Chapter 313 - 158: Tasting Session

Chapter 313: Chapter 158: Tasting Session

After conducting market research, the department decided to price the Vanilla Strawberry Powder at 3,500 yuan per kilogram. Due to its high concentration, this was roughly equivalent to vanilla paste selling for 350 yuan per kilogram—effectively half price.

This would not only guarantee their profits but also avoid causing a devastating blow to the Vanilla Pod industry in other regions.

After all, European and American Enterprises in places like Madagascar, the origin of Vanilla Pods, paid a maximum of 1,500 yuan per kilogram—and that was only for the highest quality pods. Medium-quality pods went for 600 to 1,000 yuan per kilogram, and the worst quality for 300 to 600 yuan per kilogram.

Kudou Inoue inwardly cursed Hailufeng Company. ’So cunning! A bunch of unscrupulous merchants!’

’They obviously have the capacity for mass production, but they’re deliberately capping output just to maintain high profits.’

’With a monthly production of just 100 tons, even if it’s equivalent to 1,000 tons of vanilla paste, it won’t completely upend the market.’

’After all, it’s a monopoly. Even if Meiji Ice Cream Company doesn’t buy it, other ice cream manufacturers will.’

’The price advantage is just too obvious.’

To cut costs, increase efficiency, and compete with their peers, all the ice cream companies that used natural vanilla as a gimmick would have to follow suit. Otherwise, they risked being forced out of the market.

Frustrated, Kudou Inoue could only accept the price. "Wang Sang, your company is truly impressive! Give me 50 kilograms of samples. I need to send them back to headquarters for product testing."

"No problem." Wang Zhixue beamed and shook his hand again.

After Kudou Inoue left,

the business manager sent by Niu Brand Company, one of the country’s top three dairy enterprises, also approached.

Clearly, there was no shortage of sharp people at the tasting event.

Niu Brand Company also purchased a small sample from Wang Zhixue and rushed it back to their Monan Headquarters. They planned to test the new raw material as a substitute for vanilla paste, and of course, they would also conduct a detailed analysis of the Vanilla Strawberry Powder’s components to ensure Hailufeng Company hadn’t hidden any harmful ingredients.

After that, several other large-scale chain bakeries successively placed orders for dozens of kilograms of Vanilla Strawberry Powder.

Seeing that the other attendees were still slow on the uptake,

Wang Zhixue knew it was time for him to take the stage.

On the large stage behind the tasting tables, Wang Zhixue tapped the microphone he was holding. "Esteemed guests! Good morning, everyone."

Hearing the announcement, many guests stopped what they were doing and turned in unison toward the main stage.

"I am Wang Zhixue, Deputy Manager of the Sales Department at Hailufeng Company. It is my great honor today to have invited friends from all corners of the country to attend this tasting event."

As Wang Zhixue’s voice echoed through the hall, everyone’s attention shifted to him. Or rather, all the guests wanted to know what Hailufeng Company’s so-called new product was.

Those who had already figured it out also remained silent, quietly waiting for what would come next.

"You may be wondering why we haven’t brought out our new product for you to taste. In fact, you’ve already tasted it."

The moment he finished speaking, many who had been completely baffled just moments before showed expressions of sudden understanding. They turned their gazes to the tasting tables in front of the stage.

"Our company will soon be launching Vanilla Strawberry Powder, a brand-new flavoring. Its taste is highly similar to natural Vanilla Pods, and the wholesale price is 3,500 yuan per kilogram. Guests who would like more details can come to the tasting tables to pick up a product brochure and a small sample."

Down in the audience, Li Du, the head of purchasing for Baxi Company, had a thoughtful expression on his face, while his assistant had already gone to the tasting tables and collected a product brochure and a small bag of pinkish powder.

Others also grew interested.

As more and more product brochures were taken, the buzz of discussion in the hall grew louder.

Baxi Company’s ingredients specialist, a man with glasses, pushed them up his nose. "Manager Li, if the concentration is ten times that of vanilla paste, then a price of 3,500 yuan per kilogram is acceptable."

Li Du snapped back to attention. "I know. It looks like Meiji Ice Cream and Niu Brand Company have already been in contact with Hailufeng Company. We have to act now; we can’t fall behind the others."

Wang Dehua, the business manager from Haagen-Dazs Company who had been maintaining an aloof and cool demeanor, now had a look of shock and uncertainty on his face.

At the same time, he was inwardly cursing Hailufeng Company for its dirty tricks. After all, Haagen-Dazs made its vanilla paste from Vanilla Pods sourced directly from Madagascar.

Now that Hailufeng Company was suddenly selling so much Vanilla Strawberry Powder that could replace Vanilla Pods, he could easily imagine that in the near future, a frenzy of internal competition over their vanilla product lines was inevitable.

Even Haagen-Dazs, a luxury brand in the world of ice cream, would feel immense pressure.

Because its competitors were gaining access to cheaper raw materials, if Haagen-Dazs continued to use its Madagascar vanilla paste, its competitiveness would decline.

Of course, Haagen-Dazs could try to maintain its luxury branding by declaring that only ice cream made with real Vanilla Pods was "true" vanilla ice cream.

But whether consumers would buy it was another matter entirely.

After all, when faced with a product of nearly the same quality at a much lower price, consumers would vote with their feet.

A luxury brand’s image requires it to demonstrate unique characteristics.

Otherwise, something that everyone can afford is no longer worthy of being called a luxury item.

And when a luxury brand loses that luxury image, it’s not far from its final curtain call.

From a certain perspective, Hailufeng Company’s Vanilla Strawberry Powder was forcing an industry-wide shake-up in the vanilla ice cream market.

Zhang Lili, the head of purchasing for Five Rams Ice Cream Company who had been looking bored just moments ago, had already slipped out to the fire escape to call her company’s general manager and report the situation.

Many ice cream companies that hadn’t previously used natural vanilla as a raw material were now considering whether they should launch a new product to break into the high-end market.

「As time went on.」

The management at all the major ice cream companies soon learned that Hailufeng Company had come up with a new flavoring that could be used as a substitute for natural vanilla paste.

The scene that followed was predictable: the entire current inventory of five tons of Vanilla Strawberry Powder was snatched up in a flash.

Although it was all being taken back for new product research, there were dozens of major ice cream enterprises alone, not to mention large food service companies and bakeries. Five tons of the product was only enough for them to use as samples.