Direct access to the brand’s livestreaming room, sharing commission benefits under the spotlight; rent-free accommodation at the “Youth Station,” falling asleep to the lights along the Shanxi River; entering the overseas store manager talent pool, allowing career aspirations to reach the other side of the ocean…

Recently, Shengzhou, Zhejiang Province, has launched a series of sincere initiatives targeting young people with its city’s golden calling card — “Shengzhou Xiaolongbao” (Shengzhou steamed buns).

The 2026 “Sheng Xiaolong” Young Livestreamer Recruitment Campaign was launched in Hangzhou under the theme of “Let the World Fall in Love with Shengzhou Xiaolongbao.” The campaign has issued 1,001 “youth invitations” worldwide, using substantial policy incentives and genuine growth opportunities to invite young people who understand the internet, love food, and excel at communication to use their cameras as pens, injecting new expressions into the local specialty industry.

This “two-way journey” between youth and industry is by no means a temporary idea. Behind it lies not only the evolution of a single steamed bun, but also the story of a small city in eastern Zhejiang that is building a “poetic destination” for young people through solid industries, deep sincerity, and broad platforms.

A Sincere Invitation from Shengzhou, Answered by Youth

At night in Shengzhou, as the city lights gradually come on, the old shops along Yuexiu Road begin their evening rhythm. Layers of bamboo steamers are stacked high, while white steam rises with the aroma of wheat and fresh meat. Young livestreamers set up their phones, focusing their cameras on the flying fingers preparing dough and the steaming baskets filled with freshly made buns.

A livestream or a food exploration video can carry this unique warmth of Shengzhou beyond mountains and screens, delivering it thousands of miles away.

With the momentum brought by the internet, Shengzhou Xiaolongbao has already gained recognition far and wide. The reason Shengzhou is now launching a global “Young Livestreamer Recruitment Campaign” is to systematically gather young people who love recording and are skilled at storytelling, inviting them to use cameras as their eyes and creativity as their pens to discover more beauty within this small city.

“We want to extend a sincere invitation and invite everyone to become the ‘youth partners’ of Shengzhou Xiaolongbao and the ‘brand ambassadors’ who share the taste of Shengzhou,” said the person in charge of Shengzhou’s Specialty Industry Development Service Center.

The recruitment campaign began in July and will continue until June of the following year, spanning a full year. Focusing on two development directions — short-video creation and livestream commerce — the campaign integrates brand communication, competition selection, campus promotion, talent cultivation, industrial practice, and livestream empowerment. It aims to build a comprehensive communication ecosystem featuring “guidance from official media, intellectual support from universities, and participation from young creators.”

Outstanding participants will be selected into the “Sheng Xiaolong” reserve young livestreamer talent pool. Under the guidance of influencers from MCN agencies, they will visit Shengzhou in batches, explore factories, supply chains, and local businesses, practice livestream selling, and visit intangible cultural heritage inheritors and specialty stores to accumulate creative materials.

Ultimately, outstanding young livestreamers will join the Chaoxing MCN agency and receive the title of “Sheng Xiaolong Brand Promotion Ambassador,” along with benefits including financial rewards, traffic support, and media exposure.

The announcement immediately ignited enthusiasm among countless young people. Zhang Kaiyan, a graduate of Nanjing Media University, chose to return to Shengzhou six months ago and became a livestream seller promoting Shengzhou snacks. Upon learning about the campaign, she immediately signed up. “The best content is not somewhere far away, but in the hometown feelings deeply rooted in our hearts. I believe cameras have power. They can bring distant food lovers here by car, and they can also allow travelers far from home to smell the taste of home through the screen.”

A student from Zhejiang University of Technology, Zhan Yang, hopes to use the Sheng Xiaolong food IP to promote stores and create younger-oriented content.

Chen Mujinyang, a student at Beijing Normal University, hopes to communicate and learn with young livestreamers from around the world, recording a day in the life of Xiaolongbao through vlogs — from purchasing ingredients at the morning market to preparation and sales — capturing the lively atmosphere of this small city.

For Shengzhou, these young people with a sense of visual storytelling, internet awareness, and vitality are precisely the key force behind transforming “Sheng Xiaolong” from a regional food symbol into a national cultural IP.

When 1,001 cameras focus on Xiaolongbao carrying the city’s identity, the images have warmth and the stories have power. Millions of young people will use their own ways to let the world hear the “heartbeat” of this small city.

Releasing the Future of Shengzhou with Full Sincerity

With a chubby face carrying an innocent and adorable smile, a round body “sitting” inside a bamboo steamer, and a pink folding fan gently waving in its hand, the words “Sheng Xiaolong” stand out playfully on the fan surface. This charming and lovable “Sheng Xiaolong” mascot naturally appeals to young people.

In fact, “Sheng Xiaolong” has already gained countless fans among younger generations, with cross-industry creative initiatives continuously emerging —

At the Oxygen BAOBAO Music Festival, young people danced to the rhythm while enjoying freshly steamed Xiaolongbao. Music attracted visitors, food kept them engaged, and industrial transformation followed naturally. This complete chain demonstrated a new way for county-level economies to break boundaries and create innovative development models.

On May 20 last year, the “Shengzhou Xiaolongbao” themed painted aircraft took off into the sky. The aircraft featured the adorable “Sheng Xiaolong” image on its exterior, while luggage panels, tray tables, and headrests inside the cabin were printed with the theme “One Basket of Buns, One City.” It quickly became a popular route among young travelers seeking photo opportunities.

At the end of last year, the “Shengzhou Xiaolongbao Talent Experience” program entered universities including Nanjing University and Southeast University. Master chefs demonstrated dough kneading and pleating techniques on site, while students rolled up their sleeves and tried making Xiaolongbao themselves. The lively and steaming interactions allowed university students to experience the charm of traditional food culture and enthusiastically exclaimed, “It’s truly delicious!”

One basket of buns, one city.

This time, Shengzhou has set its sights on “Thousands of Livestreamers Promoting Xiaolongbao.” This is not merely a recruitment campaign, but a customized “growth package” designed specifically for young people.

According to the person in charge of Shengzhou’s Specialty Industry Development Service Center, the campaign will establish a growth pathway connecting “campus creators — brand promotion ambassadors — industrial talents.”

“We hope that every young person with ideas and a talent for visual storytelling can find their own stage here.”

Shengzhou provides “traffic,” but also provides “lasting value.”

In the Specialty Food Common Prosperity Industrial Park and the New Economy E-commerce Industrial Park, standardized livestreaming rooms and equipment are available free of charge. Enterprise workshops featuring “transparent factories” open their doors for real-time livestreaming, while services such as one-stop fulfillment and the “Xiaolong Code” traceability system provide additional support, allowing livestreamers to confidently promote and sell products.

Shengzhou provides support, but also provides security.

Programs such as the “Youth Entrepreneurship Cultural Tourism Loan” and “Entrepreneurship Guaranteed Loan” are fully available, with credit lines of up to 30 million yuan. These programs feature low application thresholds and low interest rates, and eligible applicants can also receive government interest subsidies.

Shengzhou Rural Commercial Bank has established a dedicated financial service team for campaign participants, creating a fast-track approval channel to ensure efficient loan processing.

From business registration to obtaining operating licenses, one-stop service guidance is available. The message is simple: “You focus on pursuing your dreams; we will take care of the rest.”

Shengzhou offers the future, but also a sense of belonging.

From entry-level training to advanced development programs, the campaign supports youth growth and employment. During the event, participants can earn commissions through sales, turning their efforts into real income.

Outstanding performers will also have the opportunity to enter the “Overseas Store Manager” Reserve Talent Pool and may receive direct recommendations for overseas employment opportunities in the future.

Meanwhile, young talents visiting Shengzhou can stay rent-free at the “Youth Station,” while experiencing intangible cultural heritage craftsmanship, Shengzhou snacks, and Yue Opera culture in depth, gaining an authentic understanding of the unique charm of this ancient city.

Here, there is not only steaming hot food, but also a steaming hot future.

The Future of Shengzhou Is Ready — Waiting for You to Start Streaming

For young livestreamers preparing to come to Shengzhou, what is the livestreaming employment environment like? The reporter conducted an on-site investigation.

Entering the Shengzhou Snack Common Prosperity Industrial Park in Ganlin Town, Shengzhou, visitors can see traditional craftsmanship blending with digital technology.

Inside the production workshop, experienced craftsmen move their fingers skillfully, completing the processes of kneading dough, rolling wrappers, and creating pleats in one smooth sequence. The eighteen pleats of each Xiaolongbao stand evenly and firmly, preserving the warmth of intangible cultural heritage techniques.

On the other side, fully automated steaming tunnels operate efficiently, completing freezing preservation and metal detection processes in one continuous flow. Every traditional fermented-dough Xiaolongbao maintains consistent quality through standardized production procedures.

On the second floor of the Snack Industry Incubation Center, rows of standardized livestreaming rooms come into view, fully equipped with professional equipment.

“Traditional fermented dough, eighteen pleats… Place your order now, only 69.9 yuan for eight packages…”

Behind soundproof glass, young livestreamers enthusiastically introduce products to the camera. The livestream rooms are filled with lively interaction, and online orders continue to come in.

This is only a glimpse of Shengzhou’s broader livestreaming strategy.

Shengzhou continues to cultivate a new business model combining “e-commerce livestreaming + leading enterprises + source factories,” building a comprehensive sales network across platforms such as Taobao, JD.com, and Douyin.

Currently, the city has developed more than 30 benchmark livestreaming rooms, including those operated by Yuexian Food and other leading brands.

To further support the development of Shengzhou’s specialty food industry, in April this year, the Standing Committee of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee conducted a special study on the full-chain development of “local specialty industries for prosperity,” including Shengzhou snacks. Subsequently, the Zhejiang Provincial Administration for Market Regulation introduced 16 measures to create a systematic policy package specifically tailored for this 10-billion-yuan-level industry.

From the eighteen pleats passed down from generation to generation by skilled craftsmen, to the 1,001 young cameras focusing on the preparation tables amid the wave of digitalization; from the deep sounds of dough rising and falling in traditional workshops, to the repeated “order successful” notifications coming from livestreaming rooms… The story of Shengzhou Xiaolongbao is being rewritten by a new generation in a brand-new way.

Making the world fall in love with Shengzhou Xiaolongbao is also a youthful practice that has already begun spreading widely.