Twenty years of cold chain

Meng Qiangqiang knew this matter would be difficult, so before setting off, he had a general discussion with Hu Shutong and sent him some information.

Sitting in the car, Meng Qiangqiang thought about it all the way. If he didn't get involved in these rural affairs and just focused on his business, Qiangyun Cold Chain would be doing very well. And it's already quite successful.

Even Mr. Liu, who used to patronize the company, praised it highly, making it a model example for a newly established cold chain industrial park.

However, anyone who has been to Tongxing knows that the cultivation of the fields is the foundation of Tongxing's survival. It has been valued and promoted by policies time and time again, discussed on a larger scale, and strived for on a larger stage. All of this is remarkable because of the practical things it has done.

By the time Meng Qiangqiang arrived at Tongxing, night had already fallen. Hu Shutong hosted a welcome dinner for him, attended by several department heads. He intended to let more people at Tongxing get to know Meng Qiangqiang in a new light, moving beyond past impressions and discussing the relationship between companies.

It had been a long time since I'd seen Meng Qiangqiang, and he had changed a lot. His face, which was already quite dark back then, was now incredibly dark. However, his manner of speaking and behaving was also very different from before. He handled these social situations with ease and was quite talkative with these people in the cold chain industry.

After the meal, the two discussed the materials on the computer in Hu Shutong's office.

"I've thought about this matter. First of all, Qiangyun must adhere to a major premise: no matter what you do afterward, you must be tied to this acquiring company and make full use of its resources."

Meng Qiangqiang nodded repeatedly. His luck was poor, but the other party's needs were very strong; if this matter were to be accomplished...

It's unrealistic to leave everything to Qiangyun. "Mr. Hu, regarding the specific operations, do you... have any ideas?"

"I did the math, and it would take an average of 100 to 120 trucks a day to complete the purchase of these 100,000 tons of sweet potatoes within a month. But if we reduce the average transportation time from 18 hours to 14 hours, it could be completed in 20 days."

Meng Qiangqiang was full of doubts. He certainly understood the importance of reducing the number of cars and the time spent, but how to do it was his biggest hope for coming here. His eyes immediately became eager.

Hu Shutong continued, "For the vehicle issue, you need to use this acquisition company to initiate a public bidding process for vehicles, but ultimately, Qiangyun will be responsible for coordinating the fleet. As long as the vehicle fleet is acquired according to the plan and divided into regions, it means that transportation time can be saved. You are familiar with this traffic flow issue, and you can draw data-driven conclusions based on the actual situation."

"I understand, I'll ask them for the car!"

"However, the ideal scenario of goods leaving without being stored is flawed. Storage is inevitable in this process, and based on the materials you provided, the potato farmers have lost trust in the purchasing company."

You have to think about this a lot. You should know that sweet potatoes can be converted into cash before they're sold.

That means using warehouse receipts as collateral for loans to pay potato farmers their profits before the sale.

"Furthermore, the first stage of agricultural product circulation is tax-exempt. Qiangyun can handle the input tax deduction at the local tax bureau. From what I understand, many purchasing companies currently overlook this. In this way, what you produce will not only be seen by purchasing companies. This is by no means just about 100,000 tons of sweet potatoes. Considering the overall situation in Ganzhou, there are many possibilities."

Meng Qiangqiang's eyes gleamed, his heart filled with astonishment. He had thought that the matter of this batch of sweet potatoes alone would be enough to discuss for a long time, but he never expected that the person in front of him would take the matter to a new level in just a few words. However, in an instant, he understood Hu Shutong's intention.

The 100,000 tons of sweet potatoes are just a microcosm; there are countless opportunities for transportation in Ganzhou. It's important to understand that most vegetable farmers are unaware of how difficult it is to transport their goods, and they don't care about the challenges of the journey, but they cannot afford a significant drop in profits. Purchasing companies and cold chain enterprises are middlemen; they only focus on upstream expansion and ignore downstream livelihoods, thus they will never achieve significant success.

"Qiangqiang, once Qiangyun truly grows stronger, there will be new ways to handle this. Sooner or later, you will establish your own distribution channels, and Qiangyun will inevitably expand beyond Longwei County. At that time, you will be able to secure the goods yourself and solve the inventory problems for more purchasing companies."

Hu Shutong had a lot to say to Meng Qiangqiang, and he could talk about these things for hours. But what good would it do? Even if Meng Qiangqiang could digest and understand everything, it would only be like traveling a thousand miles to learn from a master. After returning to Ganzhou, he would still be lost in thought, and when faced with a problem, the first thing he would think of would still be calling himself.

Many things cannot be accomplished simply by understanding the framework and being familiar with the overall picture. Details, daily routines, variables, and how to respond are the oars that propel the boat.

Others see Meng Qiangqiang as articulate and poised, but Hu Shutong sees him as a boy who, upon their reunion after a long separation, suddenly sees a rainbow.

There is a shortage of cold chain talent nationwide, and this is especially true in Ganzhou. Moreover, the talent in Ganzhou is concentrated in major cities. Given their current high demand, no one pays attention to how impressive the prospects of this county are.

As he and Meng Qiangqiang said, the matter is not just about the 100,000 tons of sweet potatoes. From Hu Shutong's perspective, the matter is not just about what the current solution is. He saw a strong sense of "sparseness" in Meng Qiangqiang.

Throughout Qiangyun's journey, Tongxing has provided invaluable assistance, from Hu Shutong leading the team in the initial stages to Liu Zhiying and her team's presence before and after the park's opening. In the days to come, Tongxing will continue to send a team to support Qiangyun at every stage.

Today, the cold chain industry is booming, and companies are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often boasting massive, million-ton bases and huge capital investments. This has led to a surge in talent seeking a broader platform. This predicament is not unique to Qiangyun; most emerging cold chain parks are utterly uncompetitive in the high-end job market.

Previously, in Hu Shutong's mind, this was a phenomenon that had been difficult to change for many years. However, the Meng Qiangqiang incident gave him a clear and concrete lesson.

At midnight, after much deliberation, Hu Shutong opened that drawer for the first time.

It has been more than two years since the teacher left.

Beside the red scarf, the sugar figurine sat quietly, and beneath it was the letter. He moved the letter aside and gently pulled out a page from the proposal.

There are some names on this paper, and the various professional titles listed in front of them are dazzling.

"Professor Hong, did my teacher ever mention corporate academies to you back then?"

"Hmph! The old man instructed me that I couldn't bring it up unless you brought it up yourself; you had to come to me!"

……

I've loved cold chain logistics for twenty years.