Amid the wave of globalization and the overseas expansion of "China's Smart Manufacturing," an increasing number of hidden champions are stepping into the spotlight. As an innovation leader in the kitchen glassware industry and a member of the World Design Organization (WDO), Ada, the founder of IKOO GLASS(Shijiazhuang Far East Import & Export Trading Co., Ltd.), recently sat down with Ifeng Shenzhen. She shared how she spent 18 years focusing on the R&D and manufacturing of eco-friendly high borosilicate glassware, deeply integrating product innovation with user needs, and writing a commercial story of "responsibility, innovation, and passion" across over 80 countries.

From becoming the first Chinese supplier to export glass food containers to the US in 2009, to firmly securing the leading position in North American exports today, IKOO GLASS has climbed to No. 1 in China and No. 7 globally in the latest iF Design Ranking (2022–2026) for the kitchenware category. From sales breakthroughs to design leadership, Ada's persistence perfectly illustrates how IKOO GLASS uses "innovation and responsibility" to lead a more convenient and beautiful kitchen lifestyle.

"Innovation is in Our DNA"

"The name IKOO GLASS itself contains our entire business philosophy," Ada explained when discussing the brand concept. The four letters stand for Innovation, Kindness, Opportunity, and Obligation.

"If I had to rank these four core values, innovation would be first because it is our lifeblood," Ada firmly stated. From the very beginning, she injected a DNA of design and R&D into the company. It is this obsession with innovation that has recently earned IKOO GLASS prestigious international awards, including the Red Dot Award, iF Design Award, and GOOD DESIGN, accelerating its transition from a traditional glassware manufacturer to a global "lifestyle" leader. For Ada, continuous innovation isn't just about designing beautiful products; it's about solving core user pain points: "The iteration of our food containers—from integrated latches to detachable latches, and now to fully plastic-free glass and silicone lids—is a direct response to consumers' ultimate pursuit of eco-friendliness, health, and durability."

"Responsibility Drives Persistence"

When asked what sustained her through the tough moments over the past 18 years, Ada's answer wasn't profit, but responsibility. "When the company was small, my understanding of responsibility wasn't deep. But when you have 40 to 50 employees, which means 40 to 50 families behind them, along with long-term clients and suppliers, responsibility becomes your greatest driving force."

Ada admitted that this sense of responsibility even permeates difficult decisions. She recalled a time when a client disagreed on intellectual property and cooperation concepts. Instead of taking the conventional route of legal action, she chose to "win back" the client with new, more competitive products. "The value of long-term cooperation far outweighs the gain or loss of a single order. When making decisions, we need a win-win mindset, focusing on mutual interests rather than just emotions."

This sense of responsibility also drove IKOO GLASS to face increasingly strict ESG compliance requirements in international trade by passing rigorous comprehensive assessments to achieve B Corp certification. "We want to be a transparent and responsible enterprise, using the power of business to deliver goodwill to society. When you proactively align with high international standards, you find that growth comes naturally," Ada added.

"True Globalization is Global + Local"

As a global expansion pioneer who established a U.S. branch in 2017, Ada offers profound insights into international strategy. "True globalization is ultimately 'Global + Local.' You cannot successfully expand globally while simply sitting in an office in China," she shared. She noted that the true challenge of overseas expansion lies in staying continuously in sync with frontier markets. "Overseas markets evolve rapidly, compelling us to constantly update our understanding of local consumer trends and business logic." Consequently, IKOO GLASS remains firmly rooted in local markets. Ada emphasized that deeply engaging with the local landscape and precisely capturing consumer needs is the only way to create market-winning products—an essential path to sustaining global competitiveness.

"Never Let the Founder's Limits Cap the Company's Growth"

As a female entrepreneur, Ada demonstrates strong resilience and inclusivity. She believes that a win-win mindset driven by empathy is crucial in maintaining client and team relationships. To prevent her own cognitive limits from restricting the company, she demands continuous learning of herself: "Where the founder stops, that is where the company's ceiling will be."

Looking ahead, IKOO GLASS has set a clear vision: to become a Top 3 global brand in kitchen glassware by 2035. "Products must solve user pain points, and founders must have a dream and the willingness to invest in it continuously. The future definitely belongs to proprietary brands." While currently focused on overseas markets, Ada is also looking forward to China's massive consumer market: "The best products shouldn't only belong overseas."

Interview Transcript:

Ifeng Shenzhen: First, could you briefly introduce yourself and your company?

Ada: I am Ada, founder of IKOO GLASS(Shijiazhuang Far East Import & Export Trading Co., Ltd.). Established in 2008, we focus on the R&D, manufacturing, and export of eco-friendly high borosilicate kitchen glassware. We are a 100% export-oriented enterprise, now in our 18th year. Back then, we started in a 74-square-meter office with just three people. Today, we have branches in North America, Europe, Australia, and Singapore. Supported by 8 major international certifications, including ISO9001 and FDA, our products are sold in over 80 countries. Our primary markets are in Europe and the US, with our North American export share firmly at the top of the industry. Currently, we not only serve over 30 Fortune 500 and leading retail giants like Walmart and Costco, but also provide deep ODM development services for top-tier premium kitchenware brands globally.

Ifeng Shenzhen: Compared to regular glass, what are the advantages of your products?

Ada: The core feature of high borosilicate glass is its ultimate extreme temperature tolerance. It can safely withstand extreme heat up to 400°C for safe use in ovens and microwaves. It also handles freezing temperatures down to -40°C and can endure a thermal shock of 120°C—meaning it won't crack if you wash it right out of the oven. Furthermore, it is acid- and alkali-resistant. As long as it isn't dropped, it can essentially last a lifetime. It is easy to clean, highly eco-friendly, and healthy.

Ifeng Shenzhen: As a female entrepreneur, how did you enter the glass industry? What was the international market like then, and how has it changed?

Ada: Before starting my business, I worked in sales, and one of my clients was a high borosilicate glass manufacturer—though they mostly made pot lids at the time. In 2008, almost no Chinese factories were producing glass food containers, and exports were non-existent. I felt this material was more eco-friendly and durable than plastic, so there had to be an opportunity. An American client happened to be looking for a Chinese supplier for this product. We seized the opportunity, and in 2009, we became the first supplier to sell Chinese glass food containers to the US market. At that time, there were century-old local brands abroad, but barely any Chinese exporters. Over the past decade, the push for plastic reduction in markets like Europe has created vast opportunities for our eco-friendly products. Overall, the overseas market has been on a steady upward trajectory.

Ifeng Shenzhen: What is the meaning behind the name IKOO? How would you rank its four core values?

Ada: IKOO stands for Innovation, Kindness, Opportunity, and Obligation. Innovation is our lifeblood. We firmly follow an independent R&D path. Today, innovative design is the underlying DNA of how IKOO GLASS serves global clients, aiming to lead a better, more convenient home lifestyle through excellent design. Kindness means we want to build an inclusive, loving platform where colleagues treat each other like family. Opportunity means quickly identifying commercial chances in a changing market and growing alongside our clients. Obligation is our responsibility to our employees, clients, suppliers, and society; we believe in "business for good." If I must rank them, Innovation comes first. For any business, providing a product that solves user needs is the absolute foundation. Our continuous growth over the past 18 years is fundamentally driven by innovation.

Ifeng Shenzhen: What were the critical milestones in your 18-year journey?

Ada: The first milestone was in 2009. An American client wanted to develop a food container but refused to pay the mold fee. Despite our limited funds, we decided to invest our own money to open the mold, viewing it as a long-term investment. That decision proved to be highly correct; from then on, we had our own proprietary products and were no longer just a trading company. The second milestone was 2017, when we set up our US branch to get closer to the local market and deeply understand client needs from the sales end. Starting in 2020, our long-term investment in design began paying off as we consistently won multiple international design awards. Once authoritative institutions recognized our design capabilities, global clients' trust in us reached a new level. As our front-end market and reputation climbed, back-end delivery became crucial. Therefore, our next strategic milestone was in production capacity. We deeply integrated global large-scale heat-resistant glass production bases with mainstream Chinese supply chains, and forward-lookingly built our own overseas warehouses. Leveraging strong domestic and international synergies, we not only ensured stable, high-quality delivery but successfully built an agile supply chain network spanning multiple continents.

Ifeng Shenzhen: What experiences and pitfalls can you share from establishing your US branch in 2017?

Ada: My understanding of globalization is strictly "Global + Local." Operations must be localized; you need to step out and hire local teams. The biggest challenge was building and managing that local team due to significant cultural differences. Initially, we inevitably brought our traditional management habits, but facts proved that cultural integration requires deeper empathy. Over the years, we went through the growing pains of cross-cultural team building, constantly refining our localization strategies. It’s a continuous learning process that taught us a profound lesson: never try to go global by sitting in a Chinese office; you must truly enter the local market.

Ifeng Shenzhen: During the toughest times, what kept you going? Do you love this industry?

Ada: I believe it was responsibility. When the company was small, I didn't fully grasp it; I just saw opportunities to make money. But once we grew to 40 or 50 people, I realized the company had to keep growing because 40 or 50 families were behind it. So, no matter the challenges, social responsibility and my obligation to employees and clients sustained me. I deeply love this industry. Our products are eco-friendly and healthy; enabling people to use such good products is inherently valuable.

Ifeng Shenzhen: What are IKOO GLASS's flagship products, and what is the core reason for their popularity?

Ada: We have evolved beyond just providing physical glass containers; we are committed to being a global "lifestyle" creator, building a beautiful everyday routine for kitchens and homes. Currently, food containers remain our best-sellers, but our product line has expanded into bakeware, stainless steel series, drinkware, and storage jars.

Taking our core food containers as an example, we've consistently innovated based on consumer pain points. For instance, when the integrated latches on our first-generation lids broke over time, we developed detachable latches—solving the breakage issue while adding fashionable color options. Later, adapting to plastic-reduction trends, we created glass-top lids ensuring no plastic touched the food. Our latest generation combines glass and silicone, rendering the entire product 100% plastic-free. Almost every generation became a hit because we fully cater to consumers' demands for eco-friendliness, health, and convenience while genuinely solving their usage pain points.

Behind these hit products is solid technical support. In preservation, our R&D team pushed the limits of smart vacuum technology from the industry standard of -5PSI down to -8PSI. People might not pay much attention to a small lid, but to achieve true one-touch operation, ultimate leak-proofing, and multi-functional adaptability, we obsessed over the details, gradually building a matrix of 695 patents. For our B2B clients, this means absolute "commercial security." These patents not only comprehensively protect their intellectual property but also give the products irreplaceable, differentiated market competitiveness.

To ground this competitiveness, we built a massive product library containing over 10,000 SKUs and thousands of proven scenario solutions. Our R&D team also consistently outputs over 100 innovative proposals annually. This means when clients bring an idea to IKOO GLASS, they never start from scratch. We directly help them drastically cut R&D cycles, rapidly seize market opportunities, and stay at the forefront of industry trends.

Ifeng Shenzhen: What are the core elements for a team to consistently create hit products, and how do you motivate them?

Ada: First, extreme focus on user insights—user first. Times and needs change; we must know what they want now and what their pain points are. Second, the team must have an enduring innovation DNA; we can't stagnate just because one generation sold well. Innovation is baked into our culture, universally recognized from R&D to sales and supply chain. We've also implemented incentive policies; adopted ideas are rewarded, and even if an idea can't be implemented immediately but offers a breakthrough suggestion, it is incentivized. The atmosphere ensures the seed of innovation is planted in everyone's mind.

Ifeng Shenzhen: Winning so many international design awards, what are your thoughts? Are there any untold stories?

Ada: We actually took a lot of detours. Early on, we went through a friction period between pursuing design ideals and meeting real market demands. Mold investments in our industry are expensive—millions a year. Designing something, opening a mold, and then failing to sell costs massive amounts of time and capital. But we didn't give up. We proactively partnered with major foreign design firms, sent our designers abroad for research and exhibitions annually, and grounded all R&D in user surveys and pain-point analysis. Our rise in rankings stems directly from accurately capturing market trends and deeply understanding user pain points. To me, winning these awards proves our continuous investment in R&D is the right path, validating our core value.

Ifeng Shenzhen: You mentioned choosing tolerance during a thorny client dispute. What was your thought process then?

Ada: In our early days, we did face challenges regarding design protection and commercial rules. Normally, you would resort to legal action. But calmly thinking it through, even if we won the lawsuit, we might lose that client forever in the long run. We chose to channel our energy into developing new, more competitive products to win them back with sheer capability. Subsequently, our relationship improved, and the orders grew larger. Decision-making requires looking at long-term value, not just immediate gains or losses. While it might feel counter-intuitive and requires emotional control, the bigger picture is more important.

Ifeng Shenzhen: What traits have kept you going as a female entrepreneur? How do you view the concept of being "androgynous" in leadership?

Ada: Women tend to be more resilient, inclusive, softer on the inside, and willing to empathize. Empathy naturally breeds a win-win mindset, looking at mutual interests rather than just one side's. Handling relations with clients, suppliers, and employees is all about win-win cooperation. Women also balance family and work, making inclusivity and understanding crucial for better relationships. Regarding "androgyny," I agree. Women might be traditionally viewed as gentle, but to shoulder greater responsibilities, you have to become stronger and more rational.

Ifeng Shenzhen: What are the global trends for kitchenware in the next 5 years? Any new layouts in sales channels?

Ada: Eco-friendliness and health are certainties, and convenience is a major trend as younger consumers seek simpler lives. Also, Gen Z's demands are highly personalized, allowing more room for custom tailoring. We currently operate in both B2B and B2C, primarily overseas, laying out online channels like Amazon DTC and TikTok short-video marketing.

Ifeng Shenzhen: What is the biggest takeaway from working with major brands like Walmart? How did you transition from passive audits to proactive certification?

Ada: Clients actually force us to grow. Big brands have strict factory audit requirements. Early on, we prepared just to pass the audits. But later, facing increasingly strict global ESG compliance requirements, we shifted our mindset and proactively applied for the highly rigorous B Corp certification. Through this rigorous comprehensive assessment, we integrated these client requirements and international standards directly into our daily operations. This means that no matter when a client visits, we are always ready to meet their standards.

This move not only substantially reduced our supply chain compliance risks but also laid a solid foundation for long-term commercial trust with international retail giants. The entire process marked our transition from "passively coping" to "proactively taking responsibility." We want to be a transparent, responsible enterprise, proactively aligning with high standards and using real actions to prove "business for good."

Ifeng Shenzhen: How do your personal philosophy and values influence the brand? As the leader, what do you demand of yourself?

Ada: Values must first be deeply believed and practiced by the founder. For example, innovation, kindness, and cooperation—only when you practice them and everyone agrees can they become shared company values. Furthermore, our values are co-created; we discuss and execute them together. I constantly remind myself not to let my cognitive limits become the company's ceiling, so I demand continuous learning of myself. If I stagnate, the company will struggle to grow.

Ifeng Shenzhen: What advice do you have for Chinese kitchenware brands going global? Will you consider returning to the domestic market?

Ada: First, you must have excellent products that truly meet user needs and solve pain points. Second, founders must have a dream and be willing to invest continuously to become global industry leaders. You must build your own brand; while OEM and proprietary brands can develop in parallel, the ultimate future lies in globalized proprietary brands. We always hold deep reverence for China's massive, rapidly upgrading consumer market. While solidifying our global footprint, we are actively gathering strength. We look forward to bringing products that blend cutting-edge international design with sustainable concepts to more domestic consumers, offering them a higher-quality lifestyle proposition.

Ifeng Shenzhen: What is your future vision for IKOO GLASS? What is the core brand value you want to convey to clients?

Ada: We have a ten-year strategic goal: by 2035, we hope IKOO GLASS will become a Top 3 global brand in kitchen glassware. Regarding brand values, IKOO GLASS is our B2B brand; our core positioning is to be the most trusted partner, continuously empowering global partners to enhance their market competitiveness.

Written by / Li Jiarui

Hosted by / Deng Yayan

Audited by / Lin Zihao