My Realistic Simulation Game

Chapter 71 The Ghost That Has Been Wandering for Half a Century
Coca-Cola seems to be in complete opposition to the Soviet system.

After all, this was a long time ago, right after the end of World War II.

In the Soviet propaganda machine, Coca-Cola was nailed to the pillar of shame as a symbol of "the decadent lifestyle of the West".

But in reality, the specter of this "decadent beverage" had been haunting the halls of power in the Soviet Union for half a century.

Marshal Zhukov was addicted to Coca-Cola at the time. In order to get a bottle of Coca-Cola, he passed a message to the US high command. The high command then ordered Coca-Cola to specially produce 50 cases of transparent bottles with the red star logo at its Belgian factory. These were disguised as vodka and put into Zhukov's desk.

Of course, such transactions are only available to high-level executives and are not open to the general public.

During the era of the Corn Emperor, Pepsi seized the opportunity of greater public exposure.

At the 1959 Moscow World's Fair, Pepsi executive Donald Kendall orchestrated a photo of the "Corn Emperor" drinking Pepsi in public to make headlines in major American newspapers.

This public relations effort greatly boosted Pepsi's reputation and eased the Soviet Union's absolute ban on cola.

Thirteen years later, in 1972, Pepsi went a step further, signing an exclusive agreement with the Soviet Union, becoming the first Western consumer goods giant to legally enter the Soviet market.

Is the ruble no longer valid for international circulation?
It's okay, the Soviets traded vodka for Coca-Cola concentrate!
Thus, a peculiar "barter" model was born.

However, the foundations of the empire were crumbling, and the year came to last, 1989.

The Soviet Union's economic situation had deteriorated to the point that it could no longer support such "liquid for liquid" transactions.

Vodka supplies are tight, but Pepsi's demand for vodka concentrate has not decreased.

Then, an even more absurd and astonishing scene unfolded: the Soviet government actually exchanged 17 submarines and 3 warships (including large vessels such as cruisers and destroyers) for $30 billion worth of Coca-Cola concentrate!

Pepsi's CEO even jokingly remarked that his company had become the "world's sixth largest navy" overnight.

Of course, the Soviet Union wasn't stupid either. Although it sent PepsiCo 20 warships, the vast majority of them were just empty shells, which didn't serve any purpose for PepsiCo.

The important equipment on the warship had already been removed, and what Pepsi got was just an empty shell, which was of no use and could only be sold to the shipyard as scrap metal for dismantling.

Coca-Cola's entry into the market was even more complicated.

It cleverly circumvented Pepsi's exclusive agreement and successfully launched at the 1980 Moscow Olympics as "Fanta" soft drink.

However, Gorbachev's strict prohibition on alcohol in 1985 unexpectedly did Coca-Cola a great favor.

Because of the sharp decline in vodka supply, Pepsi's "barter" chain broke down, and Coca-Cola seized the opportunity to flood in and quickly erode the market.

Therefore, the two behemoths that now dominate the beverage market in Moscow and even the entire Soviet Union are Pepsi and Coca-Cola.

Behind them are powerful capital, established brands, ubiquitous distribution channels, and... a history entangled with the Soviet leadership, filled with dark humor and imperial tragedy.

Qin Yuan sat on the train to Moscow, weighing the bottle of "Far East Kvass" in his hand, savoring its unique coolness and sweet-sour taste.

He knew very well that his Far East Company was as insignificant as a snowflake on the Siberian wilderness compared to those two giants.

A head-on collision? That would be like throwing an egg against a rock.

But he has something they don't—roots.

Coca-Cola is a foreign import, a symbol of "Western decadence." No matter how much it pleased marshals, how it made leaders drink it in public, or even how it took away a country's warships, in terms of cultural genes, it has always been "the other."

Kvass, its roots are deeply embedded in the black soil of the East European Plain, flowing in the blood of the Slavic people. By raising the banner of "national beverage," we can awaken the cultural identity and national pride of the Slavic people, using the local, traditional, and healthy "kvass" to counter the foreign "cola," a symbol of Western consumerism!
This is the most direct, powerful, and resonant weapon in the current chaotic situation!
However, this strategy has a fatal pitfall—time.

It's 1990 now.

Qin Yuan knew better than anyone that the vast empire beneath his feet was crumbling at a visible speed.

While the banner of nationalism may be useful, if it bears the hammer and sickle, it will instantly become a target of backlash when the empire collapses.

Therefore, it cannot be bound to the Soviet Union, and it cannot even be involved in politics.

The target group is the Slavic people.

The history of kvass provides precisely this depth.

Its origins can be traced back to the time of Kievros. It was a daily drink enjoyed by both farmers and nobles, an extension of bread, and was called "liquid bread."

It embodies the wisdom of life and dietary traditions of the Slavic people over thousands of years.

Its health benefits are a natural advantage, which can be directly compared to the "high sugar" and "chemical additives" that cola is criticized for.

"Slavic kvass nourished our ancestors and will nourish our future."

Qin Yuan silently recited the core of a possible future advertising slogan: "The West has its Coca-Cola, we have kvass, which has been flowing for thousands of years!"

He believed that these two advertising slogans would surely win over a large number of Slavs who love this land.

So nationalism is good.

Making good use of nationalism can really make a lot of money!
Especially in the chaotic Soviet Union of today, raising the banner of national unity is the only way to unite the majority of people.

The independence of the various republics of the Soviet Union, one by one, was precisely because they stood under this banner.
With these thoughts in mind, Qin Yuan got through the dull and tedious train journey.

Six days and nights later, he returned to another icy world—Moscow!

Stepping off the train, a biting wind, carrying with it the familiar hustle and bustle, rushed towards me.

His return was like a stabilizing force, instantly giving Chen Jianhua, Gangzi, Magan'er, and others who were waiting on the platform a sense of security and allowing their tense nerves to relax.

"Brother Yuan! The goods have arrived! The journey was relatively smooth!"

Binzi and Wu Weiguo were also in the crowd. Binzi was the first to come forward and report, his voice steady.

On this trip, they brought back more than 5,000 sheepskin coats, with a total value of 800,000 RMB.

Fortunately, Old Zhang sold some of the invitations and had some funds.

A small portion of the remaining invitations were also mortgaged to the Red Star Factory for 1500 yuan each.

Despite the losses, these costs were negligible compared to the doubled profits in the Soviet market.

Qin Yuan wasn't concerned with these things, but rather...
“Binzi,” Qin Yuan’s gaze sharp as an eagle fell on Binzi’s face, “On the way back to Yanjing…did you run into Jia Dai?”

The air solidified instantly.

(End of this chapter)