Profile | China ‘Drink Can Queen’ Guan Yuxiang grows US$1.4 billion business empire after retirement
Following setback of first factory venture, Guan embraces failures as crucial stepping stones on her path to success
Chinese entrepreneur Guan Yuxiang built her drink can empire from scratch after retirement, earning her the titles of the country’s “Drink Can Queen” and “the greatest retired female worker.”
Born in Shenyang, in northeastern China’s Liaoning province in 1939, Guan joined a factory in Beijing at the age of 19. Like many in her generation, she dedicated three decades of her life to the same company before retiring at 50.
However, unlike many who embrace a restful retirement, Guan chose to embark on a new business venture.
She initially established a small company to produce instruments and metres for measuring various physical quantities, but this endeavour met with failure.
Believing that failures are stepping stones to success, Guan did not give up; instead, she began to study the market closely.
In 1994, while travelling in the southern island province of Hainan, Guan observed that the region was home to numerous soft drink factories.
She noted that the packaging materials they used were primarily sourced from Taiwan and South Korea.
With a determined spirit, Guan managed to raise 300,000 yuan (US$42,000) and founded O.R.G. Packaging Co. Ltd. (ORG) in Hainan.