Rebirth in Hong Kong: From Dessert Shop to Industrial Empire

Chapter 82 Hot Drinks (First update of 10,000 words a day! Please vote with your monthly tickets and recommendations!)
Based on the technological conditions and market demand in 1978, Chen Bingwen began to deduce the feasibility of paper cup milk tea in his mind.

Black tea powder, green tea concentrate, milk solids powder, cane sugar, paper cups, heat sealer. These readily available elements in 1978 were rapidly combined and mixed in his mind.

feasibility?
Needless to say.

Industrialized tea powder extraction technology is already mature, and several local food ingredient factories on Hong Kong Island can provide a stable supply.

Although creamer or non-dairy creamer is not mainstream at this time, there are no technical barriers to creating milk solid powders with similar taste and function by mixing milk powder, refined vegetable oil, powdered sugar and a small amount of emulsifier.

There is an ample supply of sucrose and glucose, and Thailand's Golden Elephant Foods itself exports sucrose.

Paper cups, plastic cups, sealing film, and simple heat sealing equipment are all existing, mature industrial products.

All of this points to a crystal-clear future: tear open the packaging, pour in hot water, and a cup of fragrant and smooth milk tea is instantly available.

Its core advantage lies precisely in its reliance on "heat".

Cold chain?

storehouse?

Typhoons disrupting navigation? That's no problem for it.

Wherever there is hot water, that's its stage!

As for sales channels!
They have convenience stores, grocery stores, and Wellcome supermarkets all over Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories, as well as their own standard stores, franchise stores and even mobile sales points.

All you need is a small space to set up a few rows of paper cups and milk tea powder, and a thermos of hot water, so that staff or customers can make their own drinks.

No need to invest in expensive freezers, no need to worry about power outages, it's simple to the extreme, and powerful to the extreme!
Moreover, the vast world of paper cup milk tea has opened its arms to students in school cafeterias, factory break rooms, office building reception areas, and long-distance bus stops—places where bottled sugar water is blocked by cold chain logistics.

It spreads like mercury, penetrating everywhere.

In terms of product positioning, it is a perfect match with bottled sugar water.

Bottled sugar water is primarily designed for chilling, ready-to-drink, and dessert enjoyment;
Paper cup milk tea is mainly served hot, warming, and refreshing.

With both hot and cold options, it seamlessly covers all consumption scenarios throughout the year.

By sharing the "Chen Ji" brand, driving traffic to each other, and jointly building the image of a convenient beverage expert, the synergistic effect is powerful.

The return on investment is even more enticing.

Production line modification?
A simple powder mixing and filling line, along with a few heat sealing machines, can be quickly set up using the existing space in the Kwun Tong or Sha Tin plant. Initially, it can even be done manually or semi-automatically, with investment costs far lower than those of aseptic filling lines that often cost millions.

The ready-to-drink hot beverage market, especially in fast-paced urban areas like Hong Kong Island and Singapore, has a potential scale and consumption frequency that far exceeds that of bottled sugar water!

The blueprint is crystal clear, and the future looks bright.

However, the news that Fang Wenshan had mentioned on the phone earlier—that the legal departments of giants like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nestlé, and Suntory were eyeing the bottle cap patent—also served as a reminder to Chen Bingwen.

"Do not store treasures before building high walls!"

The bottle cap is coveted because its value has been proven by the market.

Once paper cup milk tea is launched, its unique double-layer leak-proof sealing structure, its specific powder mixing ratio process that guarantees instant dissolution, no clumping, smooth taste, and even the name of the milk tea itself will become tempting prey for vultures!

These giants possess massive R&D teams, cutting-edge analytical equipment, and unfathomable pools of funds.

Once Chen Ji's milk tea becomes a hit, they can dismantle, analyze, and imitate it in a very short time, and even crush it with their scale advantage!
Without the protection of patent barriers, the new blue ocean that Chen Ji has painstakingly built could become a playground for giants in an instant, and Chen Ji itself might not even be able to recoup its ticket price!

patent!

Only patents!

Only by building an impregnable wall of law can the benefits of innovation be firmly locked within Chenji's territory!

Therefore, before the paper cup milk tea is officially launched, he needs to register all the patents related to milk tea.

Only after establishing a patent moat can the production of paper cup milk tea officially begin.

However, one must eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time.

Before that, the functional beverage formula development work should be completed as soon as possible.

Thinking of this, Chen Bingwen picked up the phone and dialed the internal number of the R&D center.

"Director Zhou, it's me. How's the energy drink project progressing?" Chen Bingwen asked as soon as the call connected.

Three days have passed since Chen Bingwen told Zhou Zhiyuan that he had used a flavor matrix to mask the rusty taste of taurine, and according to Chen Bingwen's prediction, there should be results by now.

"Chen Sheng, you've made a breakthrough. A huge breakthrough!"

Following the approach you mentioned the other day, we completely overturned the previous formula framework!
A completely new flavor matrix has been constructed!

Through sensory reconstruction and optimized screening using mint, complex amino acids, and B vitamins, the golden balance point was found.

The metallic smell was suppressed to an almost imperceptible level!

We have just completed the first batch of pilot-scale samples.

"Mr. Chen, can you come over now? We need your judgment!" Chen Bingwen smiled slightly: "Okay, I'll be right there."

The atmosphere in the tasting area outside the sterile operating room of the R&D center was slightly somber.

On the long, white lab bench, a dozen test tubes and several specially made transparent cups were neatly arranged, each containing liquids of different colors.

Zhou Zhiyuan and his core team, including doctoral students Liu Ming and Zhang Hua, and technical backbones A Zhen and A Qiang, were all wearing white coats and staring intently at the entrance of the R&D center.

The door was pushed open, and Chen Bingwen walked in with Ling Peiyi, Gao Zhenhai, and Zhong Qiang. Gao Zhenhai sniffed as soon as he entered: "Ugh! What's that smell?"
It's cool and refreshing, quite invigorating!

Zhou Zhiyuan stepped forward, his face flushed with excitement.

He carefully held a dark blue frosted glass bottle in his hands. The bottle had no label and contained an ice-blue liquid that refracted an alluring luster under the light.

"Mr. Chen, everyone, this is our first-generation functional beverage prototype, developed based on a brand-new sensory reconstruction concept!"

Zhou Zhiyuan's voice trembled slightly as he placed the bottle in the center of the table.
He then picked up a few small cups, poured in a thin layer of icy blue liquid, and handed them to Chen Bingwen, Ling Peiyi, Gao Zhenhai, and Zhong Qiang.

Chen Bingwen took the cup but did not taste it immediately.

He first observed carefully.

In its previous form, energy drinks such as Dongpeng and Red Bull were all yellowish liquids.

The prototype of the functional beverage developed by Zhou Zhiyuan is clear and transparent, with a pure ice-blue color, just like the meltwater of polar glaciers, which visually gives people a sense of coolness, purity and full of energy.

He gently swirled the cup, and the liquid clung evenly to the sides, exhibiting a suitable level of fluidity.

He brought the glass closer, and a scent of mint, lime, and some indescribable fresh fruitiness, with a hint of coolness, entered his nostrils, instantly dispelling the stuffiness of the office.

This aroma is layered and distinct, with notes of mint, lime, grapefruit, and kiwi, completely masking any unpleasant odors that taurine might bring.

A hint of approval flashed in Chen Bingwen's eyes.

He picked up his cup and took a small sip.

Cold!

That was my first impression.

It's not the coldness of physical temperature, but a cool sensation brought by menthol that instantly penetrates the oral mucosa, rushing from the tip of the tongue straight to the top of the head, dispelling all fatigue and confusion.

Next comes the refreshing feeling!

The perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors bursts on the tongue.

The two are perfectly balanced, providing a foundation for quick energy replenishment without being overly sweet or heavy.

After swallowing the liquid, the minty coolness did not completely disappear, but transformed into a lasting, refreshing aftertaste.

The rusty smell of taurine that had once troubled the R&D team has been completely overwhelmed and rebuilt!

"Good!" Chen Bingwen put down his cup and praised sincerely, "Very good!"

He looked at Zhou Zhiyuan, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration: "Director Zhou, your sensory reconstruction is truly remarkable."

You've completely tamed that rusty smell!

The taste far exceeded my expectations!

Zhou Zhiyuan's tense nerves instantly relaxed, and he smiled with relief: "Chen Sheng! You've enlightened us! Without your guidance, we would still be going around in circles in a dead end!"

At this moment, Gao Zhenhai, who was standing next to him, suddenly slapped his thigh and exclaimed in a loud voice: "My God!"

Brother Wen! Professor Zhou!

This stuff is amazing! Drinking it feels like eating a mint, cooling you from your throat to the top of your head!

Then I felt energized! Much better than drinking soda! Where's that weird taste I had when I tried it before?
"That's it! It's really gone! If this thing were released, wouldn't all those people who stay up all night driving, working overtime, or playing mahjong go crazy for it?"

He smacked his lips, looking at the empty glass with lingering satisfaction: "Another cup?"
"If you drink another glass, you probably won't be able to sleep tonight."

Zhou Zhiyuan joked with a smile, "The formula we're testing now, as per Mr. Chen's request, is a formula specifically for the American and Japanese markets. It contains as much as 400mg of taurine. After drinking this cup, you won't feel tired for at least half a day."

“Ah Hai, this ratio is too high. If you want to drink it in the future, you should drink the formula specifically for Hong Kong Island, which only contains 125mg of taurine.”

After listening to Zhou Zhiyuan's words, Chen Bingwen smiled and explained to Gao Zhenhai.

At this moment, Ling Peiyi put down her empty cup and smiled, "Mr. Chen, Director Zhou, the instant burst of minty coolness in this drink is extremely captivating, and the refreshing and natural lime flavor completely subverts the taste of traditional drinks."

I dare say that, with the right pricing and distribution strategies, the market potential will be extraordinary!
It will become a talisman for drivers working late into the night, a convenient drink for office workers rushing to finish their tasks, and even a catalyst for young people's all-night socializing!

"Director Ling is absolutely right. When we were working overtime at the Kwun Tong factory, we were exhausted every night. If we had this drink back then, our production capacity would probably have increased much faster."

After Ling Peiyi finished speaking, Zhong Qiang chimed in.

Hearing Ling Peiyi and Zhong Qiang's affirmation, Zhou Zhiyuan was also very happy and looked at Chen Bingwen expectantly, saying, "Mr. Chen, this energy drink doesn't have a name yet. Could you give it one?"

(End of this chapter)