Core Insights - The investigation revealed that three major brands in the low-cost nutrient soil market, "Huasi Lake," "Huaxiang Mud," and "Little Garden Art," have significant market shares and are linked to companies with overlapping ownership structures [1][3][4]. Company Relationships - "Huasi Lake" and "Huaxiang Mud" are produced by companies registered in the same area, with deep cooperation in nutrient soil production and sales [3]. - Wang Xian is the legal representative of "Huasi Lake," which is wholly owned by Zhejiang Zhongguojia Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. [3]. - QScapital Limited holds a 20% stake in the involved companies, indicating a complex ownership structure [4]. Product Quality Concerns - The investigation found that samples from "Huaxiang Mud" exceeded heavy metal limits, including cadmium levels surpassing national standards [1][6]. - Other brands, including "Little Garden Art," also had products with heavy metal contamination, raising serious quality concerns [6][12]. Market Dynamics - The nutrient soil market is dominated by "Huasi Lake" and "Little Garden Art," which reportedly control 70-80% of the market [12]. - "Little Garden Art" was established in 2021 and has rapidly gained traction in the e-commerce space, leveraging factory resources from its parent company [12][13]. Regulatory Response - Following the investigation, environmental authorities in Anhui Province and Huai'an City have initiated comprehensive inspections of the implicated companies [13][14].