为何一年只集中采购一次羊肉？西贝回应：8-10月份是羔羊风味巅峰

Group 1 - The core point of the article is that Xibei addresses concerns regarding its ingredients, specifically the use of Inner Mongolia grassland lamb, to enhance customer trust and satisfaction [1][4] - Xibei explains that the distinct flavor of lamb, often considered undesirable, is due to branched-chain fatty acids in the fat, which accumulate when lambs are rapidly fattened or are older. The grassland lamb is naturally raised, resulting in less of this flavor due to its diet of various natural grasses [5][6] - The company emphasizes that it only selects lambs aged 6 to 8 months, as this age has lower accumulation of the undesirable flavor compounds [5] Group 2 - Xibei states that it concentrates its lamb procurement once a year, not for cost reasons, but to respect the natural grazing cycle of the grasslands. Lambs are born in spring and reach optimal flavor between August and October [6] - The company utilizes low-temperature freezing to preserve the flavor and nutrition of the lamb, ensuring it is available for use throughout the year via cold chain transportation [6] - Xibei expresses gratitude for customer feedback, viewing it as motivation for improvement and transparency regarding their ingredients [6] Group 3 - On September 10, 2025, a public figure criticized Xibei on social media for serving mostly pre-prepared dishes at high prices, which sparked widespread discussion and led to Xibei facing scrutiny over its food preparation practices [7]