"Mr. Feng, we definitely can't promote your sugar. No one can change that, but we will place your soybean oil and sugar together in a prominent spot at the grain and oil station. This is the biggest concession I can make," Zhou Kehua said firmly.
Feng Yu saw that Zhou Kehua's attitude was very resolute and knew there was no point in arguing further. After all, he still had TV and newspaper ads to ensure that the sugar sales wouldn't be too bad.
Feng Yu planned to sign a three-year contract with the Grain Bureau and no longer. By 1993, the Grain Bureau would gradually disappear. In fact, since this year, with the liberalization of grain and oil supplies, the status of the Grain Bureau had been continuously declining.
Zhou Kehua might seem powerful now, but if he didn't get transferred to another unit in a couple of years, he would only be waiting for a second-line position.
"Hold on, Mr. Feng, why is your sugar so expensive? The wholesale price you're giving us is almost the same as our retail price," Zhou Kehua exclaimed after seeing the contract.
"This is fine sugar, which is sweeter and comes in small, high-quality packaging, not in bulk. Moreover, we use advanced Soviet technology, which prevents discoloration and insect infestation, something the Grain Bureau's white sugar can't achieve."
In those days, when people bought white sugar, it was always in bulk, weighed in convenient bags. The white sugar in grain and oil stores was kept in large bags, and if not stored well, it could easily attract ants. People would store it at home in jars or malted milk bottles, which could easily turn yellow. How could it compare to this small, well-packaged sugar? Sugar isn't like salt or oil; it's not consumed every day.
"We can produce fine sugar too, and the cost isn't that high. How can anyone buy it at such a high price?" Zhou Kehua felt that Feng Yu was being unreasonable. When people buy things, they always choose the cheaper option. Who would buy such expensive sugar?
"Don't worry about that, Mr. Zhou. Just sell it at the price I said. If the sales are poor, come to me. Or you can do consignment sales, where you get two cents for every bag sold."
Feng Yu sighed inwardly, thinking about the old mindset. They still believed that expensive items wouldn't sell. In a few years, it would be the cheap items that no one would buy!
"Consignment sales? That's definitely not possible. Let's see if anyone buys at this price. If no one buys, don't blame us for not stocking it!"
"Reasonable. There are no issues with the other terms. Mr. Zhou, please sign the contract."
Feng Yu left with the contract, and Zhou Kehua lit a cigarette, deep in thought. What confidence did this young man have to make others buy his sugar? It's just white sugar; why should his be more expensive?
Feng Yu called the newspaper to inform them that the fine sugar ads could be published. They were soft-sell ads that would run for half a month. Feng Yu believed that with people's current understanding, this fine sugar would definitely not be hard to sell! Plus, with the TV ads on the provincial channel, it would be enough to make everyone remember the Taihua brand fine sugar.
He made several copies of the contract and arranged for Wu Zhigang to go to other regions within the province. After all, the supply and marketing cooperatives were not as popular as the grain and oil stores. In the city, people's first choice for buying grain and oil was still the grain and oil stores. He wanted the local Grain Bureaus to see this contract and sign similar three-year contracts, ensuring that the Taihua brand would be deeply ingrained in everyone's mind.
"Why are you back? It's not a holiday today," Feng Xingtai saw Feng Yu in the factory, not with the joy a father usually feels when seeing his son, but with a look of anger. "Are you skipping class again!"
"Dad, don't hit me yet. I'm here for something important. How did your talk with the farm manager go? Is the pig farm willing to buy our feed?" Feng Yu nimbly jumped back to avoid his father's deadly palm.
"The manager agreed to try, but the quantity is small. The pig farm doesn't have many pigs. How can I produce more feed? And the sugar is still piled up in the warehouse. Why don't we sell it to the sugar factory in the district? They want to use it to make candy."
Feng Xingtai's face darkened when he mentioned the sugar. Other people's sugar was sold in large bags, and customers could buy a pound at a time in small plastic bags. But this kid insisted on making it in one-pound small packages. Was the packaging free? Now it's all stuck in the warehouse, and selling it to the sugar factory would mean a loss!
Feng Yu waved the contract in his hand. "See this? I've already secured the sales for the sugar. We'll contact the trucks to ship it out right away. The sugar factory in the district can dream on!"
"Securing the sales, that's great. Oh, this is the red stamp of the Ice City Grain Bureau? I'm relieved. Otherwise, the money we made from the soybean oil would have been lost on this sugar. By the way, what about the feed? We don't have many pigs on the farm. I think we can produce a week's worth, and it will take a month to sell!"
"Dad, did you talk to the manager about what I suggested, about contracting the pig farm?"
"Contracting? I'm already busy with the factory. Do you want to work me to death?" Feng Xingtai was furious, raising his hand to strike Feng Yu, but Feng Yu had already taken a couple of steps back, making it impossible for him to hit.
"Dad, I've told you many times. A good boss doesn't need to do everything himself. He just needs to know how to use people and give them enough compensation. You should take it easy. We can hire two pig farming experts from the agricultural technology station. With our feed, as long as our pigs grow fast, our feed will sell even better!"
"You're just talking nonsense. Do you know how much trouble it is to raise a pig? When we raised pigs at home, it was exhausting. If a pig gets sick, it can be a real headache!"
"We have people to manage it. Your job in the future will be to drink tea, watch TV, and play mahjong every day. You can occasionally visit the factory, and when you're bored, you can check the numbers in your bankbook. If you're still bored, you can go on trips with Mom. There are enough beautiful places in China to keep you busy for ten years. If you get tired of domestic travel, we can go abroad. You won't have to worry about money for the rest of your life." Feng Yu started to paint a rosy picture for his father.
"Get lost! I'm not old yet. What do you mean, drinking tea, watching TV, and playing mahjong every day? Why don't you focus on your studies and get into a good university? I don't expect you to bring glory to the family, but you can't be worse than other kids, can you?"
"Don't worry, Dad. I'll definitely get into a good university, even a top university in the capital. Let's not talk about this. Come on, let's go find the manager and contract the pig farm. We can still catch the sales peak for New Year's and Spring Festival."
Feng Yu dragged his father to find the manager. Upon hearing that Feng Xingtai was there, the manager immediately put aside his work to receive him. This was the first private enterprise in the farm, and it had already gained a reputation throughout the province. The factory was built and started operations during his tenure, which was his achievement. Perhaps next year, he could be transferred to the district to take a leadership position.
"You want to contract the pig farm? Old Feng, I've already agreed to have the pig farm buy your feed. Why are you now planning to raise pigs yourselves?"
The manager felt confused. A feed seller, because the feed wasn't selling well, decided to raise pigs to consume it? What kind of logic was this!
"Yes, Manager, we're not just contracting the pig farm; we're buying it. And the land behind the pig farm, we're buying that too. Next year, we plan to build a larger, modern pig farm!" Feng Yu circled a piece of land on the farm map with a pencil.
"A modern pig farm! Mechanical feeding, mechanical watering, mechanical cleaning of the pig pens. Just a few people can raise thousands of pigs!" Feng Yu said confidently.
~~~ Request for collection and recommendation, thank you.