SHIJIAZHUANG, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Once limited to the traditional hawthorn fruit coated in a brittle sugar shell, bingtanghulu or tanghulu, China's iconic crispy fruit snack, is now bursting with bold new flavors. These innovations mark just the beginning of a booming industry that has transformed this humble street snack into a beloved treat. Back in 2003, when street vendors still dominated the trade, Zhang Taixue and his partner Zhang Peng opened the first dedicated tanghulu store in Shijiazhuang. In its first month, the store generated 75,000 yuan in revenue, with a net profit exceeding 20,000 yuan. Over the decades, the company has secured a stable supply of premium hawthorns from east China's Shandong Province.