Chapter 107
Sports drinks are still a relatively new concept these days. There are not many good sports drinks available internationally, let alone in China. It is a completely blank market.
Pang Xiaopeng asked: "What is a sports drink?"
"You can think of it as a drink with some vitamins and electrolytes added to it that helps replenish water and other substances after exercise," Chen Lanjun explained.
Tong Tong mainly considered the production situation in the factory: "We don't have a beverage production line in our factory yet. Are you planning to introduce one? If so, I have to pay attention to it."
"There's no rush for the beverage production line," said Chen Lanjun. "The focus now is to have a formula for a sports drink as soon as possible."
Just a few of them working behind closed doors wouldn't be able to come up with a sports drink formula.
Chen Lanjun took a multi-pronged approach. On the one hand, she telegraphed her sister Fengjun, asking her to collect relevant product information in Hong Kong. On the other hand, she visited the university's food department and sports research institute to see if there were any relevant research topics.
After searching for a long time, I finally found a related research project at the end of the semester. It said that a researcher from a certain sports research institute was studying a functional beverage, which sounded very similar to the sports drink that Chen Lanjun mentioned.
After the final exam, Chen Lanjun specially invited the researcher out for dinner.
In order to appear powerful, the restaurant for dinner was specially booked at the Garden Hotel - the same hotel where Shao Qinghe had personally cut the ribbon before.
At noon, the researcher named Huang arrived. He was wearing a blue work suit and carrying a briefcase. He looked very plain. When he stepped on the marble tiles of the hotel, he seemed to be very cautious, for fear of damaging them.
"This is Researcher Huang, right? I'm Tong Tong, the director of the Fourth Food Factory, and this is Pang Xiaopeng, the Suicheng manager of Xiangjiang Zhengmei Company." Tong Tong's eyes fell on Chen Lanjun, who was dressed as a student, and she smiled softly, "This is our intern, Xiao Chen."
Chen Lanjun, who was stuffing pre-meal fruit into her mouth, smiled shyly and said nothing.
Researcher Huang nodded and bowed slightly: "Hello, Director, Hello, Manager, Hello everyone, nice to meet you."
After they sat down, they exchanged a few pleasantries.
Tong Tong said: "I heard that Researcher Huang is currently researching a functional beverage?"
"Yes," said Researcher Huang. "It was just recently started. I was surprised that someone paid attention to this topic..."
Chen Lanjun, who was standing by, was eating fruit and observing Researcher Huang at the same time.
He looks like an honest person, but it's hard to say. We still have to see if he has the real talent.
Tong Tong smiled and said, "It's a coincidence. We and Zhengmei Company are planning to jointly develop a sports drink, so we are asking around."
“Did you develop it together?”
After receiving a positive answer, Researcher Huang's tense shoulders relaxed a little. "That's good. I was worried about being a self-employed person. Ah, I'm not discriminating against self-employed people. I'm just worried that I can't make this drink well. I also attach great importance to this research project."
When talking about his professional field, the originally somewhat rustic Researcher Huang suddenly became energetic and talked eloquently about his research ideas and current research progress.
Chen Lanjun listened very attentively.
Researcher Huang's idea is basically to add ingredients to soda, such as inorganic salts, alkaline electrolytes, etc.
The research ideas are quite comprehensive and are indeed worth discussing further.
After thinking it over, Chen Lanjun held the teacup with both hands. This was an agreement she had made with Tong Tong and Pang Xiaopeng. If she felt she could continue the contact, she would hold the tea with both hands, otherwise she would use one hand.
Tong Tong's eyes swept across Chen Lanjun's two hands holding the teacup, and she said cheerfully, "We are very optimistic about this project and want to join in and eventually obtain the patent for this formula."
Pang Xiaopeng took out an envelope and handed it over with a smile: "We hope to achieve both good taste and efficacy, so that it will be convenient to sell it to Hong Kong in the future."
Researcher Huang had been working in the research institute for a long time and had long been accustomed to the reality that it was harder than climbing to the sky to get funding. Unexpectedly, during their first formal meeting, the other party readily expressed their willingness to fund the research, leaving him stunned for a moment.
He glanced at the envelope and judging by its thickness, it must contain at least a hundred yuan.
"This... this is so embarrassing."
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about." Tong Tong stretched out a hand and said, "From now on, we and Researcher Huang will be colleagues."
The research on the sports drink formula was finalized.
After finishing their meal, the three of them watched Researcher Huang walk away as if he was walking on clouds.
"From what he said, it will take at least half a year to get the formula into a better state." Tong Tong said, "Do you need me to contact the production line?"
Chen Lanjun shook her head: "Not for now. You and Xiao Peng should keep an eye on him to work out the formula and then decide on the name of the product."
"By the way," Chen Lanjun shook the can of Coke in her hand, "I plan to use cans for packaging this time."
Tong Tong's eyes widened in surprise at the casual remark: "But, I haven't heard of a can production line in the whole of Suicheng."
Pang Xiaopeng also nodded and said, "I've really never seen it before. I've only seen Coke use this kind of can. I'm afraid only Europe and the United States have such production lines."
"We have to do this," Tong Tong said with some embarrassment, "I feel that the cost of introducing a production line is a bit high."
Chen Lanjun raised her head and gulped down a big mouthful of Coke, saying, "You don't have to be so narrow-minded."
She smiled and said: "Who said that you must have a production line to produce? There is a saying, 'borrowing arrows from a straw boat'."
We have just started production, so there is no need to spend a lot of money to purchase means of production. It will not be too late to buy them after we are sure that the sales are good.
Tong Tong and Pang Xiaopeng pondered for a moment and then reacted.
Sister Lan wants to hire a factory to produce it?
"But where is such a production line?"
"I just said it." Chen Lanjun shook the can in her hand, "It's right here."
Pang Xiaopeng and Tong Tong were both surprised.
Sister Lan, do you mean to let Coca-Cola Company do the OEM?
After struggling for a while, Tong Tong said awkwardly: "But, that's a big American company, why would they be willing to do OEM..."
It's hard to imagine! Their food factory is far behind others, which are global companies.
When they built a factory in Pengcheng a few months ago, it was even on the news! They said it was a new signal of friendship between China and the United States.
"There's money to be made, so why is that impossible?" Chen Lanjun said, "Don't worry about that. I'll contact you, probably after the New Year."
She had already discussed with her parents and sister that she would go home to celebrate the New Year.
This is what his sister Fengjun has been looking forward to for a long time. Now, he can be said to have returned home in glory.
After waiting for two days, Chen Lanjun asked Tong Tong and Pang Xiaopeng to accompany her to the train station to pick up the car.
It was nearly the end of the year and there were a lot of people around the train station. She didn't want to go there alone. It would be troublesome if she encountered a thief.
Tong Tong and Pang Xiaopeng were more excited than her and were waiting at the exit to check the time.
This was the first time they met Sister Lan’s sister, the big boss in Hong Kong. I wonder how impressive she must be.
After waiting for a long time, a large wave of passengers came out. Pang Xiaopeng pointed at a bright and beautiful Hong Kong-style woman holding a little girl in the crowd.
"Sister Lan, is that the sister?"
Chen Lanjun narrowed her eyes, took a closer look, and smiled: "Yes."
Xixi, who was being held by Fengjun, also saw them. She cheered, broke free from her mother's hand and ran towards Chen Lanjun.
Chen Lanjun opened her arms and received a full hug.
"Second Aunt!"
“Hey——baby!”
Chen Lanjun was so happy that she picked up her little niece and spun her around in the air. The little girl's laughter was as loud as a bell.
"I've missed you along the way." Feng Jun walked over slowly with a smile on his face, followed by Zhao Hong, who was carrying luggage.
Chen Lanjun smiled and said: "Xixi misses me, and I miss her too."
As he spoke, he peeled off a piece of candy and stuffed it into Xixi's mouth: "Try this and see if it's sweet."
“So sweet.”
While Xixi was busy eating candy, Chen Lanjun introduced her friends to Fengjun: "Sister, these are my friends, Tong Tong and Pang Xiaopeng——"
Two seconds passed, no response.
Shouldn't it?
Chen Lanjun glanced at the two people on the left and right in confusion. Hey, my goodness, these two people were stunned.
"Hello." Pang Xiaopeng reacted and greeted her, then whispered to Chen Lanjun, "Wow, sister is so beautiful."
"Of course," Chen Lanjun raised her head and said proudly, "My sister is the most beautiful in our family."
"Nonsense again," Feng Jun pinched her face affectionately, "You are not as youthful as me."
"I feel like we are selling melons to Wang Po, haha."
Amidst laughter, Chen Lanjun led Fengjun and Xixi to visit her school and residence. According to the plan, Fengjun and the others would rest in Suicheng for two days, and then Chen Lanjun would go back to her hometown with them.
"Sister, remember this address. I will change the downstairs to Zhengmei Company's Guangzhou Office. The upstairs is where we live."
Feng Jun looked at it and nodded repeatedly: "This is much more spacious than Xiangjiang."
After looking at the downstairs, I went upstairs to have a look.
Chen Lanjun opened her bedroom door and subconsciously glanced at the bedside table.
The bedside table was locked. In order to welcome Feng Jun, she had locked up the letters and photos sent by Shao Qinghe in advance.
It was New Year's Day, and she didn't want to argue with Feng Jun about this.
Feng Jun didn't notice it. He just took a casual look and went out.
At night, she came to find Chen Lanjun: "Second sister, which dress do you think I should wear when I return home tomorrow? This camel-colored coat? Or this cheongsam with a piping hem?"
I've never seen her wear these two pieces of clothing before, so they must be new.
Chen Lanjun said: "They are all good. They all look good in what my sister wears."
"Don't give me a perfunctory attitude."
"Really." Chen Lanjun said with a smile, "Don't worry, you will be very successful when you go back this time. You will be the general manager of Zhengmei Company. People in the surrounding area will say that the eldest daughter of the Chen family is amazing."
These words hit the nail on the head for Feng Jun.
She laughed dumbly, shook her head, and looked at herself in the mirror: "I just hope I don't embarrass my parents."
The closer I am to home, the more timid I feel.
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