A Tale of Two Cities Supporting Xinjiang

He turned and looked at the five thousand boxes of apples in the warehouse.

The supply chain has been disrupted?

Buyers are trying to drive down prices?

Monopoly crackdown?

Then break it.

Use new transportation methods, new selling points, and new markets.

Can people who can grow cold-resistant apples in the Gobi Desert be defeated by a cold wave and a few unscrupulous merchants?

Li Chao said, "Go and compile all our test reports, cold-resistance certifications, and photos of apples taken in extremely cold weather."

"Director Zhou, could you please contact the railway freight department? I need to schedule a video conference."

"Now?"

Li Chao glanced at the time. "It's 3 PM now. The purchasing director of Huadong Supermarket should be at work by now."

I want to show them what true sweetness forged in ice and snow really is.

Outside the window, the snow is still falling.

But the five thousand boxes of apples in the warehouse shone brightly red under the lights.

Li Chao plugged the USB drive into his laptop and clapped his hands at his team.

"Wake up, everyone! What we're holding isn't an apple, it's a bomb."

The buyers are pushing the price down to six yuan per kilogram and they're trying to monopolize the market. Do they really think we're easy targets?

The cold-resistance certification report is on the first page, the most stunning photo of fruit hanging at -30 degrees Celsius is chosen, the sweetness test result of 21% is highlighted in bold red, and the organic certificate is placed at the very end.

Xiao Wang scratched his head: "Brother Chao, what about the buyers..."

"If they don't want it, plenty of others will."

Li Chao interrupted him, tapping his fingers on the table, "Make it a visual brochure, and make the electronic version look nice too."

The core selling points are three: ice and snow tempering, Gobi organic, and storage-resistant and cold-resistant.

"Make the copy more assertive: our apples have been tempered in the snow; they're not in the same league as those grown in greenhouses."

He turned to look at Xiao Zhang: "Don't overdo the photo editing; authenticity is the most important thing."

I want buyers to be able to sense the coldness at a glance, and also to see the sweetness from the red color of the apples.

The team sprang into action quickly.

Li Chao walked to the window and made a phone call to Zhou Mingyu.

"Director Zhou, how's it going with the railway?"

"It's settled. The special cold chain train for fresh produce has been approved. The insulated containers will be equipped according to our required specifications, and the cold storage plates will be increased without any price increase."

From northern Xinjiang to the East China hub, a direct journey takes 48 hours, with the container temperature ranging from 0 to 4 degrees Celsius, with an error margin of no more than 0.5 degrees Celsius.

Is it reliable?

I vouch for it with my integrity.

However, the railway authorities also stated that if the freight volume cannot keep up, this special train will be given to someone else.

"Quantity?"

Li Chao snorted coldly: "Once we break into the East China market, I'm afraid we won't have enough special trains."

After hanging up the phone, Li Chao opened the client list.

He remembered the names of the purchasing directors of three high-end supermarket chains in East China: Director Wang loved data, Director Zhao valued appearance, and Director Sun prioritized results. He sent WeChat messages to each of them, his tone respectful but with a hidden edge:

"Mr. Wang, the test report for our Xinjiang ice and snow apples is out. There are a few data points that you'll definitely be interested in."

"Mr. Zhao, we've designed brand new packaging with Gobi Desert snow scene elements. It's sure to be a hit in the high-end gift market."

"Mr. Sun, the railway cold chain solution has been finalized. Fresh products will be delivered within 48 hours with a loss rate of less than 5%."

Three sentences, hitting three pain points.

After sending the WeChat message, he packaged and sent over the core materials that his team had compiled, along with...

The reply came instantly from General Manager Sun: "I've looked at the data, 21% sweetness? Is it a mislabeling?"

Li Chao smiled and typed back: "Naturally tempered at minus 38 degrees Celsius, the sugar content is concentrated. You'll know once you taste it."

At 4:50 p.m., Li Chao finished adjusting the camera.

At 3:00 PM sharp, all three video windows lit up simultaneously.

Mr. Wang adjusted his glasses and got straight to the point: "Mr. Li, your apples have a sweetness level of 21%, while the highest sweetness level of ordinary apples on the market is only 18%. That difference of 3 degrees means the price will be twice as much."

Mr. Zhao stared at the printed brochure in his hand: "The packaging design is good, but it's hard to say whether consumers will accept the concept of 'Ice and Snow Apple'."

Mr. Sun was the most direct: "We've used railway cold chain logistics before, and while they say the loss rate is 5%, it often exceeds 10% by the time it reaches the store. How can you guarantee that?"

Li Chao remained calm and started by sharing his screen.

The first video showed a vast white snowfield, fruit tree branches wrapped in ice, bright red apples hanging from the branches, and the branches bent under the weight of the snow.

As the camera zooms in, a thin layer of frost forms on the apple's skin, yet it gleams with a rich, lustrous sheen.

"This photo was taken in January of this year in northern Xinjiang when the temperature was -35 degrees Celsius."

Li Chao said calmly, "This area next to us is just an ordinary apple orchard, everyone take a look."

The scene shifts to another orchard, where apples are frozen and cracked on the branches, rotting all over the ground.

"Its cold resistance isn't just talk; it's something you develop from being exposed to the cold."

Li Chao said, "Our varieties can overwinter naturally at minus 38 degrees Celsius. This process is like brewing wine—the cold causes the water to evaporate and the sugar to concentrate, which is why we have a sweetness of 21%."

Mr. Wang leaned forward: "Do you have the original test report?"

"I'll send it to you right away."

Li Chao gestured to Xiao Wang to operate the document, and at the same time pulled up the second document. "This is an organic certification. It has been free of pesticides for three years. It is grown in the sandy soil of the Gobi Desert, so there are few pests and diseases. It uses fermented cow and sheep manure as fertilizer."

Mr. Zhao pondered for a moment: "The packaging design is fine, but what about the price?"

The buyers are offering you twelve yuan per kilogram. How much are you planning to sell it to us for?

"That's my third point."

Li Chao switched pages, revealing the full picture of the railway cold chain solution: "Direct delivery within 48 hours, insulated boxes with built-in temperature control recorders, and full data traceability. The freshness rate upon arrival is no less than 95%; if it falls below that, we will compensate for the exact difference."

Mr. Sun raised an eyebrow: "Compensate? How?"

"We're fine with compensation per box or per unit. But we have one condition—the first batch of 5,000 boxes will be priced at 15 yuan per kilogram."

In the video, all three people frowned simultaneously.

"Three yuan higher than the buyer?"

Mr. Wang shook his head. "Mr. Li, the market price is what it is. Your premium is too high."

"high?"

Li Chao laughed, "Mr. Wang, the buyers purchase our apples and then resell them to high-end supermarkets in Shanghai for 68 yuan per kilogram. We're skipping the middleman and giving them to you directly for 15 yuan. You can still make a profit even if you sell them for 40 or 50 yuan. Is that a high premium?"

The meeting room fell silent for a moment.

Li Chao struck while the iron was hot and launched a packaging sample—a dark blue gift box with a Gobi snow scene embossed on it, and each apple had its own individual groove lined with black velvet.

"Winter limited edition, the perfect gift."

Launched around the Spring Festival, focusing on scarcity rather than price wars.

Mr. Zhao was clearly tempted, but he still held back, saying, "We can consider the first batch of 5,000 cases, but the price still needs to be negotiated."

"Price is non-negotiable."

Li Chao suddenly became firm, "But the cooperation method can be discussed - if the three of you are willing to buy in bulk and sign a three-year long-term supply agreement, I can give up two points on top of the fifteen yuan as market promotion support."

He paused for a moment, then threw out his final bargaining chip: "Moreover, we will provide each store with one hundred boxes of free sample packs so that you can display them in your store for consumers to try."

"If you like it, you can buy it again; if you don't, we'll take it away for free."

On the screen, the three purchasing directors exchanged glances.

Mr. Sun spoke first: "The sample pack is fine, but the wastage rate must be written into the contract."

"Of course," Li Chao nodded.

Mr. Wang adjusted his glasses: "Can the original test report be sent today?"

"SF Express, it will arrive at your office first thing tomorrow morning."

Mr. Zhao finally made the decision: "We'll offer some suggestions for revising the packaging design, but if there are no problems..."

We'll take the first 5,000 cases; a long-term agreement will be signed based on the initial sales performance.

Li Chao felt a weight lifted from his shoulders, but his face remained calm: "Thank you for your trust, all three of you. However, I must say this upfront: the acquiring company is also keeping an eye on the East China market, and our cooperation..."

Mr. Sun interrupted him, "In business competition, everyone relies on their own abilities."

If Apple is really as good as the data says, then we certainly have ways to make it a hit.

After the video conference ended, Li Chao leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.

His team cheered quietly behind him, but he raised his hand to stop them: "Don't be too happy yet, the acquirer won't give up so easily."

Xiao Wang, keep a close eye on the railway freight department and make sure no one tries to trip you up.

Xiao Zhang, the packaging sample was revised overnight, adjusted according to General Manager Zhao's instructions. And…

He stood up and looked out the window at the gradually darkening sky.

"Call Old Zhang at the orchard and tell him that 5,000 boxes of our apples are going to Shanghai by special train."

As night fell, Li Chao's phone lit up; it was a text message from an unknown number:

"Young man, don't think that finding a new path will turn your life around."

The waters of the East China market run deeper than you imagine.

After reading the message, Li Chao deleted it and dialed Zhou Mingyu's number.

"Director Zhou, the special train will depart ahead of schedule, the day after tomorrow."

Also, contact the guys in Shanghai and ask them to bring a few extra people when they pick up the goods at the train station.