Back to the 80s Machinery Factory

Chapter 542 The milk wasn't given away for nothing!
Liu Yiping chimed in from behind the steering wheel, "Yes, now everyone in the commune gets a share of the dividends, and everyone's all smiles at the end of the year. Last year they were giving out flour and salted fish, but this year they're giving everyone tens of yuan in cash. Who wouldn't be happy?"

Bai Yunzhao laughed even more heartily: "My wife told me that in the past, she always looked forward to meat coupons and cloth coupons during the New Year. Now that she actually has the coupons in her hand, she doesn't panic when buying things, and she feels much more confident."

At this point, he lowered his voice, a hint of pride in it: "I also asked someone to pull strings and talk to acquaintances at the bank and the gold shop in the department store. I bought some gold in bulk and plan to have a gold bracelet made for her, which I'll take home before the New Year for her to wear."

"Women, they just like this..."

Chen Luyang's eyes lit up: "Great job, Brother Bai! You've already gotten a gold bracelet for your wife? Are those easy to get? Could you help me get one too?"

Although he usually buys things for Chen Jinyue.

But those clothes, cosmetics, and the like are things you use up and then discard; they get old after you wear them.

He had always wanted to give her something she could keep.

"Sure! Why not?" Bai Yunzhao readily agreed.

“I know the person in charge of the gold shop over there at the department store. If you really want to do it, I can act as a middleman. Once the permit is approved, we’ll get the gold according to the weight. Then I’ll take you to see the styles. You can have it made into a bracelet or a ring, whatever you want.”

After the small truck bumped along in the snow for a while, passing several rows of dried straw piles, it finally passed the courtyard of Yangshulin Commune.

The compound looks much more impressive than it did last year.

The courtyard path was paved with cement on both sides, and several dwarf poplars were planted along the way, with snow still clinging to their branches.

The newly built two-story brigade headquarters looked clean and neat in the gray sky, with freshly painted slogans and mottoes standing in front of the door:
Let's unite and work together to develop production and achieve a moderately prosperous society!
Chen Luyang peered out the car window and couldn't help but exclaim, "I've only been away for a year, and the commune has changed so much! The courtyards are even paved with cement roads!"

Bai Yunzhao grinned smugly: "That's right! Things have changed a lot in the last two years. The brigade headquarters building has been renovated to two stories, the commune's supply and marketing cooperative has doubled in size, and there are even counters selling cloth now. Also, last year our fertilizer plant expanded a production line, and the number of workers doubled. With more work, everyone is busier."

As they were talking, the car turned north again, heading towards the ranch.

Outside the car window, thick icicles hung from the eaves of rows of cowsheds, and in the distance, remnants of snow on the black earth reflected the gray sky. Several dairy cows were tethered under the eaves, their nostrils puffing out white steam.

Chen Luyang peeked outside and couldn't help but say, "There are quite a few cows here."

Bai Yunzhao then introduced, "We have 78 employees here, and we raise about 300 Holstein dairy cows."

“In the past, everyone would pedal sleds to transport milk buckets wrapped in cotton blankets to the factory gate. Now, they are transported in batches, and the management is much more standardized.”

“Last year, we started importing frozen bull semen from Pian’ercheng for artificial insemination. The newborn calves are getting stronger with each generation. According to experts, this can increase the milk production per head by 30%. Once these calves grow up, the production is expected to double, and the milk supply will be stable.”

The tone shifted abruptly, and Bai Yunzhao's face darkened: "We finally made progress in just two days, only to be brought back down to earth by a massive blizzard."

"The blizzard a few days ago blocked the roads, and cars couldn't get in for three days. The feed ran out, the milk production of dairy cows immediately dropped to zero, and the milk powder factory's production line had to stop, almost suffocating the factory."

"The snow finally stopped and the roads were cleared, but several batches of milk powder that the commune sent out were returned by the Taidong side. They said the taste was unstable, the solubility was different, and the taste and consistency after dilution were different between batches. They said it would be difficult to explain this to the market."

Chen Luyang clicked his tongue in amazement; it was truly a case of everything happening at once.

"But I don't quite understand... Brother Bai, aren't they all milk powder? How can the taste be inconsistent?"

Doesn't all milk taste the same?

Bai Yunzhao sighed and patiently explained, "It's not what you think."

"Although milk may look exactly the same, its composition can be vastly different. If the cows' diet is changed, the fat content, protein ratio, and amount of lactose in the milk will all change."

“If you feed them corn or silage, their milk will be thicker; but if you switch to sweet potato chips, soybean residue, or straw, the saturated fat content will decrease, and the cows won’t eat as much, resulting in thinner milk fat. The milk powder will then be less smooth and palatable. Some of the alternative feeds have an earthy or off-flavor, which will also affect the taste of the milk.”

Bai Yunzhao said dejectedly:

"The commune was doing well, but last year there were several bad autumn rains. The corn that had just been harvested in the warehouse got damp and hot, and some of the grain piles became moldy and could not be used as feed."

"With winter approaching and no other supplies available, the commune had to temporarily use some by-products to make do. They would boil soybean residue, dried sweet potatoes, and a small amount of straw into a thin porridge to feed the cattle, sometimes adding some silage grass leaves."

"These alternative feeds can fill your stomach, but they change the structure of fat and protein in milk, altering the thickness and taste of the milk. Infant formula is particularly picky about these indicators; even slight fluctuations in raw materials can affect the taste of the prepared formula, and problems can be detected during external inspections."

"In a fit of anger, Factory Director Feng of the milk powder factory smashed an enamel mug during a staff meeting, startling everyone present."

Stunned.

As they were talking, the car turned into the gate of the milk powder factory.

From afar, Chen Luyang saw a tall figure standing in the snow.

The man had his hands tucked into his sleeves, but he kept staring at the road leading to the door, as if he were waiting for someone.

As soon as he saw the small truck stop, he strode over to it, his footsteps crunching loudly in the snow.

"Comrade Chen!" Feng Dayong's voice was rough and impatient, "We've been waiting for you!"

Bai Yunzhao pushed open the car door and got out, laughing, "Old Feng, Director Chen hasn't even gotten out of the car yet, and you're already welcoming the God of Wealth like this."

Feng Dayong: "It's not about welcoming the God of Wealth, it's about hoping for a way to survive! The factory has been under immense pressure these past two years. We've secured the milk supply and the workers, but sales are always a problem. If this milk powder factory continues to struggle, won't it go bankrupt next year?"

Chen Luyang quickly said, "Director Feng, please don't get too upset. President Bai has already told me the general situation. I came here to see if I can help come up with a solution."

Bai Yunzhao said, "Yes, let's not just pile up at the entrance, let's go inside and take a look."

As you walk into the compound, the faint aroma of milk powder mixed with the smell of coal stove smoke from the milk powder factory hits you.

The factory roof was covered with icicles, and the workers in the workshop wore cotton hats and scarves, their shoulders covered with white milk powder dust.

After walking around, Chen Luyang had a general understanding of the milk powder factory's production capacity.

Although the milk powder factory is small and the equipment is old, the workers are very enthusiastic and the team is well-organized.

The problem isn't "whether we can produce it," but "whether we can sell it."

"What's this?" Chen Luyang asked curiously, pointing to a tall iron tower. "This is our new spray drying tower, with a daily production capacity of five tons," Feng Dayong sighed.

"This thing was replaced by our entire factory with our hard work, but if the powder can't be sold, no matter how tall the tower is, it's all for nothing."

Seeing that he had covered most of the factory's situation, Feng Dayong finally stopped, cleared his throat, and spoke with a firm tone:
"Director Chen, you've come all this way, haven't you eaten yet?"

"My family just slaughtered a big rooster today. Come on over! Let's have some hot soup and fill our stomachs."

Several people entered Feng Dayong's house one after the other.

The house was small, the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed) was glowing red, and the frozen corn and strings of chili peppers hanging from the roof glistened in the firelight.

The stew pot on the stove was bubbling and steaming, and a strong aroma of chicken soup wafted through the air.

Feng Dayong's wife had already finished preparing everything. A large rooster was stewed until the soup was thick and the meat was tender. There were also pickled cabbage, vermicelli, and potato slices on the table.

"Please sit down, please sit down. The chicken is stewed and the wine is warm."

Feng Dayong's wife warmly led everyone in.

Several bottles of baijiu were placed on the table, the firelight making the liquor glisten.

After the first two rounds of drinks, Feng Dayong's face gradually turned red. Finally, he couldn't help but sigh and say at the top of his lungs:

"Director Chen, President Bai should have told you about the situation in our factory. In recent years, our factory has been working hard, but our path has become narrower and narrower."

"We just returned a shipment from another city, and then we heard rumors that the buyer doubted the quality of our products. The company was also feeling insecure. In addition, traditional baby formula is very particular and risky. Who would dare to risk their little baby's health?"

Chen Luyang put down his chopsticks and slowly said, "Director Feng, actually, there is hope for baby powder. The problem is not whether the method is 'traditional' or not, but whether the root cause is correct."

"Babies have delicate digestive systems and cannot digest hard proteins. The practice abroad is to adjust the composition of milk to be closer to breast milk, making the protein finer and adding more lactose, so that babies can easily absorb it, and it doesn't taste fishy or cause constipation."

Feng Dayong, who was holding a wine bowl, frowned and couldn't help but interject: "I've heard of white sugar and brown sugar, but this is the first time I've heard of lactose. What is lactose?"

Chen Luyang explained, "Lactose is a type of sugar that is naturally present in milk, and it's not the same as the white sugar we add to milk. It's easy for children to digest and tastes better than just protein. That's what's emphasized when making baby formula abroad."

He paused, then said seriously, "The imported Nestle and Bull Head brand milk powders in Pian'er City are indeed of good quality, and they are smooth and palatable when mixed, but the price is frighteningly expensive. I heard that a milk powder can cost half a month's salary for an ordinary person, and you have to use foreign exchange certificates to buy it at the Friendship Store. It's very scarce. Ordinary families simply can't afford it."

"What about domestic brands? Hongjin, Huahai, and we also have factories here making them, but the taste varies greatly. Some are so bland they taste like instant noodles, while others have an overly strong fishy smell."

His tone suddenly brightened: "So, this just shows how big the market is!"

"Imported products are expensive, and domestic ones don't taste good. If someone can really improve the quality, they will not only be able to sell their products, but also build a good reputation. It's not that no one wants baby formula, but that everyone is waiting for a domestically produced formula that they can drink with peace of mind."

Feng Dayong's eyes lit up, but then he slapped his thigh and said urgently:

"Director Chen, what you said really resonates with me! But the problem is, our factory just doesn't have that kind of expertise!"

The workers are willing to work, and there's milk available, but no one knows how to mix it or understand the formula.

What do you suggest we do?
"Ask away!!!" Chen Luyang said, "We can't figure this out by ourselves, so we have to ask someone who knows about it!"

Feng Dayong was taken aback: "Who should I ask?"

Chen Luyang replied without hesitation, "Ask the experts first!"

“At Pian’ercheng Light Industry College and Food Fermentation Research Institute, there are professors and researchers who specialize in dairy products and infant formula, and they have experimental formulas in hand; there are also people at the Agricultural University who are engaged in dairy farming and dairy processing, so we can cooperate.”

"If we could really invite these experts over, or ask someone to bring back a reliable plan, and then combine it with the factory's conditions to make it, the powder would be much firmer."

Feng Dayong's eyes widened.

"A college of light industry? A research institute of food science? ...This is the first time I've ever heard of this!"

Chen Luyang raised a second finger: "The second step is to find sales channels. Relying solely on exports is not stable; if goods are returned even once, your reputation will be ruined."

“We need to start with what’s close at hand. Let’s get the hospitals, maternal and child health stations, and nurseries in the provincial capital to drink it first. Once word of mouth spreads, we can then promote it to larger markets like Pian’ercheng and Hongjin. As long as the quality is acceptable, we won’t have to worry about selling it.”

Feng Dayong was an impatient man, and after hearing Chen Luyang's words, he felt his blood boil.

"I'll pack my things tomorrow and head to Pian'er City to find an expert!"

Everyone in the room was stunned.

Bai Yunzhao almost spat out his wine, glaring at him and laughing as he scolded, "Dayong, you're really impatient! You wanted to run out as soon as you finished listening?"

Feng Dayong, panting heavily and his face flushed, said, "Our factory can't afford to stay afloat any longer! The workers' families are all looking forward to their wages, the dairy cows need to be fed every day, and if the powder can't be sold, the factory will go bankrupt sooner or later. I'd rather go out and find markets than sit here doing nothing!"

Seeing this, Chen Luyang quickly reached out and pressed him back into his chair, shaking his head with a smile: "Director Feng, I admire your spirit, but this matter really can't be accomplished with just enthusiasm."

He softened his tone and patiently explained, "Experts aren't people you can just walk in and see."

“If you rush over there rashly, you won’t even be able to get into the gatehouse. You should at least ask someone to find out which research institute is in charge of this matter, and then write a report with information about our factory, milk sources, and production output. Only then will they take you seriously.”

Bai Yunzhao laughed from the side, "Did you hear that? If you really risk your life to rush to Pian'er City, you'll probably run out of travel expenses and they'll send you away with just a word."

Feng Dayong scratched his head anxiously: "What should we do? Are we just supposed to wait here?"

Chen Luyang put down his wine bowl and smiled as he gestured for him to stop, saying, "Director Feng, this matter really can't be rushed."

“I have to go back to Pian’er City to study after the New Year. I can ask around for you on the way. I’ll see which institute or which teacher is in charge of this at the Light Industry College or the Food Fermentation Research Institute, and find out if they are willing to get involved in factory-related matters.”

He paused, then added seriously, "Once I've figured out the situation, you can go. Then we'll have a better understanding of things, won't we?"

After he said that, Bai Yunzhao and Feng Dayong's eyes lit up!
(End of this chapter)