bioinnovel Chapter 215 Franchise Store
Chapter 215 Franchise Store
Chen Yuan remained silent for a moment.
A gust of hot wind blew by.
Chen Yuan was well aware of the allure of franchising, but he also understood all too well the fragility of traditional craftsmanship.
The reason he's able to run this shop so successfully is mainly due to the automated processes provided by the system, as well as his god-like skills.
Now, he personally oversees everything in the shop, from fermenting the old dough to controlling the heat when steaming the buns and preparing the filling.
If anyone else were to do it, or if other equipment were used, quality control would easily be compromised, and then the entire head office would suffer a loss of reputation.
Chen Yuan raised his eyes, his tone remaining calm, and spoke as politely as possible.
"Sir, I am very grateful for your recognition, but I am really sorry that my store is not currently able to offer franchising."
Zhou Zhenbang's smile faltered, and he hurriedly tried to salvage the situation.
"Boss Chen, please reconsider. 20 is the starting point, but I can increase it to 30 or even 40. I'll cover all the costs, including the shop and staff, and I'll bear all the risks. You..."
"Mr. Zhou, this really isn't about the money."
Chen Yuan interrupted him, his voice not loud, but with a sense of certainty: "To tell you the truth, now in our shop, I have to oversee the fermentation of the old dough, the temperature of steaming buns, the making of meat buns, and the frying of dough sticks, especially the crucial temperature control."
"Moreover, there are many things that cannot be fixed into a process yet. For example, the fermentation of the old dough depends on the weather and humidity, and the kneading process also requires attention to the feel of the dough."
"Some things are just not for outsiders to understand. I'm not saying this on purpose to get you to spend more money. I mean it sincerely. I can't let a substandard product come out of my hands."
Zhou Zhenbang opened his mouth, wanting to persuade him again, but he tasted his own defeat in the other party's calm yet firm gaze.
But after so many years in the business world, Zhou Zhenbang still wanted to make one last effort.
"That's what Boss Chen says, but the market waits for no one. To put it bluntly, your store is so popular right now, what if someone else uses your name to create a knock-off? What are you going to do then?"
Chen Yuan's breath hitched and he didn't speak. Zhou Zhenbang seized this opportunity, thinking there was a chance, and immediately spoke.
"Boss Chen, I hope you will consider this carefully. Although I am from a different industry, I understand the underlying logic of doing business very well. You can rest assured if you entrust it to me."
"If you think 30/70 is too little, 40/60 is fine too. There's nothing we can't agree on. Don't be so quick to reject me, this is such a great opportunity!"
Chen Yuan did not agree, his tone still very firm: "I'm sorry, Mr. Zhou, so what if there are counterfeiters? So what if they use the same sign as me? My products are impossible for ordinary people to imitate."
"If you buy the same fabric for clothes and shoes and sew them together, you might not be able to tell the difference. But food is different. As soon as you put it in your mouth, you can immediately tell whether it's good or bad."
Seeing the other person's expression, Chen Yuan felt that the other person was sincere. He realized that his refusal would easily put the other person in an awkward position, so he spoke very sincerely.
"Mr. Zhou, I'm so sorry. Let's work together again in the future."
After saying that, Chen Yuan left.
Zhou Zhenbang stood under the blazing sun, watching the taillights of the old van disappear completely. The warm smile on his face seemed to be swept away by a cold wind, slowly turning stiff.
Not only is the franchise fee 20 yuan, but it's also zero-risk; they even take care of things like renovations and staffing...
Zhou Zhenbang felt that he had brought the utmost sincerity and that the olive branch he extended was substantial enough to tempt any restaurant owner who wanted to expand.
But Chen Yuan didn't even give a reply like "I'll go back and think about it." His straightforward "I won't do franchising" shut him down completely.
"How ungrateful!"
Zhou Zhenbang chuckled softly, a hint of annoyance flashing in his eyes after being humiliated.
In all his years in business, he'd seen arrogant people, but never anyone who would turn away mountains of gold and silver that were offered to them.
"What are you pretending for? I think you're just unwilling to let others make money. With such a narrow mindset, it's no wonder you're still stuck with this run-down store!"
Zhou Zhenbang spat on the ground.
Since they can't get through the front door, they can't blame him for tearing down the wall.
Having been in the business world for so many years, Zhou Zhenbang knows that the market is never something you wait for, but something you seize.
Since the other party was so uncooperative, he didn't need to be polite. He was here today to see if the business deal would go well, or if not, he would at least show some courtesy first and then take action later.
Thinking of this, Zhou Zhenbang quickly took out his phone and dialed his secretary's number.
After the call was connected, the gentleness and warmth he had shown when speaking to Chen Yuan just moments before vanished completely. His voice became cold and hard, as if he were speaking in a fit of pique.
"The deal didn't go through, but there's no need to talk about it anymore. Go and take care of a few things right away."
"First, find a trademark agent immediately. In the next couple of days, apply for trademarks similar to 'vegan breakfast shop' and 'Old Chen's breakfast.' Also, tweak the font and color scheme of their signs, the storefront, etc., and try to skirt the rules. Register as many as you can."
"Secondly, quickly contact the East of the city. There's a shop agency near the university town that rents a large street-front shop. We can rent a small one in the West of the city, since the rent there is too expensive. We'll just set up the shop like this one, and then we'll sell whatever this shop sells."
"One last thing. Talk to a supply chain. Forget about old dough or anything like that, just use instant soybean germ. Anyway, the students won't be able to tell the difference. Also, talk to seafood, negotiate a good price. If there are factories that can take semi-finished products, that would be even better. Talk to all of these and keep the costs as low as possible."
The secretary on the other end of the phone gasped and hesitated.
"Mr. Zhou, isn't this a bit too ambitious? And if the quality control and taste are inconsistent, what if we get complaints or accusations of counterfeiting..."
"What complaints? What is fighting counterfeits? Do you think consumers are that shrewd? Most people can't even tell the difference between what's real and what's fake."
Zhou Zhenbang sneered and said indifferently.
"Let me tell you, do you know why that big store was located next to a university student?"
The secretary honestly said he didn't know, and Zhou Zhenbang sneered again.
"College students lack social experience and simply can't distinguish between good and bad. They can't even tell the difference between a goose leg and a duck leg, so how could they tell the difference between a genuine and a fake shop?"
Secretary: "...What you said seems to make some sense."
Zhou Zhenbang said, "Besides, once there are vegetarian steamed bun shops all over the streets, if the steamed buns they spend 50 yuan on are not tasty, they will only feel that selling them for 88 yuan is ripping them off."
"If genuine products are mixed with counterfeits, their reputation will naturally be diluted. We'll rely on low prices and high volume to make money first."
"We'll wait until things calm down, then close the shop and change the brand. It'll be a clean slate in no time. If anyone wants to fish in troubled waters, now's the time!"