1994: Vegetable farmers strike back

Chapter 483 Shenzhen and Hong Kong Advance Together
Outside, it was pitch black with a cold wind whistling, while inside, the lights were on and the sounds of drinking games filled the air.

"Eight horses!"

"Wealth in all four seasons!"

"Hey buddies!"

"Lu lu lu... Hey, let's drink!"

"What kind of boxing are you doing? Here we go again, what the hell is this 'Lu Lu Lu' thing?!" Yi Dinggan said, looking indignant.

"This is a 21st-century style of boxing, hurry up and drink it, don't try to renege on your debt!"

Chen Jiazhi repeatedly won in the finger-guessing game by using his unpredictable tactics.

"Come again!"

"That's about it. Go wash up early and go to bed early so you can be in good health."

"Ugh... so boring."

"Jiazhi is right. It's getting cold now, so we should wash up and go to bed early. It'll be warmer in bed."

Chen Jiazhi wanted to help his second sister clear the dishes, but Chen Jiafang said, "Jiazhi, no need, I can do it. You guys have a smoke and take a break, then hurry up and wash up."

After a pause, Chen Jiafang added, "We don't cook often now; most of the time we eat in the cafeteria."

Emboldened by the alcohol, Chen Jiazhi said, "So today is a special treat just for me?"

"Yes, my mom called and said you've been working overtime every day and haven't had a day off all year, so she wants us to make it up to you."

"..." Chen Jiazhi said, "You and Brother Yi haven't had a single day off this year either, have you?"

“You get used to it, it’s not so bad.” Chen Jiafang paused and said, “At least it keeps your brother Yi tied to the ground, so he doesn’t go out and fool around.”

Chen Jiazhi chuckled dryly as he watched Yi Ding smoking. "He's not like himself anymore, he's like a different person."

Yi Dinggan interjected, "When it comes to changes, how can I, Boss Yi, compare to you, Boss Chen? If I don't keep up, I won't have any fun later."

Chen Jiafang had already taken three sets of bowls and chopsticks to the kitchen. Chen Jiazhi leaned back in his chair and said to Yi Dinggan, "Now we can enjoy life more. Making money is for a better life. My second sister should live a good life with you."

"I know."

"The company will distribute dividends again in a while. You and your second sister may receive nearly 200 million this time. You can take a few days off and rest. Let Lao Guo and the other two watch over the market for now."

Yi Dinggan's eyes flickered. "How much money have you made in the past two months, and how much profit have you distributed? Didn't our salaries just go up?"

"How much is a salary?" Chen Jiazhi smiled. "The company currently has about 80 million in cash. Apart from 10 million in interest-free loans, the rest can be considered net profit. Distributing another 30 million as dividends will not affect the company's operation at all."

The sound of dishes being washed in the kitchen fell silent for a few seconds.

Yi Dinggan was also surprised by this number; he had not only made back the money he spent on buying the house a few months ago, but he had also made more.

"This money was so easy to earn!"

"So it's good to take a few days off. You can't go through the whole year without taking a single day off, can you?"

"it is good!"

Workers are paid by the day, but the company also gives them four days off a month. Those who don't want to take the days off are paid overtime.

This is truly an anomaly in the current market, not only because the wages are high, but also because there is time off.

Currently, this is probably the only vegetable market in the Pearl River Delta.

The same applies to managers; they have one day off per week, but usually no one takes it.

Chen Jiazhi felt that the desire to make money had sustained him for the past few years without any problems.

Over time, as living conditions improve, other needs will inevitably arise.

Working year-round without a break is too harsh.

Even if it's voluntary, moderation is still necessary.

...

The next day, Chen Jiazhi stayed in bed longer than usual. The rural environment was exceptionally quiet, which made him sleep very comfortably.

After washing my face, I strolled out onto the street. Today was the Lapu market, and it was bustling with activity.

Chen Jiazhi found a breakfast shop and ordered a bowl of pork offal porridge and soup noodles, which warmed his heart and stomach.

When they arrived at the market, it was already 10 a.m. Yan Cong and Yi Dinggan were already waiting there. There were still two markets that hadn't been inspected yet.

"Mr. Chen, have you had a good rest?"

"Yeah, the countryside is still the best place to live."

"Then walk?"

"Walk."

Heli Farm has three farms, currently covering a total of 5000 mu (approximately 333 hectares), with each farm divided into several plots.

Logically speaking, it should be very difficult to manage.

However, from Xiaolou Town to Paitan, and then to Zhengguo, Chen Jiazhi would randomly get off the bus and walk around each field and each piece of land.

While the management wasn't exactly meticulous, each plot of land was passable and pleasing to the eye, and the output was decent.

It is enough to be able to do this.

After touring the base in Zheng Guo Town, on the way back, Chen Jiazhi talked about the situation in the Japanese market.

Japan has recently eased restrictions on leafy vegetables without public announcement, which means there will be changes in the export market.

The focus of shipments from Heli Farm and Jiangxin Vegetable Market should also be adjusted in a timely manner, and the focus of shipments in the next stage will return to the mainland and Hong Kong.

Yi Dinggan nodded. "Has the domestic market recovered?"

“There are signs of that.” Chen Jiazhi looked out the window. “Perfect timing, the late-season cabbage will be on the market again, so our profits this month are still guaranteed.”

"Okay." Yi Dinggan then asked, "There should still be a market in Japan, right?"

"Of course, we have the advantage now."

Chen Jiazhi said with a smile, "Others are challenging our position. Don't forget, we still have lettuce and broccoli in Shanghai. Exports to Japan will decrease, but it won't be so easy to steal our customers."

"I understand. We'll focus on lettuce early next year."

"After I finish inspecting the base, I will develop a unified planting plan."

"That makes it even more secure!"

...

After a good night's sleep in the small building, Chen Jiazhi finally let Yan Cong drive off around 8 a.m.

"Boss, shall we head back to the city?"

"No, since we're already at Hopson, let's also take a trip to Shenzhen. Do you know the way?"

"Yes, I know him. I've been to the store with Mr. Xu a few times."

Yan Cong drives very steadily; whether you're in the front or back seat, you won't feel any discomfort.

Once he was sure he could find the way, Chen Jiazhi felt relieved and started reading the economic newspaper.

The impact of the financial crisis continues to deepen, especially in Southeast Asian countries, which have fallen into a severe economic recession.

The sharp depreciation of the currency exacerbated the burden of foreign debt, and many companies went bankrupt because they were unable to repay their foreign debts.

At the same time, a large amount of foreign capital withdrew from Southeast Asia.

very bad.

The economic downturn will inevitably affect local demand for imported vegetables, making it difficult for domestic vegetable exports to Southeast Asia to operate.

However, Chen Jiazhi noticed in a news report that economic and trade cooperation between China and Southeast Asia is gradually strengthening.

He felt that the export business to Southeast Asia was still viable.

There are a significant number of Chinese in Southeast Asia, and their ancestors mainly came from coastal areas such as Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian, so they naturally have a demand for leafy vegetables.

The equator runs through Southeast Asia, and given the local climate, growing vegetables is not easy, and growing leafy greens is extremely difficult.

This need has existed for a long time.

Furthermore, Chen Jiazhi is also looking for investment opportunities in durians, with Thai Golden Pillow durians or Malaysian Musang King durians being his potential targets.

Especially Musang King. In his previous life, he had talked with a friend about how, at its peak, importing a container of Musang King into China could generate a net profit of several million yuan.

His friend works for Honghui Fruits & Vegetables, a listed company, which has invested in a Musang King durian plantation covering thousands of acres overseas.

However, even when he was reborn, he still hadn't been able to eat durian from Honghui Fruits and Vegetables.

Durian is still a niche fruit.

Li Xiu and her second sister also really like to eat it, and Chen Jiazhi would like to try it if he has the chance.

It would be best to establish a planting base; even if that's not possible, we can still engage in the import and export trade of durians.

Chen Jiazhi silently noted this down, intending to inquire about it later or send someone to Thailand and Malaysia to find out the situation.

...

When we arrived in Buji, Shenzhen, it was past noon. Kaopu Fresh had rented two storefronts on the street outside the market as their office space, which looked quite ordinary.

Most of the people in the company are night owls, and Chen Jiazhi guessed there weren't many people in the office, so he went to Buji Agricultural Wholesale Market for a walk first.

The market seems even bigger now; going to the market is like getting a workout.

Chen Jiazhi came down warmly, but he couldn't figure out much about it.

I had no choice but to go back to the office to look at the reports and data. The results weren't actually bad, and the increase was quite significant.

Compared to Huacheng, Kaopu Fresh's influence in Shenzhen is negligible.

"Boss Chen is here?!"

"Hey Lao Liu, come sit down and chat for a bit."

Around 3 p.m., Liu Minghua, who was short and thin, came to the office, looking quite energetic.

He took a plastic chair and sat down.

Chen Jiazhi handed him a cigarette and said, "Do you know anything about the stall business?"

“I understand, I sell vegetables at the stall.” Liu Minghua took a puff of his cigarette, thought for a few seconds, and then said, “Business is generally okay, but compared with the big merchants, it is indeed far behind. President Xu and President Cai were not very satisfied after they came to see it.”

Which major businesses are located in Buji?

"The most famous are Yiyuan Vegetable Wholesale and Guangjia Vegetable Trading Company, both of which are well-known vegetable giants in Shenzhen."

Liu Minghua gave the answer without hesitation, clearly indicating that both Yiyuan and Guangjia had considerable reputations.

However, Chen Jiazhi had never heard of it and knew nothing about it.

Liu Minghua recounted the situation of both cases in detail.

"Guangjia's boss is named Ye Chu. I heard that he has been doing vegetable business in Buji for almost ten years. He mainly deals in more than ten kinds of high-quality vegetables such as bok choy, kale, and cabbage, which are mainly supplied to Shenzhen and Hong Kong."

"Yiyuan offers a similar range of products, but since the second half of the year, the quantity of vegetables transported from the north by Yiyuan seems to have increased significantly..."

At first glance, Yiyuan and Guangjia seem unremarkable.

However, in terms of transaction volume, these two companies account for 5% of the total vegetable transaction volume in the Buji market throughout the year.

In comparison, stall number 63 in Gangnam has accounted for approximately 1.2% to 1.5% of the Gangnam market's transaction volume on average this year.

The transaction volumes of Yiyuan and Guangjia far exceeded those of Jiangnan No. 63.

Do they have their own base?

"I'm not entirely sure yet," Liu Minghua said hesitantly. "According to Cai and Xu's analysis, it seems there isn't one; it's just a partnership with the vegetable market."

Chen Jiazhi nodded slightly.

If Yiyuan and Guangjia's vegetables also come entirely from their own bases, then their transaction volume is quite staggering.

After squinting and thinking for a while, Chen Jiazhi smiled at Liu Minghua and asked, "Do you think Kaopu Fresh has a chance to surpass Yiyuan and Guangjia?"

"This this……"

"Just tell the truth."

"It might be a bit difficult." Liu Minghua glanced away, his eyes darting elsewhere. "Our current scale is too different. Ye Chu is known as the Vegetable King, so he must have some tricks up his sleeve."

I've heard that some stalls that were doing very well suddenly stopped operating or changed their product categories just because they conflicted with Guangjia's offerings.

"Oh, I got it."

Chen Jiazhi smiled. He hadn't encountered a vegetable tyrant in Guangzhou, but he hadn't expected to find one in Shenzhen.

He had previously believed that the market in Shenzhen was strictly controlled because vegetable prices in Shenzhen were lower than in Guangzhou.

In order to protect people's livelihoods, Shenzhen's market regulators have set strict rules on vegetable prices, wholesale price differences, retail price differences, and so on, and the enforcement is quite strict.

However, it seems that this does not affect the existence of the "vegetarian tyrant".

Vegetable bullies do more than just inflate prices.

At this time,

Chen Zhengxu, Li Cai, Zhou Xiaoxiong and a few others came to the office together again, and Chen Jiazhi chatted with them one by one for a while.

Zhou Xiaoxiong, Liu Minghua, and other people who are based in Shenzhen have slightly less confidence in Yiyuan and Guangjia.

But Chen Zhengxu and Li Cai were full of fighting spirit.

Guangjiaheyiyuan is indeed large in scale, but it also has disadvantages compared to Kaopu Fresh.

It is highly likely that they do not have their own base, and the source of goods is unstable, which is one reason.

Secondly, their business practices are brutal. As a local bully, don't expect them to be civilized or set a good example.

Guangjia and Yiyuan have a rather rough approach to business, both towards upstream farmers and downstream customers.

The company has been able to achieve its current scale thanks to several factors: firstly, it seized a first-mover advantage in the market, secondly, it has a favorable geographical location, and thirdly, it has established cooperation with Hong Kong.

Secondly, it is to suppress threatening opponents.

At the end of the conversation, Chen Jiazhi asked, "Is Kaopu Fresh a threatening competitor?"

"Not yet. Although our prices have risen rapidly, the stall's trading volume has not picked up because we mainly focus on distribution for mustard greens, and recently, a large amount of bok choy, lettuce, and other supplies have been exported to Japan."

Li Cai spoke casually.

"Guangjia is Wing Lung's agent in Shenzhen, and Yiyuan is Hexing's agent. A large portion of their vegetables are shipped to Hong Kong."

Chen Jiazhi recalls that Hexing and Yonglong both had vegetable markets in mainland China, but Yiyuan and Guangjia, which cooperated with them, may not have their own bases.

After thinking for a while, Chen Jiazhi asked again, "So what do you want to do?"

Li Cai glanced at Chen Zhengxu and pondered, "We will take the lead, adhere to the company's consistent stable strategy, provide reliable services, and slowly erode the market over time."

This way, it won't immediately attract attention from all sides, but it will still allow the company's influence to grow.

Chen Zhengxu added, "If we can reduce Hop Hing and Wing Lung's market share in Hong Kong, this process will be faster."

The three express trains supplying Hong Kong began in 1962. Due to the aging of railways and the development of road transport, the influence of traditional forces such as Hop Hing, which relied on the three express trains supplying Hong Kong, has been declining.

It itself is also seeking change.

The fact that Hop Hing and Wing Lung built their own bases in mainland China and cooperated with Yik Yuen and Kwong Chia, as well as Yik Yuen's operation of vegetables transported to the north, are all evidence of this.

Chen Jiazhi nodded slightly. "Okay, your thinking is very clear. It seems that my coming to Shenzhen was a bit redundant."

One of the reasons he came to Shenzhen was because he was afraid that the two of them would be too radical.

The market and production are different. If production goes too far, at most the vegetables will rot in the field.

However, a misstep in the market can be fatal.

This method of "boiling a frog in lukewarm water" is quite suitable now.

While maintaining a steady pace in Phuket, they secretly nibbled away at the market share of Hop Hing and Wing Lung in Hong Kong, and at the same time tried to weaken their market share.

If Hexing and Yonglong take less goods, Guangjia and Yiyuan will be weakened in a roundabout way, which in turn will affect Hexing and Yonglong.

Shenzhen and Hong Kong are advancing side by side.

Even if Hexing and Yiyuan, Yonglong and Guangjia realize what's happening, Kaopu Fresh and Tongxingtai are not to be underestimated. It's not too late for another battle then.

"Mr. Chen, you should come to Shenzhen less often in the future, especially to the stalls in Buji. You should also be careful in Guangzhou."

After Chen Zhengxu finished speaking, he looked at Yan Cong, who nodded.

"Can't you even come?"

“There’s something different about Guangjia’s group.” Chen Zhengxu said gravely. “There might be some ruthless characters among them.”

Chen Jiazhi had a question in his mind. He had never heard of such a powerful company in his previous life. Could it be that it was taken down because it was a vegetable market tyrant?
It's no wonder he had this guess; he had heard of Hexing and knew that Hexing had later built a vegetable market in Ningxia.

But I didn't have a strong impression of Yonglong, and I'd never even heard of Guangjia.

Logically speaking, they are all in the same industry as Chinese cabbage and kale, even if they are quite far apart, but such a powerful company now has no future in mind.

It will most likely collapse halfway through.

Looking at Chen Zhengxu's solemn expression, Chen Jiazhi said, "You are competing head-on on the front lines, and I don't want to hide in the back like a coward."

"Uh...that's not what I meant."

“I know what I’m doing. I’ll definitely come when the time comes, and your attempts to persuade me won’t work.”

Chen Zhengxu and Li Cai looked at each other, knowing that persuasion was futile, and could only discuss the next step.

Late-season Chinese cabbage will soon be available on the market, and chicken heart mustard will soon enter its peak production period. In the next two months, these two varieties will be the leading varieties competing for the Shenzhen and Hong Kong markets.

In addition, the main varieties include Chinese cabbage, kale, and lettuce.

Once the supply increases, all that Shenzhen's stalls and delivery services need to do is steadily build up their customer base.

In Hong Kong and Japan, if Italian lettuce can squeeze out American lettuce, it will also weaken the strength of Hop Hing and Wing Lung.

The market strategy was quickly finalized, but the engine remained the production of vegetables.

(End of this chapter)