Chapter 273 Opportunities for Herbal Tea Beverages
Accompanied by several people, Yang Wendong came to the workshop inside. At the same time, Wei Zetao also introduced some of the Chinese senior executives of Watsons one by one.
"Yang Sheng, although Gui Lao has been in charge of Watsons before, in fact most things are operated by Chinese, and Gui Lao only has the decision-making power."
Wei Zetao introduced: " Now that the ghost guys are gone, there is basically no impact on production and quality, except for channels. , our people are also urgently contacting the original channels, and most of them have no problem. A small number of channels related to the relationship between ghosts and brothers are still communicating.”
“It’s okay. There is no sales volume. Give Carrefour a better location and see how it works," Yang Wendong nodded.
Many British-owned companies in Hong Kong are actually staffed by Chinese, because British people who come to work in Hong Kong have to earn higher wages than those in the UK, just like a group of high-tech engineers they hired from overseas. Otherwise, who would come to Hong Kong?
British-owned companies, or any company, are essentially capitalists, so they will naturally use Chinese people whose labor costs may only be 10%, but who are more capable of doing things.
Only because of skin problems will the management give priority to their own people.
“Okay.” Wei Zetao added: “I have also communicated with Liu Sheng. He can give a good position, but the final sales volume still depends on the ability of Watsons Soda.”
"Of course, Carrefour's system is that the strong go up and the weak go down. If it were not for its own industry, based on Watson's current sales volume, it would be impossible to even think about having a good position." Yang Wendong said with a smile.
Taking care of Watsons is not about making profits through this "whole industry chain" approach, but about allowing Watsons' funds to have a positive cycle, or to have more market feedback, so that it can make progress and achieve its goal of entering the beverage industry. .
Wei Zetao said with some embarrassment: "Yes, I have also drank Watsons drinks, and the taste is not very good."
"Bring some out, let everyone take a sip and try it." Yang Wendong pointed. Beverages that have just been filled on the device but have not yet been sealed.
Several sensible employees immediately stepped forward, took seven or eight bottles of drinks, and gave them to Yang Wendong and several people around him.
“Thank you.” Yang Wendong said politely, and then took a sip, with a distinct ginger flavor.
Yang Wendong looked at Tao Hui, the production manager he had just met, and asked: "Is the ginger flavor the main feature of Watsons' soda?"
"Yes, that's the main flavor." Tao Hui nodded and said. : "This kind of soda can relieve fatigue, increase appetite, and promote digestion in summer, and ginger is also good for the body in Chinese culture."
Yang Wendong asked again: "So the previous business method was to sell Watsons' beverage as a health supplement?"
Tao Hui said: "It is not a health supplement, but our drinks do have health supplements. Some functions."
"Well" Yang Wendong thought for a while and asked: "Then the reason why this drink is not cheap is because of the high cost?"
"Yes, we need to buy a lot of high-quality ginger, which is not cheap." Tao Hui replied: "We cooperate directly with China Resources and have reduced costs to the greatest extent."
" Maybe it’s really good for the body.” Yang Wendong took two more sips and then said, “But this model is really not suitable for the beverage industry. Do you think people buy drinks to protect their health?”
“Many people just want the sweetness.” Tao Ran paused and replied, “But our company has always produced this kind of drink, so we have a group of stable customers.
< br>In the field of normal dessert drinks, the competition is too fierce. I have tried it before, but it failed."
"Well, the problem is not the beverage, but the marketing." Yang Wendong nodded.
In the beverage industry, the most important thing is not taste, but marketing. Making the brand famous is the most important thing. Generally, companies with some strength can make things like taste.
Wei Zetao said: "Yang Sheng, with our group's media and channel resources, it shouldn't be difficult to promote a drink."
"Well, this is not urgent." Yang Wendong asked again: "Are all the drinks in Hong Kong now glass bottles?"
The bottles in the filling production line in front of him are all made of glass, and some of the drinks he bought before are also made of glass. It's all glass.
Tao Ran said: "Yes, this is true all over the world. However, in the past two years, a metal filling bottle has appeared in some places in Europe and the United States, but I have never seen it. I only heard about it by chance."< br>
"Metal?" Yang Wendong guessed that it must be a can.
Tao Ran added: "Yes, it is made of tinplate, but it is not suitable for Hong Kong because Hong Kong's iron needs to be imported. If this kind of metal is also used for filling, the cost will be higher."
< br>"Well, okay." Yang Wendong thought for a while and then asked: "Is the speed of this filling production line too slow? Can it be faster?"
Tao Ran said awkwardly: "Yang Sheng , these three production lines can produce more than 30,000 bottles of drinks a day, but we can't sell them, so the speed is slower, which can also save labor and electricity costs."
"Okay," Yang Wendong smiled. laughed.
This kind of old factory is unlikely to have insufficient production capacity, and insufficient sales are normal.
I walked around the factory and then went to the office to learn about the sales market situation.
Watson's main market is naturally Hong Kong, and its main sales season is summer, because its ginger-flavored drink has a relatively strong heat-relieving function.
After everyone dispersed, Yang Wendong said with a smile: "This Watson's drink is a bit embarrassing. It may really have the ability to relieve heat, but people who need it generally can't afford it. People generally don’t need it.”
“What Yang Sheng said makes sense.” Wei Zetao thought for a moment and said, “High-income people in Hong Kong basically don’t need to do hard work. ;
On the other hand, except for a very small number of people who do hard labor, they are all low-income. Even if they need to relieve the heat, they can just find some salt water or something, which is much cheaper than buying drinks. ”
“So there is something wrong with this operational logic. Yang Wendong nodded and said, "Even without those incompetent ghost management, it would be impossible to become big."
Unless the economy develops to the level of Europe and the United States in the future, the wages of ordinary blue-collar workers will also be very high. ”
In a place where the education level is not high, the high-income group basically has some academic qualifications.
This is the case in Hong Kong now. Generally, clerks in Central office buildings basically earn The salary is around HKD 300 per month. The salary in large companies or overseas companies is higher. It is normal for those with some ability to earn more than HKD 1,000.
As for blue-collar workers, dock workers are definitely the best jobs. Generally, they may not earn 300 even if they work hard for a month. Those with strong technical skills and academic qualifications may earn a little higher.
This is the opposite of a society where all college students are students. For example, in the past life in the Mainland, ordinary college student clerks could not earn as much as they did hard work.
The essential reason is that things are rare and valuable. Wei Zetao asked: "Is Watson's beverage business going to be transformed?"
"No, this business will be retained, and its functions of refreshing, relieving fatigue, and relieving heat are still very useful. "Yang Wendong shook his head and said: "It's just that Hong Kong is not suitable and it won't be big, but it is still possible for countries with good overseas economies.
My idea is to add more normal drinks, and then our group’s media will focus on promoting this. As for this heat-relieving drink, the taste is not right, and it is not suitable for promotion overseas at the moment. ”
The essence of human beings drinking drinks is to feel good. This is the most important thing. Don’t talk about other reasons for health care or relieving heat. These should be “refreshing” and have additional functions.
Any drink needs to have this characteristic.
“Okay. "Wei Zetao added: "The human resources department has contacted a Chinese senior executive of the Swire Group who is in beverage marketing. I'm going to meet him tomorrow. If I think it's appropriate, can I arrange for him to meet you the day after tomorrow? "
"Okay. "Yang Wendong nodded and said.
He can provide many resources for beverages, but the most important thing is people. Many times, the same amount of money will have completely different effects in the hands of different people for marketing.
The next day, Wei Zetao and Li Yuehua, the HR manager of the headquarters office, interviewed the Chinese senior executive of Swire Group's beverage business, and the feedback was also positive.
On the third day, Yang Wendong also saw this person in Changxing Building.
"Zhou Sheng, please sit down." Yang Wendong said with a smile.
He also has three respects for capable people, especially those who can reach the top of British-funded companies. Most of them have real abilities.
A small number of people may be flattering, but in fact this is also a skill, and such people, even if they have average abilities, can get along like a duck in water, they will also use other people to do things. For some bosses, the result is actually the same
Zhou Haoran said: "Thank you Yang Sheng."
The two chatted for a while, and Yang Wendong also got a general understanding of the background.
Zhou Haoran was born in 1915. He actually participated in the Anti-Japanese War in his early days. Because of his good luck, he survived until Japan surrendered, and then his family came to Hong Kong.
Because his academic qualifications were not bad, he joined the Swire Group. Starting from the most basic clerk, he taught himself English, beverage-related knowledge, etc., and then spent more than ten years to climb up to the beverage business of the Swire Group today. Position of Deputy General Manager of Marketing Department.
That is because a group like Swire has internal regulations: core positions must be British; otherwise, it is possible for him to become a full-time employee, or even become the person in charge of the entire business.
"Zhou Sheng's experience is indeed good." Yang Wendong said with a smile.
"It's far behind Yang Sheng." Zhou Haoran said: "I admire Yang Sheng's self-made career even more. It's just a pity that your business didn't have beverages before, and it doesn't match my career. Otherwise, I would have I want to follow you.”
“Haha, thank you.” Yang Wendong said again: "Zhou Sheng, based on your experience in the Swire Group, how do you think Watsons' beverage business can turn losses into profits?"
Zhou Haoran did not reply directly, but asked: "Yang Sheng is planning to continue. How many sodas are there from Watsons? Or are you planning to make others?”
"Do them all." Yang Wendong said: "Although the original business is not very good, there is already a market, and there is no reason to give up;
The largest beverage market is sugary soda, so naturally I will not Let it go."
Zhou Haoran asked again: "Have Yang Sheng considered making any drinks?"
"I have considered herbal tea drinks," Yang Wendong said.
During this time, he has also been thinking about what drinks to make in the future. There were only a few types of drinks in his previous life.
It is impossible for Coca-Cola, at least not for now. There is no benefit in going head-to-head with Coca-Cola + Swire Group, which has a large scale and huge channels.
Juice drinks are not good either. There are not many large orchards in Hong Kong, and local fruits are so expensive that even the average middle class cannot achieve fruit freedom.
It is even more difficult to make fruit drinks, and the preservative cost of fruit drinks is extremely high. In this era, even in Europe and the United States, it is very expensive and ordinary people cannot afford it.
Among the remaining types, herbal tea is the most suitable. The raw material tea leaves can be easily imported from the mainland, and the transportation cost is not high.
“Similar to Wong Lo Kat?” Zhou Haoran asked.
Yang Wendong nodded: "Yes, Wong Lao Kat used to serve herbal tea, and I plan to make this drink into a drink."
Wang Lao Kat was established very early, almost like Watsons, in 1828. It just existed as a small shop. Later, it expanded for a hundred years, with hundreds of shops, and it became very famous.
There are some in Hong Kong today, but I don’t know if they are authentically authorized.
"This is a good idea." Zhou Haoran said: "Many people like to drink herbal tea, so if this kind of drink is sold and the price is not expensive, the market potential will not be small."
Yang Wendong said: "Theoretically, this is true, but the prerequisite is that this drink must be made first."
Zhou Haoran said: "I am from a marketing background, and I only know a little bit about beverage technology; however, I also know many Chinese people who are doing research in this field at Swire. As long as the salary is enough, they can be hired."
"Okay, that's no problem. Everyone's salary can be increased by 30%, and we also have extra bonuses at the end of the year." Yang Wendong smiled and said: "You should also know about the benefits of our Changxing Group. "
For ordinary employees, Yang Wendong takes extra care, not to mention the technical ones; even though he knows the development direction of many industries, he still needs these technical personnel to help He achieved it, otherwise all creativity and no products would be in vain.
Anyway, wages in Hong Kong are really not high. As long as we can develop the products we need, we don’t know how many times the profit will be.
"Okay, I can contact them this afternoon." Zhou Haoran said happily.
"Well, I'll leave the team building to you first." Yang Wendong paused and then said: "Zhou Sheng, have you heard of cans?"
PS: Please vote
I don’t really want to use Jiaduobao, let’s come up with a name for herbal tea~
(End of this chapter)