Rebirth in Hong Kong: From Dessert Shop to Industrial Empire

Chapter 64 Xiaogang Mode (Seeking monthly votes and recommendations to continue reading!)

150,000 bottles! Shipped all at once! Early next month!
These words struck Chen Bingwen like a heavy hammer blow.

He remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was making plans.

Currently, the daily production is 32,000 bottles. To produce 150,000 bottles would mean that the entire factory would need to operate at full capacity for nearly five days!

This doesn't even include the daily supply needs of local franchise stores, Wellcome supermarkets, and self-operated outlets!
Moreover, Lin Wenxiong certainly had more than just this one order.

"Boss Lin's ambition is commendable."

Chen Bingwen spoke slowly and steadily, “The plan is very professional, and the analysis of the Singapore market is also very accurate.”

I generally agree with the strategy of creating a strong impact through a one-time, large-scale product launch.

Lin Wenxiong smiled broadly, as if he could already see the phenomenal success of Chen Ji Dessert, which sold out quickly after its launch in Singapore.

However, Chen Bingwen changed the subject and gently placed the plan back on the table: "However, Mr. Lin, shipping 150,000 bottles at once is a huge challenge for our current production capacity."

He raised his head, looked directly into Lin Wenxiong's eyes, and said frankly, "Chen's bottled sweet soup is in a period of rapid growth in the Hong Kong Island market, and the demand is strong."

Our existing production lines can stably produce around 32,000 bottles per day, which is already the limit.

These 150,000 bottles will require us to concentrate all our production capacity for the next five days!

This means that for the next five days, we will be unable to supply bottled sugar water to any channels on Hong Kong Island.

Lin Wenxiong's smile froze slightly, and he subconsciously said, "Mr. Chen, five days shouldn't have much of an impact, right?"
The Hong Kong Island market has a solid foundation, and consumers should be able to understand a temporary supply disruption.

"Understand?" Chen Bingwen shook his head slightly. "Mr. Lin, the business world is like a battlefield, constantly changing. Five days is enough time for consumers to switch to other options, enough time for competitors to take advantage of the situation and erode the market share we've worked so hard to build!"

This is enough to make newly joined, hopeful store owners doubt themselves and shake their confidence in the Chen Ji brand!

After saying that, he sneered inwardly.

The business world is like a battlefield; there's no room for understanding there.

All that exists is a naked struggle for interests and fleeting windows of opportunity!

Lin Wenxiong wanted to get rich quick and use 150,000 bottles of sugar water to break into the Singapore market. He admired Lin Wenxiong’s ambition, but Chen Ji could not afford the risk!
Thinking of this, Chen Bingwen emphasized his words and continued, "We have just opened up franchising, and the first batch of ten stores are still in a critical period. Bottled sugar water is their core weapon for attracting customers and improving performance."

Cutting off the supply at this time is tantamount to cutting off the lifeline! Mr. Lin, if you were in his shoes, what would you do?

An order for 150,000 bottles is like a poison coated in honey.

The Singapore market can radiate to Malaysia and Indonesia, offering vast potential. This is Chen Kee's first step out of Hong Kong and towards internationalization, and a huge opportunity!

But the price of swallowing this cake all at once is to drain the lifeblood from the Hong Kong Island market!
Lin Wenxiong was speechless when asked the question.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know where to begin.

Seeing his embarrassment, Chen Bingwen softened his tone: "Mr. Lin, expanding into the Singapore market is an important step for Chen's Group's internationalization, and we attach great importance to it."

But the premise is that it cannot come at the expense of Hong Kong Island's foundation.

This is tantamount to killing the goose that lays the golden eggs; it's not a sustainable solution.

"Therefore, we need to renegotiate the shipping method for the first batch of orders."

Shipping 150,000 bottles at once is too risky; we cannot accept it.

Lin Wenxiong's heart sank: "So, what does Boss Chen mean?"

"We'll ship in batches," Chen Bingwen said decisively. "The first batch of 50,000 bottles will be shipped to Singapore early next month."

The remaining 100,000 bottles will be shipped in two batches over the next month, depending on the actual absorption rate and feedback from the Singapore market, as well as the progress of our production capacity ramp-up.

This approach ensures both initial distribution and promotional needs in the Singapore market, while also maximizing stable supply to the Hong Kong market.

"Fifty thousand bottles?" Lin Wenxiong frowned, clearly dissatisfied with the number. "Boss Chen, fifty thousand bottles is too few!"
Although Singapore is not large, it has a large number of supermarkets and convenience stores. If 50,000 bottles were poured out, there wouldn't even be a splash!

It simply won't achieve the desired market saturation or explosive growth! This is completely different from what I expected!

He stood up excitedly: "Mr. Chen, we, Nanhua Trading, have come with the utmost sincerity!"
We have high hopes for Chenji and this product! Shipping 150,000 bottles at once is the optimal solution we've made based on our market assessment and channel capabilities!
If we ship in batches, the effect will be greatly reduced, and our initial investment in promotion could very well be wasted! That's too risky!

Chen Bingwen, however, remained unusually calm.

He understood Lin Wenxiong's urgency and concerns, but business cooperation should not be done on a whim.

Moreover, even if the Singapore market is important, it's all just castles in the air if the core Hong Kong market can't be held.

He waited until Lin Wenxiong had calmed down a bit before slowly speaking: "Mr. Lin, I understand your concerns."

But the risks are two-way.

He looked at Lin Wenxiong: "Splitting the goods in batches may seem conservative, but it is actually a prudent approach."

The initial batch of 50,000 bottles is enough for you to focus on key areas for distribution and trial sales, test the market, and collect consumer feedback.

If the response is enthusiastic, subsequent restocking can be done quickly.

If the response is lukewarm, we will have time to adjust our sales strategy and avoid greater losses.

Isn't this a more responsible approach?

Lin Wenxiong remained silent.

Chen Bingwen's words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing some of his enthusiasm, but also forcing him to face reality.

Stockpiling 150,000 bottles at once is indeed extremely risky.

If Singaporean consumers don't buy it, or if the distribution channels can't absorb the inventory, the mountain of stockpiled inventory will become Nan Hua Trading's nightmare.

Lin Wenxiong sat back down in his chair, tapping his fingers impatiently on the armrest.

Giving up his obsession with one-time delivery? He was unwilling.

Should we accept the phased approach? But we're also afraid of missing a great opportunity.

Chen Bingwen saw his struggle and decided to give him another push: "Boss Lin, this cooperation is for the long term."

The first orders are just the beginning.

Chen Ji's production capacity is not static.

We are making every effort to overcome the bottlenecks, and new equipment and new processes are underway.

Once the Singapore market proves its value, the subsequent supply volume will only increase and the speed will become faster.

We value long-term, mutually beneficial cooperation, not one-off deals.

He paused, then offered a tempting offer: "To show our sincerity, we can offer Nanhua Trading a more competitive price for the first batch of 50,000 bottles."

At the same time, Chen Ji will also provide certain support in brand promotion, such as unified design of promotional materials, and may even consider arranging for Mr. Cheng Long to go to Singapore to assist with promotion at an appropriate time.

"Cheng Long?" Lin Wenxiong's eyes lit up.

Of course he knew who Jackie Chan was. "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" was also shown in Singapore, and the box office results and audience response were very good.

If we can get this rising kung fu star to endorse Chen's Dessert, the promotional effect will definitely be twice as good!
This suggestion acted as a reassurance, causing the scales in Lin Wenxiong's mind to begin to tip.

He took a deep breath and finally made his decision: "Okay, Mr. Chen, you've convinced me."

We'll do it in batches!
The first batch consists of 50,000 bottles: 30,000 bottles of mango pomelo sago, 15,000 bottles of coconut milk sago, and 5,000 bottles of tangerine peel red bean paste, with the proportions adjusted according to our plan.

Ships early next month!
For the next 100,000 bottles, we'll determine the specific delivery time and quantity based on market feedback!

He extended his hand and said solemnly, "I hope our cooperation will be successful and that we can achieve a win-win situation!"

Chen Bingwen smiled and gripped Lin Wenxiong's hand firmly: "Definitely! It will be a pleasure to cooperate with you!"

After seeing off Lin Wenxiong, who was both relieved and full of new expectations, Chen Bingwen's smile vanished instantly, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity.

"Ah Hai, 50,000 bottles! Early next month! Only ten days left!"

He looked at Gao Zhenhai and Ling Peiyi, "Including the basic supply needs of Hong Kong Island, our daily output must be kept stable at over 37,000 to 40,000 bottles for the next ten days!"
any questions? "

Gao Zhenhai's face turned pale upon hearing this, but he still straightened his back: "Brother Wen! I'll do my best to make it happen for you!"
"I'll go to the workshop right now and keep an eye on things! If two shifts aren't enough, we'll do three! If we don't have enough people, I'll do it myself!" "Not enough people? Not having enough people is indeed a big problem." Ling Peiyi, standing to the side, also frowned, feeling somewhat troubled.

Gao Zhenhai's harsh words, "If there aren't enough people, I'll do it myself," still echoed in Chen Bingwen's ears, but he knew that relying on desperately exploiting existing workers or having management take matters into their own hands would ultimately be a drop in the ocean and unsustainable.

At this moment, a deep sense of powerlessness welled up in Chen Bingwen's heart.

A human being. Still a human being!
Chen Bingwen let out a heavy sigh.

Hong Kong Island is a tiny place, and its manufacturing industry is at its peak, so there is a fierce competition for talent everywhere.

Peeling mangoes is a low-skill but extremely labor-intensive task, and a salary of 1,000 yuan is no longer competitive in today's market.

If only this were in mainland China, we wouldn't have to worry about personnel issues at all!

However, at this time, the mainland was still on the eve of the household contract responsibility system, and the system of sharing the same food with the same pot had not been completely broken, and production efficiency had not yet been fully released.

Even if they wanted to build a factory in mainland China, the timing wasn't right.

But Chen Bingwen knew that soon, a reform storm centered on "household contract responsibility system" would sweep across the land!

The eighteen bright red handprints in Xiaogang Village, Anhui Province, will ignite the suppressed enthusiasm for production among hundreds of millions of farmers!

and many more!

Household responsibility system?

Chen Bingwen was suddenly jolted awake, as if a bolt of lightning had cleaved through the fog before his eyes!

Yup!

Why must people be tied to the factory and forced to work like cogs in a machine?
Why can't the production process be broken down?

Outsource the labor-intensive and relatively independent initial processing steps of mango handling!

This idea spread like wildfire, instantly igniting all his thoughts!

Just like farmers contracting land!
The mango orchard should be managed by subcontracting the work to workers!

He became increasingly excited as he thought about it, his thoughts flowing like a spring:
That small, unused factory building next to the Kwun Tong Food Factory!
Excellent location, rent it now!

With a little tidying up, whitewashing the walls, laying cement floors, and connecting water and electricity, it becomes a ready-made mango processing contracting center!

In terms of model, there is no need to hire workers anymore; instead, contract teams are recruited.

It can be a family unit or a group of several familiar coworkers.

The factory centrally procures raw materials, including mangoes, and provides various tools.

The factory sets standards and prices, and settles accounts based on the weight of the processed, qualified mango flesh or the number of bottles.

Piece-rate commission!

The more you work, the more you earn!

For example, you can pay HKD 0.1 to prepare the mango pieces needed for one bottle of syrup!
On-site inspection and settlement!
Daily settlement! Just assign one or two quality control personnel to monitor the process and ensure that quality standards are met!
The idea quickly took shape and became perfect in Chen Bingwen's mind, like the sun breaking through the clouds, instantly dispelling the gloom of the past few days!

“Not enough people? Then let’s try a different approach!” Chen Bingwen’s voice was resolute, radiating a confidence that he had found a way to break the deadlock, instantly attracting the full attention of Ling Peiyi and Gao Zhenhai.

"Ahai! Go and rent that vacant little factory building next to our factory as quickly as possible!"
Three days!

I need it to be ready for use within three days!
Water and electricity must be available, and the land must be level and clean! Let's turn it into our 'front-end raw material processing contracting center'!
The mango sorting team, grapefruit peeling team, and red bean preliminary sorting team have all moved there! They'll only be doing one thing there: preliminary processing of the raw materials!

Chen Bingwen gave instructions at an extremely fast pace.

Although Gao Zhenhai was a little confused by this sudden order, Chen Bingwen's attitude made him obey unconditionally: "Yes! Brother Wen! I'll go find the landlord right away! Rent it! I guarantee it will be done within three days!"

"Director Ling!" Chen Bingwen turned to Ling Peiyi with a sharp look in his eyes, "Put aside for now those internal talent development plans you've got in mind!"
I have a completely new plan!

He strode to his desk, picked up a pen, and began to draw rapidly on a sheet of white paper, explaining as he drew:

"We rented the adjacent factory building and set up Chenji's front-end raw material processing contracting center."

The initial processing of raw materials such as mangoes, grapefruits, and red beans is all done there!

The space needs to be large, well-ventilated, and clearly divided into zones!
Recruit contract teams using a piece-rate contracting model!
In units of families or fixed teams of three to five people!

We provide standard facilities, basic tools such as peelers, meat scoops, and food-grade containers, as well as standardized raw materials, quality standards, and units of measurement!

The team collects the raw materials themselves within the center and completes the processing according to the standards!

They figured out how to divide tasks and improve efficiency within the team themselves!
We are only responsible for providing the venue, standardizing raw materials, setting standards, and strictly controlling quality!

We accept orders that meet the standards, and pay according to the quantity!

Daily settlement!

If it doesn't meet the standards, we will refuse to accept it!
Repeat offenders will have their qualifications revoked!

Once the processed and qualified raw materials are delivered to the cooking workshop in the main plant area through a dedicated channel, they will be immediately transported to the main plant area.

Quality inspectors are stationed at the contracted centers to conduct on-site random checks! This ensures freshness and quality!

As Chen Bingwen spoke, he drew a layout diagram of the contracting center and a raw material flow diagram on a piece of paper.

His thinking was frighteningly clear, and his plan was so mature that it didn't seem like a spur-of-the-moment idea; it was as if he had already rehearsed it countless times in his mind!

As Ling Peiyi listened, her eyes widened, her mouth involuntarily opened slightly, and her expression changed from initial confusion to surprise, and then to deep shock!

As a professional manager, she was all too aware of the disruptive nature and immense potential of this plan!
This completely breaks away from the current fixed-employment model of all factories!

It completely strips away, revitalizes, and marketizes the most manpower-intensive, difficult-to-manage, and least efficient processes!

By utilizing the simplest yet most powerful principle of "more work, more pay," productivity can be instantly boosted!

Moreover, the idea of ​​setting up a dedicated independent contracting center not only ensures centralized management and unified standards, but also enables flexible subcontracting, which is simply a stroke of genius!

"This...this..." Ling Peiyi took a long time to find her voice, her voice filled with unbelievable excitement, "Contracted piecework. Independent processing center breaks down large tasks into smaller ones to stimulate individual potential. Mr. Chen!"

This idea is so... so ahead of its time! It's absolutely mind-blowing!
This can fundamentally solve our manpower and efficiency bottlenecks!

If it operates well, the front-end production capacity will have virtually no upper limit! And the establishment of this contracting center is simply a brilliant idea!
Centralized management, decentralized production – a perfect balance!

This is practically applying the project contracting system to the forefront of industrial production!

Her eyes were filled with admiration and amazement for Chen Bingwen.

The boss's thinking always breaks with convention, takes unconventional approaches, yet gets straight to the heart of the problem!
This wisdom of cross-disciplinary integration deeply impressed her!
“That’s right!” Chen Bingwen said decisively, his eyes gleaming with confidence. “Time is of the essence, execute immediately!”

He looked at Gao Zhenhai: "Ah Hai, I'll leave the venue to you!"
At the same time, immediately gather the sisters of the Mango Team!

Explain the piece-rate contract scheme and its benefits to them clearly!
They were made the leaders of the first batch of contracting groups.

Tell them that whoever forms a group first will get a 10% raise on their wages for the first three days!

Let them mobilize their neighbors, relatives, and friends! Many hands make light work!

"Okay! Brother Wen! Leave it to me! I'll go right now!"

Gao Zhenhai finally understood the brilliance of the plan, and immediately became full of energy, turning around and running away.

“Director Ling!” Chen Bingwen turned to her, “You are responsible for the most crucial points:
Immediately develop a detailed operation manual, clearly defining standards, safety regulations, and quality inspection details! The more detailed, the better!

Considering the workers' educational level, a combination of pictures and text would be best!
Draft the "Piece-Rate Contract" to clearly define rights and responsibilities, wages, settlement methods (daily settlement), and rewards and penalties!
Calculate the balance between cost and labor price to ensure that the labor price is attractive enough without affecting the overall profit, and make minor adjustments if necessary!
Coordinate manpower to equip the contracted center with at least two on-site management and quality control personnel, and ensure they are adequately trained!

"Yes, Mr. Chen! I'll get on it right away! I guarantee the contracting center will open on time in three days!"

As if injected with a powerful stimulant, Ling Peiyi turned around and rushed to her office. She could already foresee the enormous changes that this contracting center would bring to Chen's once it was up and running!
As Chen Bingwen watched the two figures quickly move away, the heavy pressure in his heart eased slightly.

"Hopefully, the contract responsibility system can break through this siege of production capacity!" he murmured to himself.

　Guys, have you figured out how to solve the raw material pretreatment problem?
　　Surprised? Unexpected?

　　For those who have monthly passes, could you please cast a few? Thanks for your support!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)