Zhu Shunyao spoke with a joking tone, "But I have too much produce, so sales are a problem. Right now, I mostly sell in bulk. Take small white cabbage for example. I sell it wholesale for five cents a jin. The wholesalers then sell it in the market for ten cents a jin. My five cents covers labor, fertilizer, seeds, and other costs. In reality, I only make one or two cents profit. It looks like I earn a lot because of the volume, but it’s just thin profits with high sales.
The sellers are different. Their stall fee in the market is only two cents a day. If a person buys fifty jin from me, that two-cent fee is almost nothing. After subtracting the five-cent cost, they make a solid four cents profit per jin. So, I think my sales model has issues. If I want to grow bigger, I can’t rely only on wholesale."
"So you want to open a vegetable packaging factory?" Cheng Baokun understood Zhu Shunyao’s meaning.
Zhu Shunyao didn’t hide anything. "I’ve looked into it. People here don’t worry about eating vegetables, but cities lack them. Cities rely on the countryside for supplies. But vegetables need to be fresh. By the time they reach the city, they’ve lost their freshness and don’t last long. Some rot and get thrown away. Others, like bracken, can’t be transported because they spoil too fast. Bracken picked in the morning looks old by night.
So, I want to open a vegetable packaging factory. Later, I can expand to fruits. I plan to buy a few vacuum packing machines. We put vegetables in bags and suck out the air. This keeps them fresh for at least half a month. Some things can even be frozen, like peas, broad beans, and soybeans. We shell them, vacuum pack them, and quick-freeze them. We can sell them in winter too. Of course, I have greenhouse vegetables in winter that are very fresh, but everyone has different preferences, right?"
Years of business had not been wasted. Zhu Shunyao’s vision had broadened, and his thinking had become more extensive.
Cheng Baokun had always known Zhu Shunyao was talented. Hearing this plan, his eyes lit up. "You’re spreading your net quite wide."
Zhu Shunyao scratched his head shyly. "I know. That’s why I came to discuss it with you, Brother. Are you interested? Let’s do it together. I’m better at farming than you, but I lack experience in running a factory. We can split the shares fifty-fifty. What do you think?"
"Twenty-eight split is fine. I take twenty, you take eighty." Cheng Baokun understood. Zhu Shunyao was inviting him to partner. Seeing the potential in the vegetable market, Cheng Baokun was naturally willing. Besides, although they were cooperating, Cheng Baokun knew he didn’t understand agriculture. He couldn’t manage it personally, only offer advice. Even with just a twenty percent share, if it succeeded, the dividends would be substantial. "So, your trip to the capital also had a purpose?"
Zhu Shunyao nodded. "Ani suggested I go to the capital to find equipment. I thought, since we’re opening a factory, the equipment must be good. Ideally, we should get equipment from Germany. I’ve checked many sources; their equipment in this field is very reliable. But going alone makes me feel unsure. The furthest I’ve gone is Yong City. I haven’t been anywhere else. So, I’d like you to go with me. You can guide me along the way."