Chapter 114 - 101: Manager Julie

Chapter 114: Chapter 101: Manager Julie

"I don’t think so..." Ning He answered honestly.

Julie was slightly surprised.

"Forgive my bluntness, but why do you want to get into this industry, then?"

"I own a vegetarian restaurant and want to be self-sufficient," Ning He said openly.

"A vegetarian restaurant?" A look of surprised recognition dawned on Julie’s face. "Heqi Chinese Restaurant?"

Seeing Ning He nod, she chuckled.

"No wonder Tom called me personally. So you’re the owner of Heqi Chinese Restaurant! Your vegetarian buffet is delicious; I’ve been there several times. What’s the matter, are you having problems with your supplier? If so, I can introduce you to some reputable food companies. I work with several of them and have a good relationship."

"Thank you, but it’s not that simple. For certain reasons, every partnership application I’ve submitted has been rejected. I’ve even been blacklisted by the Food Chamber of Commerce, so I have to find a solution on my own."

’If I want her to help me start a company, I have to be honest about my situation.’

Julie’s expression faltered for a moment before she gave a slight nod. "I see. In that case, let me first explain the main hurdles for starting a food company. If you still think it’s feasible, we can discuss the details."

"Okay."

Julie turned on a nearby monitor and pulled up several images of vegetable production facilities.

Rows upon rows of shelves and lights stood in neat, dense formations.

"Nearly all food companies in Beiluo City use hydroponics. The technology is very mature, and aside from a few root vegetables, most other crops can be mass-produced this way. However, it requires a high level of expertise in seedling cultivation and facility management. This is especially true during periods of extreme temperatures—if the management team doesn’t respond properly, it can lead to massive losses. If you don’t have a relevant background, you’ll need to hire at least one mid-level agricultural engineer. But in Beiluo City, the most capable engineers with strong professional backgrounds have been snapped up by the other food companies. It’s very difficult to attract a suitable candidate without an incredibly tempting offer."

Ning He understood the underlying meaning of her words.

She was gently trying to persuade her to back down.

’To be honest,’ she thought, ’if our roles were reversed, I’d probably think I was completely delusional, too.’

’But my situation is a little different.’

"Um... actually, I was thinking of trying soil-based cultivation," Ning He said.

"Soil-based cultivation...?" Julie thought she had misheard. "Aside from a few food companies in Beiluo City that still have the technology for soil cultivation, the entire agricultural industry has been dominated by hydroponics for years. Even the companies that do have arable soil only use it for certain root vegetables. Hydroponics is still the first choice."

Fearing Ning He didn’t understand, she continued to explain, "In a climate plagued by frequent natural disasters, no crops can survive outdoors. Since everything requires underground facilities and artificial light anyway, hydroponics has the added advantages of lower pest rates, water conservation, and better control. Let’s not even get into whether you can find arable soil. Even if you did, hydroponics is still easier to manage than soil cultivation."

This was all insider information that the average person wouldn’t know. Julie felt it should be enough to give Ning He a clear picture of the reality.

And yet, Ning He’s situation was still a little different.

"So, if I had enough arable soil and could find a specialist to manage it, would soil cultivation be feasible?"

Julie found this incredible.

’Is this young woman really that stubborn?’

"It’s not that it’s impossible," she sighed internally but continued to explain patiently. "On the contrary, soil-grown plants don’t need supports to keep them upright, which can reduce costs and labor to some extent. If you can handle pest control and irrigation properly, it’s hard to say which is better."

Ning He breathed a sigh of relief. ’So all that mud in my system is useful after all.’

"I understand. I still want to give it a try. What are the other hurdles?"

"Production quotas. To ensure a sufficient supply of grain powder for the residents, all food companies are required to turn over a certain amount of grain on a regular basis, proportionate to their scale. But during extreme natural disasters, nearly every company experiences massive production cuts. Even though the government provides some subsidies, you still have to bear most of the losses yourself. Coupled with the grain levy, many small businesses can easily go bankrupt when faced with such a situation."

This hit upon one of Ning He’s own worries.

’The black mud is amazing, but it can’t escape the effects of extreme temperatures. If that happens, it’ll be a real problem.’