Chapter 644
Before returning to Beijing, Su Miao had upgraded the production lines for papaya shreds and soft ginger candy. This month, he added automated equipment, and the output doubled compared to last month.
After the current production meets the sales needs in Yongcheng, there is still 10% left, and Su Miao plans to bring it to Beijing for sale.
At six o'clock in the morning, the Yongcheng Railway Station was shrouded in mist. It was the return of the south wind in March, and the air was so sticky that it seemed as if water could be squeezed out of it. Insects and ants began to appear in greater numbers.
Su Hui stomped her feet to drive away the mosquitoes on her legs, and her canvas shoes made a "puffing" sound as they stepped on the wet ground.
A Jiefang truck was parked behind her, and workers were busy moving cardboard boxes printed with the red words "Su Ji" into the freight car.
"The last box has been moved up. As Miaomiao said, there are 1,000 kilograms of shredded papaya and 500 kilograms of soft ginger candy, all using the latest packaging." Uncle Huzi wiped the sweat from his forehead and put a check mark on the delivery note.
"Okay, thank you for your hard work, Uncle Huzi! This batch of packaging is specially for the capital. Miaomiao said that people there are very interested in this kind of ethnic characteristics."
Su Hui stood on tiptoe and carefully checked the bundling of the goods again to ensure that there would be no shaking during long-distance transportation.
"Woo--" The train whistle pierced through the morning mist. As it slowly started to move, the sky in the east was just beginning to turn pale.
Su Hui looked at the train going away and prayed silently in her heart that the goods could arrive in the capital safely and open up new markets for Su Ji.
Three days later at the Beijing Railway Station, the white mist from the steam locomotives mixed with the chill of early spring, forming a hazy veil above the platform.
Su Miao and his father hired a team of workers who specialized in helping transport bulk cargo at the train station. They would arrive at the platform and prepare to receive the cargo according to the train's expected arrival time.
Su Miao stood on tiptoe and looked in the direction of the freight car. She was wearing a blue cotton-padded jacket with a Zhuang pattern on the collar, and a small copper pin made her stand out in the gray crowd.
"Boss Su! Car No. 9 is over there!" Foreman Liang's voice cut through the noise. He was directing several workers to push a cart covered with oilcloth to the platform.
The workers first unloaded the goods from the carriage and asked them to check them before loading them onto the truck.
Su Miao and his father carefully checked each box of goods. Although the outer packaging of two boxes was crushed and damaged during transportation, the papaya shreds and soft ginger candy packaging inside were intact.
She breathed a sigh of relief and said to her father with a smile, "Dad, it seems our new packaging is quite sturdy."
Father Su nodded and patted his daughter on the shoulder: "Let's go, hurry up and transport it back and put it on the shelves as soon as possible."
The small yard next to the store is too small and can only be used for the kitchen on weekdays. These goods cannot be stored there.
Fortunately, there was a vacant room in the small courtyard they rented, which could be used as a temporary warehouse.
After adding the cost of long-distance transportation and taking into account the consumption situation in Beijing, the final price is 80% higher than in Nanning.
Su Yuanzheng said nervously:
"Miao Miao, isn't this price a bit high? After all, it's much more expensive than Yongcheng."
"It should be okay. After all, the production is limited. We don't rely on small profits but quick turnover here. We have specially changed the packaging and gone the route of high-quality specialty products.
At present, after the papaya shreds are fully supplied to Nanning, there are only about 1,000 to 1,200 kilograms left, and even less soft ginger candy. If the store can sell more than 30 bottles every day, it will just be enough to be digested.
Let’s give it a try first, and if it doesn’t work, we can change our strategy.”
The father and daughter loaded two boxes of shredded papaya and a box of soft ginger candy onto the tricycle and returned to the store.
A few days ago, Su Yuanzheng made a wooden lattice cabinet and placed it behind the cash register. He placed jars of papaya shreds and soft ginger candy on it, arranging them neatly. It really made people want to buy them.
In particular, Su Miao redesigned and customized the packaging, with kapok flowers floating on a dark green background, the Su Ji logo is eye-catching and majestic, and a short Zhuang folk song is printed in the corner. Every detail shows the unique ethnic style.
The food in the jar also has red elements, which complement each other perfectly. Greyhound racing... No! No! Super beautiful!
Before the goods were even displayed, diners' attention was already attracted by the bright colors.
Aunt Li, who often comes to eat here, approaches the counter and squints at the exquisite jar, her face full of curiosity:
"Miaomiao, did you bring shredded papaya and soft ginger candy from Yongcheng to Beijing to sell? The packaging is amazing! It's different from the previous ones."
Su Miao smiled and unscrewed the lid of a sample can of shredded papaya. A sweet and sour aroma immediately wafted out:
"Aunt Li, please try it. It's still the same recipe, just with a new look. The packaging is special for Beijing. Even Yongcheng doesn't have it."
Aunt Li picked up a piece of golden papaya with a toothpick. It was crisp and refreshing. The familiar taste made her eyes light up.
"Delicious! I don't know if it's been a while, but it tastes better than what you gave me before. The pattern on this jar looks classy, and it would be a decent gift for the New Year. How much is one jar?"
"Shredded papaya is 1.8 yuan a can, and a pound of soft ginger candy is 3.5 yuan a can, and half a pound is also 1.8 yuan. If you buy one can, it comes in a plastic bag. If you buy two cans, you can get a cardboard gift bag as a gift, which is better for giving as a gift."
Su Miao took out the matching gift bag. The exquisite pictures and texts on the outside were the same as those on the jar. She patiently introduced it to Aunt Li.
While Aunt Li was still hesitating, another old customer who was listening nearby readily took out his wallet.
He was wearing a neatly tailored Zhongshan suit, with a pen in his breast pocket, and his eyes were full of determination:
"Give me two cans of shredded papaya and two half-pound cans of soft ginger candy. Do the two half-pound cans also come with gift bags?"
"Matched! Matched!" Su Miao packed and matched the goods skillfully, and the first transaction was completed within two minutes after the goods were put on the shelves.
Uncle Wu, who was also watching, said:
"Captain Liu, that's great! You're so rich, it shows how delicious these two things are!"
Section Chief Liu paid the money, took the gift bag from Su Miao, weighed it in his hand, and said with a smile:
"Next week, my boss has a birthday, and we're treating him to a meal. We're not allowed to give expensive gifts, so don't you think this is just right? It's not a particularly expensive local specialty, but it's certainly something you rarely see in Beijing. The packaging is classy and respectful."
I often come to Su Ji for dinner, and the boss often treats us with these two dishes. I personally like them anyway."
Aunt Li listened to their conversation, gritted her teeth, and said, "Miao Miao, give me two cans of shredded papaya too. My daughter and her son-in-law are going to visit their in-laws tomorrow, so it's a perfect gift for my in-laws!"
In this way, the special products displayed behind the cash register attracted the attention of many customers. 40 cans were sold on the first day, and as word of mouth spread, more and more people came to buy.
However, the current production is limited. Goods arrive from Nancheng once a month and are sold out within half a month. After two months, the customers have summarized a pattern:
If you want to buy "Su Ji" specialties, you have to go there in the early part of each month, because they will definitely be out of stock in the latter part of the month.
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