Xi Ke, a young graduate of Shanxi University in 2010, is still a well-known name in the university’s School of Business.

“Everybody here knows about him for his successful entrepreneurial experience. He has set a good example for us,” that’s what students there would say when talking about Xi, who is now the boss of a registered company in Taiyuan city’s science and technology venture park.

The legend of Xi started in 2009 when he was a junior student in Shanxi University and was thinking about postgraduate study. His life planning was changed by an ad for soymilk .

At that time, soymilk was advertised all over campus. Xi decided to find out why. He came to the conclusion that there’s great market demand for soymilk but the single taste of the grinded milk couldn’t satisfy different demands of multiplex consumer groups.

Xi came up with an audacious idea: give up on postgraduate study and form a team to develop functional soybean milk. After months’ of research, Xi and his teammates developed eight types of such milk.

A teacher in the Business School suggested Xi to open a food culture company to proceed with his research program. Xi decided to start with his own store and reached that objective step by step.

He went around all the grain and oil wholesale markets in Taiyuan and Yuci district to find business partners after class. It’s a daily routine for him to get up at 5 am and stop work at 11 pm.

His first soymilk store opened on Sept 16, 2009.

In 2010, Xi registered his own food culture company in Taiyuan College Students Venture Park.

“Although it is a difficult process, I’m really happy about the decision I made years ago – to start up this business,” said Xi, “This is the life I want.”