Chapter 116 Foreign Trade Orders
A few days later, Security Officer Li returned with preliminary findings: the substandard dried fruit at the county supply and marketing cooperative had been handled by a new buyer, who had purchased it through a private channel offering "specially favorable prices."
After further investigation, the private dealer had disappeared.
The clues seemed to be broken, and Director Li asked doubtfully: "Could this be related to the Canton Fair you are going to Chang'an to attend?"
They don't dare to confront head-on, so they use such despicable and disgusting means to retaliate and cause trouble.
After listening to this, Shen Lingning's eyes were cold and cold: "I understand, Director Li, thank you for your hard work. This matter will end here for the time being. We just need to keep it in mind and take precautions in all aspects."
However, Shen Lingning did not expect that the enemy would be so despicable. After this incident, the enemy temporarily calmed down and lay low.
When they clashed again, Shen Lingning had to admit that he was indeed careless.
——
The autumn tea harvest season in Songtaogou has just passed, and the air is still filled with the faint fragrance of tea and sweet osmanthus.
In the factory, female workers are busy bagging and sealing the last batch of refined golden osmanthus black tea. The air is filled with satisfaction and exhaustion after hard work.
Shen Lingning had just finished calculating this quarter's output report in his simple office when footsteps were heard outside the door.
Comrade Lao Chen from the Foreign Trade Department walked in with a stranger.
The man was about fifty years old, wearing a neat woolen Zhongshan suit, with his hair neatly combed back and wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He had an elegant temperament, but his eyes revealed the shrewdness of a businessman.
He was also holding a tea bag with the words "Songtaogou" printed on it.
"Director Shen, excuse me. This is Mr. Wang Shi'an, a patriotic overseas Chinese who has returned from England to visit relatives and conduct research."
Old Chen introduced enthusiastically: "Mr. Wang came here because of our reputation!"
These days, there are very few overseas Chinese coming to the inland to do business, especially to come to the deep mountains like the Qinnan Songtaogou Base, which shows the other party's sincerity.
Wang Shian smiled and stepped forward, extending his hand. He spoke fluent Mandarin with a slight Cantonese accent, "Director Shen, I've long heard of you. I apologize for the intrusion."
Shen Lingning politely shook hands with him and asked them to sit down, having roughly guessed their purpose.
The office door was open, and I could hear the sound of female workers packing up their tools and the faint sound of laughter outside.
Without much pleasantries, Wang Shian took out the tea bag and went straight to the point, his tone full of admiration: "Director Shen, I have traveled all over the country and have tasted a lot of good tea.
But this Jingui black tea from your factory is truly captivating and unforgettable! The tea soup is bright red with a distinct golden ring, and the floral fragrance permeates the tea, making it rich, sweet, and refreshing. It is truly the finest tea!
He carefully described his feelings when tasting the tea and accurately described the characteristics of the tea.
Shen Lingning understood clearly in his heart that this tea, thanks to the space-optimized osmanthus and the blending ratio that Fubao had inadvertently "guided", was of a quality far superior to ordinary flower teas of this era, which was enough to amaze people.
This Jingui black tea was released more than 30 years ago. According to Fubao, it was not developed until around 2012 by tea experts and scholars Luo Shaojun, Ji Xiaoming, Professor Lu Zhaohai and others.
"Mr. Wang, you're too kind. It's mainly because our Qinnan region has good soil and water. The osmanthus flowers and tea leaves are carefully planted and picked by our fellow villagers."
Shen Lingning responded modestly, attributing the credit to the collective.
"Director Shen is being modest."
Wang Shian waved his hand, his expression becoming serious. "A good product also needs a good story. Abroad, people not only drink tea, but also drink culture and feelings.
The name 'Songtaogou' is very meaningful. What legends are there about this land?
What is the special origin of this golden osmanthus? These stories are intangible assets that add value to the product."
He leaned forward slightly and revealed his real purpose: "I came here this time to discuss cooperation with Director Shen.
I would like to obtain the exclusive overseas rights to this Jingui black tea and promote this fine Chinese tea to even more distant lands. What do you think?
"Mom! Big deal! This uncle's heart was beating fast, but his eyes were shining, as if he really liked our tea!"
We can talk!
Fubao's voice sounded in Shen Lingning's mind at the right time, with a hint of excitement.
Shen Lingning calculated quickly in his mind.
She has long wanted to develop overseas markets, but has no channels.
Mr. Wang came to our door on his own initiative and was introduced by the foreign trade department, so he is highly trustworthy.
But she will never give up exclusivity easily.
She didn't immediately answer yes or no. Instead, she asked, "How does Mr. Wang plan to promote it? What are his expected sales figures? What's his pricing strategy?"
Wang Shian was clearly well prepared and spoke eloquently: "In the early stages, we mainly targeted the Chinese communities in Hong Kong, Macau and Southeast Asia. They have a high acceptance of black tea and also have a sense of nostalgia for their hometown.
You can use themes such as "Bright moon in hometown, fragrant osmanthus" for promotion.
As for sales, I will order 500 kilograms of premium products in the first year to test the waters.
Price... Based on your factory price of 30 yuan per pound, I'm willing to increase it by 50%!"
He quoted a figure that was considered astronomical at the time.
Outside the office, Aunt Sun, who was pretending to pass by to pour water but was actually listening to the noise, almost dropped the cup and was held back by Liu Jinfeng next to her.
A 50% increase from 30 yuan?
So the price is 45 yuan per pound?
Oh my god, this is higher than their leader’s salary!
Still factory price!
Shen Lingning looked calm, but his mind was calculating rapidly.
Five hundred kilograms of premium tea account for almost half of the annual output.
The price is indeed attractive, but exclusivity means risk bundling.
"I see Mr. Wang's sincerity."
Shen Lingning pondered for a moment and said, "We can discuss cooperation, but not exclusive operating rights. Songtaogou Tea is not just Jingui Black Tea. There will be other products in the future. I can't put all my eggs in one basket."
Moreover, we also need to ensure supply to the domestic market.”
She changed the subject and proposed her own plan: "We can sign a long-term supply agreement. In the first year, I can guarantee you a priority supply of 500 kilograms of premium Jingui black tea."
The price is as you said, but it must be paid in cash and settled in foreign currency.
If the cooperation is satisfactory, we can increase the supply in the second year based on production and market demand, and discuss cooperation on other products. What do you think? "
"Mom is awesome! We can't let him have the final say!" Fubao expressed his support.
Wang Shian was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect that this young female factory manager was so calm and had negotiation skills.
He originally wanted to obtain the exclusive rights by paying a high price, but the other party easily resolved the issue, and he got a more stable and flexible solution instead.
After thinking about it carefully, he realized that this would not be bad for him and would reduce the initial risk.
Under the witness and guidance of Lao Chen from the Foreign Trade Department, the two parties quickly negotiated the details and finally signed a formal supply contract.
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