Rebirth in Hong Kong: From Dessert Shop to Industrial Empire.

Chapter 264 Plotting 4K (Seeking monthly votes, recommendations, and subscriptions!)

Li Luyan was not completely ignorant of business. Coming from a scholarly family, she had been exposed to business from a young age and was quite proficient in the ways of doing business.

In the past, her husband had always been there to support her. After marriage, she was able to focus on being a wife and mother without having to worry about anything herself.

Now that her husband is seriously ill and the situation is dire, she needs to stand up and shoulder the heavy responsibility of benefiting the family.

She forced herself to calm down and carefully weighed the pros and cons.

The soft drink factory is profitable, but competition in the beverage industry is becoming increasingly fierce, with new technologies and brands constantly emerging.

She was still able to manage when her husband was alive.

Now that her husband is seriously ill and her children are too young to take over the business, is she capable of leading this old factory through fierce market competition?

She pondered it repeatedly and felt a lack of confidence.

Rather than holding onto this business, which may gradually decline in your hands, it's better to sell it at its peak value, cash out a huge sum of money, and leave more flexible wealth for your children.

This money can be used for more secure investments, or to support the careers your children truly want to pursue in the future.

After thinking it through, she went to the bedroom, looked at her husband, Li Xiaohe, who was lying on the hospital bed with a pale face, and quietly told him about their current situation and a few options.

Li Xiaohe weakly opened his eyes, his face pale and his breathing somewhat rapid.

Li Luyan sat down on the edge of the bed and gently held his slightly cold hand.

After a long pause, Li Xiaohe and the others, their breathing stabilizing somewhat, weakly asked, "Yanqun—what do you think?"

He knew that his health had deteriorated significantly this time, and he would probably be unable to do things personally in the future.

Li Luyan took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice steady: "Xiaohe, although the soda factory is still profitable, the competition is getting fiercer and fiercer."

Especially Chen Kee, which acquired Watsons, has been very successful.

Our factory's equipment is outdated. To keep up, we need to invest a lot of money to upgrade the production line and also deal with new marketing methods.

I—I don’t have much confidence in managing this business well.

The children are all young and inexperienced. I'm afraid that putting too much responsibility on them now might actually make things worse.

She paused, observing her husband's expression, and continued, "Jia Ning's offer is very high, but this company has a mysterious background and has risen too quickly. I always feel uneasy about it."

On the contrary, Chen Bingwen of Sugar Heart Capital, although young, seems to have a methodical approach to his work. He acquired a British company with real money and recently donated to build a school, so he has a good reputation.

He started out in the beverage industry. If we sell the business to him, perhaps—perhaps we can keep the factory, and the workers will have jobs too.

Li Xiaohe remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ceiling, seemingly weighing his options.

He took over the business from his father and managed it for decades. Now that he has to sell it himself, he is naturally reluctant.

But he knew all too well that once he passed away, the widow and her children he left behind might not be able to protect the family business, and could instead become the target of others' covetousness.

Rather than being passive later, it's better to take the initiative now, cash out a solid sum of money, and ensure your family's future well-being.

"Sigh—" He sighed deeply, then gently patted his wife's hand. "Your analysis makes sense."

I don't know when I'll fully recover from this illness.

You decide what to do about the factory.

Jia Ning declined.

We could try contacting Chen Bingwen.

But the terms need to be agreed upon. Price is one thing, but the workers' resettlement is another, and—we also need to consider the reputation of the Li family.

He was, after all, an older generation businessman who valued his reputation.

"I understand." Li Luyan nodded, feeling reassured.

With her husband's support, she felt the burden on her shoulders lighten.

A few days later, in the coffee shop of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Li Luyanqun, accompanied by a female assistant, met with Chen Bingwen and his special advisor, Michael, who had come as arranged.

Chen Bingwen was dressed in a well-fitting dark suit and had a calm demeanor, unlike the impetuousness of most young people, which gave Li Luyan a good first impression.

After exchanging pleasantries, Li Luyanqun got straight to the point, her tone calm but carrying a hint of barely perceptible fatigue: "Mr. Chen, thank you for taking the time."

You are probably aware of our family's recent situation.

Xiaohe needs to rest and recuperate, so I will temporarily take care of the soda factory.

I've heard your company is very interested in the beverage business?

Chen Bingwen nodded and said frankly, "Mrs. Li, please give my regards to Mr. Li and wish him a speedy recovery."

As Li Tai said, Chen Ji Foods has always focused on the beverage industry.

Lee Ka's soft drink factory is a long-established brand in Hong Kong, with a deep-rooted brand and distribution channels, which we greatly respect.

Li Luyan nodded slightly, expressing his satisfaction with Chen Bingwen's approval: "Mr. Chen, you flatter me."

Established brands have their advantages, but they also face their own challenges.

To be honest, the market competition is fierce now, and the factory's equipment is becoming outdated.

Xiaohe and I discussed it and felt that bringing in a more capable partner might be better for the factory's long-term development.

She didn't rush to sell, leaving room for maneuver.

Chen Bingwen understood immediately and replied, "We are very optimistic about the future of the beverage market in Hong Kong Island and even Southeast Asia."

If Li Tai and Li Sheng have the trust, Chen Ji Foods is willing to invest resources to help Li Jia Soft Drink Factory upgrade its equipment and expand its channels, so that this old brand can be revitalized.

We can explore various cooperation models, such as joint ventures, or us acquiring a portion of the equity, while Lijia can still retain a certain share and influence.

Upon hearing Chen Bingwen's words, Li Luyanqun pondered.

Chen Bingwen's proposed cooperation model is more sincere than Jia Ning's one-off buyout approach, and it also takes into account Li Jia's reputation.

But she knew in her heart that her husband's health condition and her children's wishes made her more inclined to cash out completely and simplify her assets so that she could focus on taking care of her family and make more flexible financial arrangements.

"I can feel Chen Sheng's sincerity." Li Luyan carefully considered her words. "However, considering that Xiaohe's health requires long-term rest, and the children each have their own ambitions."

We might prefer a one-off transaction that would allow Mr. Chen to develop the business entirely according to his own plan.

""

She paused, then added, "Of course, we have a deep affection for the factory's long-time employees, and we hope that Mr. Chen will give them priority in whatever arrangements are made."

Chen Bingwen understood what the other party meant.

Li Jia wants to let go completely.

This suited him perfectly; a full acquisition would be more beneficial for later integration.

I understand.

Please rest assured, Chen Ji Foods has always valued its employees.

If the deal goes through, we will, in principle, accept all existing employees and invest in training them to help them adapt to the new management system.

As for the factory and brand, we will certainly manage them well and will not let down Lisheng and Litai's hard work.

The subsequent talks moved into more substantive discussions.

Ultimately, the two parties reached a preliminary framework agreement: Chenji Food, a subsidiary of Sugar Heart Capital, will acquire all of Lijia Soda Factory's land, factory buildings, equipment, brand, and all distribution channels, and will also take over all its employees.

The transaction price is within a reasonable range, and both parties agree that the final price will be determined after their respective teams conduct detailed due diligence.

After the meeting, Li Luyan escorted Chen Bingwen and Mai Lisi to the hotel entrance.

As they parted, Li Luyanqun looked at Chen Bingwen and said with emotion, "Mr. Chen is young and promising. In the future, the business world of Hong Kong Island will belong to you young people."

I hope the soft drink factory will thrive under your management.

"It is auspicious to receive such a favorable offer."

We will do our best.

"9

Chen Bingwen responded solemnly.

Once inside the car, McLeod couldn't help but say, "Boss, Li Tai is no ordinary person."

He has a clear mind, strong decisiveness, and a very accurate grasp of the bottom line for prices.

After seeing Chen Bingwen and Michaels off, Li Luyan did not leave the Mandarin Oriental Hotel immediately.

She told her assistant to go back to the company to handle routine matters, while she ordered a cup of black tea and sat alone in a corner of the coffee shop, gazing at the scenery outside the window, slowly processing the results of the meeting.

The meeting with Chen Bingwen went more smoothly than she had expected.

This young man is indeed as rumored: calm, direct, and with clear goals.

The conditions he offered, whether it was the acquisition price or the promises made for the resettlement of employees, seemed very sincere. Especially compared to the seemingly generous but somewhat superficial offer from the Jianing Group, Chen Bingwen's pragmatic approach made her feel more at ease.

"A one-time transaction, a complete cash-out—" Li Luyan gently stirred the black tea in her cup, silently reciting to herself.

This was a decision she and her husband, Lee Hyo-wah, made together.

Despite having her husband's approval, she still felt a pang of regret at the thought of selling the family business that represented half a lifetime of his hard work.

But reason told her that this was the best option for the Li family as a whole. She had to be strong and steer the family in the right direction.

After resting for a while, Li Luyan got up and left.

She needs to return to the company immediately, convene the management and legal team, and prepare for the next stage of due diligence and detailed negotiations with Sugar Heart Capital.

Time is of the essence; we must proceed with this matter as quickly and prudently as possible before the information is leaked.

Meanwhile, on the way back to the Weiye Building, Chen Bingwen sat in the back seat of the Mercedes-Benz, replaying in his mind the details of his meeting with Li Luyanqun.

The woman's calmness, decisiveness, and clear understanding of the situation at a critical juncture when her husband was seriously ill and the family business faced a decision left a deep impression on him.

"Li Tai is indeed no ordinary person," he thought to himself.

The acquisition of Li Jia Soft Drink Factory is not only about adding a high-quality asset to Chen Ji Food and eliminating a potential competitor, but also about creating an opportunity to establish a substantial connection with Li Jia.

As a long-established family, the Lee family has deep roots in both the political and business circles of Hong Kong Island. In particular, its shares in Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) are a crucial part of Chan Ping-man's long-term strategy.

Cultivating a good relationship with Li Lu Yanqun now might give them an advantage in the event of future changes in TVB's shareholding structure.

"Simon," Chen Bingwen said to Mai Lisi in the passenger seat, "the due diligence for the acquisition of Lijia Soda Factory should be started as soon as possible."

In addition, we must maintain good communication with Litai, and their opinions should be fully respected in the subsequent integration plan, especially regarding the resettlement of long-term employees.

"Understood, Mr. Chen."

"I will personally oversee this to ensure a smooth handover." McLeish nodded in agreement and jotted down the key points in his notebook.

The car drove back to Weiye Building.

As soon as Chen Bingwen sat down in his office, his secretary, Ali, announced that Huo Jianning and Morris had arrived.

They came to report on the preliminary plans regarding the selection of the group's headquarters location and the renaming of RTV (Rediffusion Television).

"Mr. Chen." The two entered the office, and Huo Jianning placed several documents on the table. "Regarding the location of the new headquarters building for the group, we have initially selected three options."

Chen Bingwen gestured for them to sit down: "Tell me about it."

Huo Jianning opened the folder: "The first and most direct solution is to use the remaining space in the Hutchison Whampoa headquarters building."

The advantages are that the property is already in use, the cost is lower, and integration is convenient.

The downside is that the Hutchison Whampoa Building is located on Pedder Street, which, while traditionally a financial hub, may not have the spatial layout to meet the growing needs of our future group headquarters. Furthermore, its image is somewhat conservative and doesn't quite match the aggressive nature of Sugarheart Capital as an emerging holding group.

"The second option is to find another location in the core area of ​​Central and build a new headquarters building."

The advantage is that it can be designed entirely according to our needs, establishing a brand-new corporate image and showcasing our strength.

The downsides are the long development cycle, huge investment, and the scarcity and exorbitant prices of suitable land in the core area of ​​Central.

"The third option is a compromise."

Near Admiralty, there is a Grade A office building called Hung Fat Building that is about to be completed. The developer seems to be facing some financial difficulties and is willing to sell the entire building or lease it out long-term.

It has a great location, close to the future Admiralty MRT station, with convenient transportation and state-of-the-art building design and facilities.

If purchased as a whole, it can serve as the headquarters for Sugarheart Capital and its core subsidiaries, and will be sufficient even if the business expands in the future.

Chen Bingwen listened attentively, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.

The first option is too simplistic, the second option is ideal but takes too long, and the third option sounds more feasible.

"Hongfa Building — Has the specific location, size, and price assessment been completed?"

"Preliminary data is here." Huo Jianning pushed an assessment report over. "The total floor area is approximately 42 square feet, and the developer's asking price is HK$9.4 million."

Based on the findings of the investigation, there should be room for negotiation.

If you buy it, you can not only use it yourself, but also rent out any surplus, making it a good investment in itself.

Chen Bingwen quickly scanned the key data in the report.

Purchasing the entire building would indeed solve the headquarters' needs in one step, and it would also be a high-quality fixed asset investment, which aligns with his strategy of strengthening his asset base.

"Yes, this plan is worth exploring in depth."

Jianning, you're in charge of following up on this project. Find out the developer's background and true financial situation, and see how much you can negotiate the price down.

"Okay, Mr. Chen," Huo Jianning replied.

After dealing with the headquarters building matter, the topic turned to RTV (Rediffusion Television).

"Mr. Chen," Morris reported, "we've discussed the TV station's name change internally several times and also consulted with brand consultants."

"We have considered various opinions and have several alternative directions," Morris continued. "One is to emphasize Chinese or Chinese elements, such as Chinese television and China Satellite TV, highlighting cultural roots and target audience."

Secondly, some names incorporate the characteristics and perspective of Hong Kong Island, such as Asia Television and Pearl Television, which are derived from the image of the Pearl of the Orient. Thirdly, some names are simpler and easier to remember, such as ATV emphasizing locality and Five Star Television symbolizing good fortune.

Chen Bingwen pondered, dissatisfied with none of the names Morris had mentioned.

The name of a television station is very important; it is the first business card of a newly established television station.

It should reflect a broad vision, but it must not be detached from the masses.

It needs to be easy to disseminate, and also able to support future development ambitions.