Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 206 United
"Brother, I also agree with the idea of ​​cooperating with Beijing City Vegetable Company."

Off-season vegetables are just starting to emerge, and the market is experiencing a supply shortage. However, in a few years, when more people grow vegetables in greenhouses, the situation will be different, and the importance of good distribution channels will become apparent.

Just like summer vegetables, having a stable sales channel not only allows you to sell at a high price, but also ensures the company's stable and rapid development. Jin Baiwan, as a vegetable buyer, has extensive experience in this area.

After thinking for a moment, he offered another suggestion: "Moreover, I think that once the greenhouse vegetable production increases this winter, we can expand into new sales areas, such as the high-end vegetable market in Langfang City, which we must take over."

Lin Xiaohu was somewhat dismissive, "Brother Jin, how big is Langfang City? Can it compare to the market in Beijing? Besides, I reckon the prices here can't compare to those in Beijing either."

“Brother Lin, you’re right. The vegetable market in Langfang City can’t compare to that in the capital. But no matter where you are, there are poor people and rich people. There’s a small group of people in Langfang who are not short of money. These people are not only potential market members, but also people of status and position in Langfang City.”

"There's no harm in building good relationships; it'll give us more influence in Langfang in the future." Jin Baiwan paused for a moment, and seeing no one objected, continued:

"There are two advantages to taking over the off-season vegetable market in Langfang City. The first advantage is that the proximity reduces transportation costs and lowers overall expenses, which is a direct benefit."

Another advantage is that, just as Brother Li worried, if the farmers who signed vegetable purchase agreements with us next year do not fulfill their contracts and want to sell their vegetables secretly, their first choice will definitely be Langfang City.

After all, they couldn't get good prices in the village or town, and they didn't have the capacity to go too far. If they didn't fulfill the vegetable purchase agreement, the most likely outcome would be that they would sell their produce in Langfang City.

If the market in Langfang City is untapped, then they can sell at high prices; conversely, since we've secured the Langfang off-season vegetable market in advance, even if they transport their produce to Langfang to sell, they won't get high prices. All that trouble is less effective than selling their off-season vegetables to us according to the purchase agreement.

Li Zhe could understand Jin Baiwan's thoughts. With the Beijing Vegetable Company in charge, larger vegetable buyers dared not openly purchase off-season vegetables from growers. If they really dared to come, they might even get a piece of their flesh bitten off by the Beijing Vegetable Company.

The only concern is that growers might sell their vegetables secretly. However, vegetables are difficult to transport in winter, so the only place growers can sell their produce is Langfang City. Blocking this sales channel would eliminate most of the possibility of growers selling their vegetables privately.

After all, Li Zhe's purchase price for farmers won't be too low. If they mess around and try to make things worse, they might not even get a higher price than Li Zhe offered.

Li Zhe's purpose in holding today's meeting was to stabilize morale and get everyone to work diligently under his guidance. Seeing the excitement and anticipation on everyone's faces, he knew he had achieved his goal for the year, and said with a smile, "Don't spread the contents of today's meeting. We'll move forward step by step after the company's business license is issued. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

Jin Baiwan said, "Brother Li, if others get wind of this and want to invest in our vegetable company, would you agree?"

Li Zhe had thought about this before: "In my opinion, the most important thing for a company is not capital, but talent. If the other party has the technology or capabilities we need, we can let them invest in us; or if the other party has the resources we need, we can also consider that."

Otherwise, I don't think simply investing in shares is necessary.

Jin Baiwan thought to himself that it was fortunate he had established a good relationship with Li Zhe beforehand; otherwise, even with money, Li Zhe wouldn't include him in his social circle.

Li Zhiqiang stretched out his arm and asked, "Uncle, I'd like to ask, what are the performance evaluation criteria for this technician? And how much of a raise can I expect?"

Everyone present was also very interested in this question. Unlike Jin Baiwan, their career development this year was focused on becoming technicians. If their skills didn't meet the standards, nothing else mattered.

Li Zhe also lacked experience in this area, saying, "I haven't figured out the specific standards yet, but there are two things that must be done: first, one must be able to independently take care of greenhouse vegetables; second, one must be able to teach and guide newcomers and growers in planting greenhouse vegetables."

I believe that as long as you do these two things, you are a qualified technician.

As for the increase in income, it will be linked to your work performance. Salary increases are one aspect, but the main factor is bonuses.

During the off-season for off-season vegetables, wages remain the same, but bonuses will be lower; after November, when off-season vegetables reach their peak season, bonuses will definitely be higher than wages.

Li Zhe then answered several questions from the crowd, clearing up their doubts. He concluded, "Investing in the vegetable company is no small matter. Everyone should go back and discuss it thoroughly with their families. If you don't want to invest, you can stay and work as technicians."

If anyone wants to build their own vegetable greenhouse and operate independently, that's fine too, just let me know in advance.

Alright, everyone, meeting adjourned.

Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, so I'd better finish my work early and go home early.

…… night.

Li Weidong's home.

Li Weidong didn't sleep a wink last night, and by the afternoon he was so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open. After getting home, he soaked his feet in hot water and then went to bed.

My daughter, Daya, was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed) playing. She would push him a couple of times and kick him with her little feet.

Seeing that he didn't move, she flipped over and straddled him, calling out, "Giddy up... ride the big horse..."

Li Weidong was so sleepy that he mistook his daughter's fussing for a massage, making it even harder for him to keep his eyes open.

Just as he was drifting off to sleep, he heard his wife exclaim from beside him, "Oh dear, I was so excited that I forgot to ask about the important matter!"

This afternoon, after hearing that Li Zhe was going to start a company and that they were allowed to invest in it, the Malaysian boy was very excited.

Li Weidong was startled, turned around, and asked while yawning, "Wife, what's wrong?"

Ma Lai Xiao also got onto the kang (a heated brick bed), casually pushing away Daya who was lunging at her. "Wei Dong, what do you think we should do if we use the loan money to build greenhouses, then sell the greenhouses to Lao Er's company, and use the money to invest in the company? How many shares would we get?"

Li Weidong had also thought about this in the afternoon and replied, "It's hard to say. It depends on the company's total investment. However, no matter how many shares we own, its value is equivalent to one acre of greenhouse, and the future output will not be less than what we earn growing vegetables in our own greenhouse."

I think investing is a good idea. My second son also has established sales channels, so working with him would be less risky.

The Malaysian boy asked, "Of course I know that. So, since everyone has shares, who will be in charge of the company from now on?"

"Of course we'll listen to the second son. How much money do we have? He earns several thousand yuan a day now, and as the vegetables in the remaining greenhouses ripen, his income will only increase. By the end of May, he'll have saved at least two or three hundred thousand yuan, plus the more than twenty greenhouses he built with the loan..."

As he spoke, Li Weidong lost count and waved his hand, saying, "The second brother is just leading us to make some money; he's still the one who calls the shots in the company."

Malay nodded, "Actually, this is good. The second son is capable, and we can make money by following him; if everyone else gets involved, they might ruin the company."

Li Weidong tentatively asked, "Wife, aren't you planning to build the greenhouse yourself?"

"Am I stupid? Why would I bother with something so good? Besides, we can both stay at the company as technicians with stable incomes, which is much better." The young Malaysian man hugged his daughter tightly, secretly determined to pass the technician assessment.

Li Weidong chuckled as well.

During this period, he has been troubled by one thing: whether to continue working with his second brother this winter or to build his own vegetable greenhouse.

Emotionally, he still wanted to work with his second brother. After all, they were brothers. It was his younger brother who taught him and his wife the techniques for growing vegetables in greenhouses.

But rationally speaking, seeing how much money his younger brother made building vegetable greenhouses, he also wanted to build his own.

What worries him more is that if he has this thought, others will surely have similar ideas. If everyone goes it alone this winter, Li Zhe won't be able to continue expanding the greenhouses, and his existing operations will fall apart.

Now that the second son is starting a company and allowing everyone to invest and become shareholders, it means that in addition to their salaries, they can also receive profits from the greenhouse vegetables. Logically and emotionally, no one has any reason to leave.

Li Weidong no longer needs to struggle with the decision of going solo or continuing to work with his younger brother. He believes that as long as the family works together, life will only get better.

Soon, the room was filled with snoring.

He slept soundly that night...

(End of this chapter)