Xia Lun Sweet Potato Charcoal Grill Introduction
Tsai Youtian (born in 1934) was a farmer who sold sweet potato vine cuttings to other farmers for planting. His brothers did not wish to follow in the family's farming footsteps; the eldest, Tsai Zhengchun (born in 1964), went to the north to open a restaurant, while the second brother, Tsai Zhengxiong (born in 1965), opened a supermarket in Koi Lake. The restaurant did not operate well and eventually closed down. Tsai Zhengchun thought of the sweet potatoes from his childhood and started selling them at the Linjiang Traditional Market, with the supply provided by Tsai Zhengxiong, who remained in their hometown. Surprisingly, the business thrived, although the profit margins were not high. After selling sweet potatoes for a while, he transitioned to selling charcoal-grilled sweet potatoes, which led to establishing a strong brand presence; "Tupo Sweet Charcoal-Grilled Sweet Potato" is a registered trademark. Tsai Zhengxiong not only supplied his brother Tsai Zhengchun with sweet potatoes for the charcoal-grilled version but also became a supplier for more than ten other charcoal-grilled sweet potato vendors in northern Taiwan. In 2003, Tsai Zhengxiong closed the supermarket business to focus solely on supplying sweet potatoes and started selling charcoal-grilled sweet potatoes himself with his brother's approval, officially branding it as "Tupo Sweet Charcoal-Grilled Sweet Potato," achieving great success in the Xia Lun area. Tsai Zhengxiong sources his sweet potatoes primarily from Yunlin, but during the lean months of September and October, he procures them from the mountainous areas in central Taiwan. Sweet potatoes from the central region are planted in March and April, making them ready for harvest by September and October.
