Twenty years of cold chain

Hu Shutong helped Pang Shiyou to the bedroom to sleep, and soon soft snoring could be heard.

As night deepened, Hu Shutong sat on the sofa, his gaze somewhat vacant. Whenever people talk about old houses or cottages, they either record the warm years of the past or depict the affectionate moments of the present. But here, Hu Shutong felt a deep sense of emptiness.

The wall calendar is from 03, and the brand of liquor we drank has been discontinued five years ago. The newspaper on the side of the coffee table shows a shot of the women's volleyball team spiking the ball across the net when they won the championship in 84.

Like many others, Hu Shutong's mind was filled with words like "simple" when he thought of his teacher's work. Only now did he realize that this was actually an empty-nest old man who was still attached to the past.

It was late at night. Hearing his teacher sleeping soundly, Hu Shutong went outside and sat between the two pots of ivy. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and several house cats leaped between the buildings across the street. If they were slightly bumped, they would quickly disappear and return to their places, not daring to leap again.

The phrase "our alliance" began to echo in Hu Shutong's mind like a broken record.

Unlike before, when he was knowledgeable but uncertain, and hesitant to act, Hu Shutong was now completely determined to form an alliance. He spared no effort in contributing his energy, mobilizing people he had known over the years, including those in academic circles and businesses, Mingjiang and Qingning, to connect with more experts and business owners, allowing everyone's network of contacts to converge into a mighty torrent.

At the same time, one name after another emerged, and they gradually gathered together, gaining momentum in Hu Shutong's mind.

He knew that his teacher was better prepared to display such strength and determination. He would unite those dedicated to the cold chain industry on a larger scale, bringing together veterans from all corners of the country and the new generation of backbone workers.

Countless entrepreneurs like Hu Shutong, countless advocates for industry progress, and numerous technical experts in storage and transportation have built a massive physical platform. This platform brings people closer together and strengthens connections between points, solving the high costs of the cold chain. This benefits business owners and brings farms closer to the dining table!

To embark on a truly shared path, to work together with like-minded individuals, and to witness the triumphs and tribulations of history—thinking of this fills one with a sense of security and fearlessness!

……

On the same night, when everything was as still as water, Liang Lu sat in front of the large stone tablet at the entrance of Lianghuzhuang Village.

He realized he was wrong, he had been wrong all along!

These days, it's not the goods that matter, it's the legs that matter. Those who have cars to drive and warehouses to store are the real decision-makers in this industry!

When he saw trucks from the southern suburbs hauling away fruit from Lianghuzhuang, taking the fruit away at prices even lower than the first batch on the market, and when fruit farmers from the surrounding villages were still grateful and thankful, those were unforgettable scenes.

Fruit farmers hoarding goods were accused of hoarding and speculation, and price differences from distant markets were seen as wishful thinking. The gossip from outsiders and villagers alike was almost overwhelming the Liang family. He felt his reputation, built up over many years, crumbling, and he realized that his past competitiveness had been misplaced.

The wind was fierce at the village entrance, and the crows were noisy. The moon's reflection on the branches could never be erased. The moon was stubborn and wouldn't move, and the clouds lingered and wouldn't give in.

As he pondered, a sudden realization dawned on Liang Lu, making him feel incredibly fortunate. He saw Liang Lu abruptly sit up straight, as if a thousand obstacles had been cleared in an instant.

From another perspective, he realized that this was not a lesson, but a reminder!

The cold chain has weathered its darkest years, gradually establishing standards and guidelines for processes like ammonia, fluoride, oxygen, and nitrogen oxides, as well as for storage and transportation. The efforts of those who came before have provided the benefits for future generations. Moreover, with the explosive growth of e-commerce, increased public awareness of food safety, and the continuous introduction of new policies, the cold chain is becoming one of the most pressing needs of our time!

He cannot be abandoned by this prosperous era. He must also be a leader and compete for his own position. Only by having vehicles and warehouses can he have the opportunity to join this torrent, control the flow, and stand tall at the top of the tide!

If we don't go ashore now, when will we?

Once again, he compared himself to Hu Shutong. He had already thoroughly investigated Hu Shutong from Hu Yuntong. Family background: a small-time vegetable farmer with five acres of land, a migrant from the north, and a well-known figure in the neighborhood. Tongxing had been thriving for over three years, seemingly full of vigor and success, but in reality, he was still burdened with millions of yuan in loans.

Given these circumstances, Liang Lu has managed to reach this point. Even with his considerable academic background, he is by no means inferior. His strength far surpasses that of Hu Shutong.

It's no exaggeration to say that if Liang Lu had truly established his business in this area, he could have captured the market for half of Tongze County's goods.

Soon, a more realistic picture came to mind: the Liang family was quite wealthy, and they also had influential relatives in the county government. Moreover, businesses and towns in Tongze County, and even the entire Mingnan region, had a need for cold chain warehousing and transportation; they not only had their own goods, but they also had no shortage of customers.

The inconvenience of transportation in the past is being greatly improved. This realization made Liang Lu feel that there was a wonderful combination of favorable timing, location, and human factors.

More importantly, unlike the arduous struggles of cold chain development years ago, there is now an abundance of resources to draw upon. A quick glance through journals reveals standard cold storage room layout diagrams, recommendations for refrigeration equipment selection, and comprehensive cold storage site selection solutions. A quick online search yields countless SWOT analyses, clearly outlining strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Many papers also offer more explicit interpretations of wholesale markets in production and sales areas, cold chain logistics distribution centers, and so on.

Liang Lu realized he couldn't wait any longer. Over the years, he had been misled by suppliers. The future of this industry wasn't about being Tongxing's customer, but about turning more companies into his own customers.

Only in this way can he and Hu Shutong be considered equals, filled with ambition and determination. With these innate advantages and the general trend of the times, he is destined to succeed!

……

I've loved cold chain logistics for twenty years.