Weishang Excellence | Cui Ruifu: Turning a Small Matter Like Sesame into a Century-Long Undertaking

Every investment decision is a carefully considered long voyage; every step taken to establish roots stems from unwavering trust. On this vibrant land, entrepreneurs from all corners of the globe measure it with their footsteps, cultivate it with their wisdom, and write magnificent chapters with their actions. Their stories offer the most vivid interpretation of Weicheng’s business environment; their insights serve as the strongest endorsement of Weicheng’s development potential. “The Spirit of Weicheng Entrepreneurs” will take us on a journey alongside each visionary “city partner,” revisiting their original aspirations when they chose Weicheng, savoring the bittersweet trials and triumphs of their entrepreneurial journeys, and sensing the opportunities this land holds, the support it provides, and the passion it ignites. Each of their experiences paints the most beautiful landscape of investment in Weicheng. We look forward to you being the next one to inject fresh vitality into Weicheng.

A single thread of fragrant sesame oil—rich with a thousand flavors—has been ground through stone mills since the Ming Dynasty, enduring six centuries of time yet remaining as rich and lingering in aroma as ever. Behind this ancient, traditional craftsmanship associated with the “Cui Zi Pian” brand stands Cui Ruifu—a master craftsman who has devoted his entire life to staying true to his original aspiration while continuously innovating and driving development. As the 20th-generation inheritor of the Cui Zi Pian small-mill sesame oil tradition and Chairman of Ruifu Oils, he is not only a “guardian artisan” preserving this intangible cultural heritage but also the “helmsman” who has breathed new life into China’s time-honored brands in the new era. Guided by the sincere belief that “for a lifetime, one should eat just one bowl of rice; for a hundred years, one should do just one thing,” he has transformed tiny sesame seeds into a thriving industry, enabling the small-mill sesame oil—which has flowed for six centuries—to cross mountains and seas, reaching dining tables around the globe and writing a touching chapter of harmonious coexistence between traditional industries and modern development.

I. Accepting the Mission in Times of Crisis to Break the Impasse; Pioneering a New Journey Through Reform and Innovation

In 1988, at the age of 26, Cui Ruifu took over the baton from his father—and found himself facing a “mess” characterized by outdated equipment and severe operational difficulties. Yet this young inheritor was neither intimidated by the predicament nor content to stick rigidly to old ways. He deeply understood that inheritance is not about mindlessly replicating the past, but rather about dynamically adapting to the times. Only through innovation could these time-honored brands break free from their dire straits and regain vitality. In 1998, riding the wave of reform and opening-up, Cui Ruifu braved pressure from all sides and, against widespread opposition, pushed ahead with corporate restructuring. He broke through the inflexible management system and established a modern enterprise framework featuring clear property rights and well-defined responsibilities. This pivotal move injected a powerful "boost" into the company, igniting its intrinsic motivation. While maintaining the core production technology of stone-mill water-extraction methods, he led his team to boldly innovate, introducing advanced testing equipment and management concepts from both home and abroad. They independently developed an automated production line for small-mill sesame oil and built a fully modernized testing center covering everything from raw-material inspection and process monitoring to finished-product release. Thus, traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology achieved a perfect "two-way synergy."

Through repeated experiments that started from scratch and countless rounds of painstaking refinement, Cui Ruifu, with his unwavering dedication and steadfast commitment, has enabled the company to make a transformative leap—from a “handcraft workshop” to a “modern enterprise.” Today, Ruifu Oils has grown into a national high-tech enterprise integrating R&D, production, processing, and sales. It has successively earned numerous prestigious honors, including “National Demonstration Processing Enterprise for Reassuring Grain and Oil Products,” “Food Safety Assurance Enterprise for the Qingdao Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” “Shandong Province ‘Specialized, Fine, and New’ Small and Medium-sized Enterprise,” and “Shandong Province Green Factory.” Behind each of these accolades lies Cui Ruifu’s persistent pursuit of “upholding integrity without clinging to the old, innovating without losing sight of our roots”—a vivid testament to how time-honored Chinese brands are breaking through barriers and blossoming anew in the new era.

II. Quality is the soul; staying true to our original aspiration, and scientific innovation serves as the wings that lead the industry.

With over 30 years of deep immersion in the industry, Cui Ruifu has consistently upheld the business philosophy that “quality ensures market presence, and integrity paves the way for the future.” He deeply understands the responsibilities and commitments of food enterprises, taking “zero defects” as his quality management goal. From the very beginning, he rigorously selects high-quality sesame ingredients from premier global growing regions, subjecting each batch to multi-dimensional testing to ensure that only compliant materials are accepted into the warehouse. During production, he strives for perfection and integrates standardized management practices throughout the entire process. He maintains tight control over the entire supply chain—from warehousing and logistics to final sales—and has established a comprehensive after-sales service system. By relentlessly pursuing uncompromising quality, he has earned widespread market recognition and consumer trust, helping his brand secure numerous prestigious honors such as “Time-Honored Chinese Brand” and “Good Products from Shandong.” With certifications including BRCGS and FDA—both internationally and domestically recognized authorities—his products are exported to more than 30 countries and regions, firmly establishing him as the leading brand in the small-mill sesame oil industry.

Adhering to the development philosophy of "establishing enterprises through standards and boosting enterprises through scientific and technological innovation," Cui Ruifu has devoted himself deeply to the development of industry standards, leading or participating in the formulation and revision of 17 national and industry standards, including those for "sesame" and "sesame oil." His efforts have filled multiple gaps in the industry and promoted the standardization and regularization of the sector. He has also delved deeply into the research and development of sesame oil extraction technologies, overcoming numerous technical challenges. Three of his research achievements have reached internationally leading levels; one of these won the First Prize for China’s Grain and Oil Science and Technology Achievements. He holds 15 core patents and has spearheaded the publication of three specialized industry books. At the same time, he has established platforms for industry-academia-research cooperation, forging deep partnerships with renowned universities and research institutes and building multiple innovative platforms. By leveraging technology to empower intangible cultural heritage skills, Cui Ruifu has become an industry benchmark and a technological trailblazer through his dedication and innovation.

III. Balancing Justice and Benefit Demonstrates Responsibility; Staying True to Our Original Aspiration, We Give Back to Society.

“Making products is about building one’s character; making food is about acting with integrity.” Cui Ruifu has always closely linked corporate development with social responsibility, putting the company’s mission—“to create progress for society”—into practice through concrete actions. As the Party branch secretary of Cuijia Village, he deeply understands that a company’s growth cannot be separated from the nurturing support of society. Therefore, giving back to society and benefiting his fellow villagers is precisely the responsibility that entrepreneurs should shoulder. Relying on the company’s advantages as an industrial tourism demonstration site and a patriotic education base, Cui Ruifu raised funds independently to establish the Small-Mill Sesame Oil Museum, which remains open to the public free of charge throughout the year. This allows more people to immerse themselves in intangible cultural heritage and experience the unique charm of traditional craftsmanship, thereby promoting the preservation and dissemination of sesame oil-making culture. In the field of educational philanthropy, he has set up special scholarships at local schools to support outstanding but financially disadvantaged students, using his compassion to boost the development of education. To date, he has provided financial assistance to hundreds of students.

As a key leading enterprise in Shandong Province’s agricultural industrialization and a vital supplier ensuring people’s livelihoods, Ruifu Oils plays an important role in fostering win-win cooperation throughout the upstream and downstream sectors of the industrial chain, promoting rural revitalization, and guaranteeing stable supplies for the public. Domestically, the company has boosted sesame cultivation, e-commerce agency services, and employment and income growth for local villagers. Internationally, through deepened cooperation with sesame-producing regions such as Ethiopia, it has helped local sesame farmers increase their incomes and achieve prosperity, thus creating a positive situation characterized by “enterprise development, farmer benefits, and societal win-win outcomes.” Whether it was ensuring the supply of grain and oil during the pandemic or supporting the revitalization of rural industries, Cui Ruifu has always remained true to his original aspiration, demonstrating the patriotic spirit of entrepreneurs in the new era through his sense of responsibility and commitment.

Through his dedication and innovation, Cui Ruifu has reaped abundant rewards. He has successively been honored with titles such as “Shandong Province Model Worker,” “Shandong Province Rural Star,” and “Weifang City Mayor’s Quality Award.” These honors not only serve as high recognition of his personal achievements but also underscore his leadership in deeply cultivating the industry and empowering society. Meanwhile, the “Cui Zi Pai” brand has grown from a small local brand into a renowned national and international brand, earning numerous prestigious awards including “China’s Characteristic Flavor Food Iconic Product,” “Shandong Handmade—Top 100 Products,” and “100 Shandong Intangible Cultural Heritage Delicacies.” It has become a model for the inheritance and innovation of time-honored Chinese brands.

Six hundred years of innovative inheritance, twenty generations of artisanal craftsmanship forging a legendary legacy. From a young inheritor who stepped up in times of crisis to an entrepreneur leading the industry, Cui Ruifu has spent his entire life staying true to his calling, embodying the true essence of “craftsman spirit.” With three decades of continuous innovation, he has demonstrated the sense of responsibility that defines entrepreneurs in the new era. He has breathed new life and vitality into the time-honored non-heritage sesame oil—a tradition spanning six centuries—enabling it to thrive once again in modern society. Moreover, he has charted a uniquely distinctive path for the preservation and innovation of China’s time-honored brands.

Standing at a new historical starting point, Cui Ruifu confidently charts the future of the company: “Six hundred years of heritage form our foundation; thirty years of innovation serve as our driving force. Looking ahead, we will benchmark against world-class standards, strengthen our foundational work, and ensure that our products are impeccable, our technology unchallenged, and our business model impossible to replicate. We aim to build Ruifu Oils into an internationally first-class food enterprise, allowing this time-honored Chinese brand to spread its fragrance across the globe and enabling intangible cultural heritage skills to shine even more brilliantly in the new era.”