dc.description.abstract | This study centers on peanut candy and adopts qualitative research and in-depth interview. In the field study at the Longtan District of Taoyuan City, the 13 interviewees include the peanut candy dealers, local elders, cultural workers, and the government administrative sectors. Through the discussion on the rising background of the Longtan peanut candy industry and its connection with Hakka, the study has a discussion on the status quo and competitiveness of the industry in terms of Michael Porter’s Diamond Model Theory. The study has found that the rising of the Longtan peanut candy industry is closely related to the two Hakka Wen brothers, whose family has lived at Zhu Wo Zi, Longtan, for generations, as well as the two generations of the family.
From the 1960s to the 1980s, the Longtan peanut candy industry was inlaid in the military and humanistic background of Longtan and started from Lingyungang Shooting Range. The first generation Mr. Wen Chao-hong (younger brother) made a living by making peanut candy in the early days. He was the pioneer of the family in the peanut candy industry and turned the key for the family and the Hakka industry. The first generation Mr. Wen Chao-zhen (elder brother) combined the marketing channel and led the family to establish the first peanut soft candy shop at Longtan, opening the door for the family and the Hakka industry. From the 1990s to the 2000s, the second generation made “chewy, not stuck in teeth” peanut soft candy the special feature of the product. Through marketing, the brand of “Longtan specialty” gained its popularity. After 2001, as the environment in the country has changed, the peanut candy industry also encountered some hardship and faced the test of transformation and upgrade. At present, the development trend in the industry structure has gone extremes, and the local industry is desperate for transformation.
The study has made the following suggestions. Regarding the enterprises, it is suggested that the businesses should introduce the outer talents and connect the outer or governmental resources to assist the transformation and that they should continue to develop the products with the related attributes and the cultural and creative souvenirs. As for the government, it is suggested that the government should integrate the cross-sector resources, make lateral ties to market the Hakka industry, establish the professional team to assist the Hakka industry development, and combine the festivals, folk activities, and tourist attractions to have an overall marketing on the Hakka industry and souvenirs. The study further advises that the future researchers make “De Ji Oil Shop” the further research topic or have a discussion on the skill origin of the peanut soft candy in the early days and its connection with the Hakka culture. | en_US |