Qingyuan's black rice cakes. [Photo/Tide News]

The unexpected online popularity of Qingyuan's basketball team in ZheBA, or the Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League, brought massive attention to this southern Zhejiang county in Lishui.

This wave of exposure was great for Wang Jinyong's black rice cake stall. His daily earnings jumped, his workforce has expanded, and his business went from being a small local gem to a national online sensation.

The initial frenzy of long queues has faded, but Wang's sales remain much higher than before. Daily output now averages five to six times previous levels. He has expanded his storefront and workforce.

Although several new shops sprang up nearby following his success, Wang remains confident in his craft, which he has perfected and refined over many years. He emphasizes strict ingredient ratios, saying even a slight deviation alters the texture.

Recognizing the limits of relying on local foot traffic, Wang pivoted to online sales. He conducts simple livestreams from his shop corner, building trust and attracting customers nationwide. His channel not only sells rice cakes but also promotes other local specialties.

Wang views the rise of local competitors positively, believing it helps build the Qingyuan Black Rice Cake brand. He hopes the craft might even gain intangible cultural heritage status someday.

Wang acknowledges how crucial the basketball games were to his current success, and he is grateful that they put Qingyuan on the map.

After the online attention faded, Wang focused on concrete steps to sustain his business: maintaining his quality standards, focusing on online sales, and even advocating for the growth of the local black rice cake industry.