The calming rhythm of the East Longitudinal Valley is best enjoyed with a fragrant cup of Red Oolong tea, a simple ritual where stress melts away with the rising steam.

This serene dreamscape deeply captivated Ming-Huang Lee in the latter half of his life. What began as occasional visits soon turned into frequent stays, eventually leading him to plant his roots and become, in spirit, a local of Taitung.

Right at his home in Luye Highland, Ming-Huang Lee was constantly surprised by the sheer abundance of the land. Ripe, delicious fruit would frequently be left at his door, gifted by local farmers.

When he tried to pay for the endless supply, the farmers refused, saying, "We'd rather you eat it than see it thrown away." This experience was a turning point, revealing the challenge of local fruit loss and food waste, even for the highest quality produce.

Through discussions with farmers, we learned a crucial truth: market fruits are often picked underripe to survive transport. In contrast, fruits that ripen fully on the branch—known in Taiwanese as "tsāi-tsâng-âng"—reach their peak sweetness and aroma but are too fragile for typical shipping.

Consequently, these perfect fruits are often sold at a loss or left to rot. This issue persists across Taiwan, where tons of "off-grade fruit"—overripe, abundant, or visually imperfect—are tragically discarded every year. iceSpring was born to solve this harvest dilemma, turning these fragile treasures into meaningful, delicious popsicles.

The solution was a sudden flash of inspiration: Making popsicles.

Ming-Huang Lee, then a complete novice to the food industry, rolled up his sleeves and began collaborating with local farmers. This simple idea sparked a new industry in Luye, giving the community a chance to showcase their expertise.

What started as manual production in a home kitchen rapidly scaled up to a complete production line, adhering to international food safety standards. This initiative not only created local employment opportunities but also granted a valuable new life to countless tons of off-grade fruits.