit Leather" and "Shandong Hawthorn Slices" gaining prominence nationwide. Simultaneously, companies began experimenting with flavour innovations, incorporating ingredients like apple and mulberry into traditional recipes to develop composite-flavoured hawthorn snacks, meeting diverse consumer demands.

In the internet era, hawthorn products have successfully joined the ranks of "viral snacks" thanks to their health benefits and nostalgic appeal. As modern consumers' food demands shifted from "filling and satisfying" to "healthy and nutritious," hawthorn's digestive and spleen-strengthening properties perfectly aligned with this trend. Companies responded by launching pure products without artificial flavourings or sweeteners, creating "low-sugar hawthorn treats" using erythritol instead of sucrose, becoming hot topics on social media platforms for their clean ingredient lists. E-commerce livestreaming has given new vitality to hawthorn products, with hosts showcasing crystal-clear hawthorn flesh and refreshing hawthorn drinks, selling tens of thousands of units in a single session, helping this traditional snack transcend regional limitations to become a new favourite among consumers nationwide.
From imperial delicacy to viral snack, hawthorn products have consistently kept pace with the times, maintaining their cultural essence as both food and medicine while adapting to new consumer demands. This balance of tradition and innovation is the core vitality of traditional foods.

Chengde Ruitai Food Co., Ltd. is a practitioner of hawthorn food innovation and development. As a leading enterprise rooted in the "Hawthorn Capital of China," it leverages Xinglong's premium hawthorn resources, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern technology to develop popular products like hawthorn treats and additive-free preserved fruits. With its core brand "Delingguo," the company expands its market through e-commerce platforms and livestreaming channels, bringing palace-inspired hawthorn flavours into more modern homes.

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