Chapter 748 - 470: Crab (2)

Chapter 748: Chapter 470: Crab (2)

After speaking, Jeff Larson paused, a frustrated expression on his face.

"Unfortunately, Mr. Xu can only provide me with a small amount of River Beach Emperor Crab. In the East Asian market, River Beach Emperor Crab is extremely expensive, and you have to place an order half a year in advance to buy any."

He then sighed helplessly, deeply regretting that he couldn’t get more. "I’ve also tried finding other suppliers, but I haven’t found any with quality comparable to the River Beach Emperor Crab."

Feng Shan hadn’t realized the crabs caught by the River Beach were so popular on the market.

He recalled the prices he had quoted Eldest Young Master Xu for the crabs.

Snow crab was 17.20 US Dollars a pound, standard Emperor Crab was 20 US Dollars a pound, and oversized live Emperor Crab was 30 US Dollars a pound.

Eldest Young Master Xu must have resold them to Jeff Larson for a hefty price.

"Is the River Beach Emperor Crab really that popular? If you don’t mind me asking, how much does he sell the Emperor Crab to you for per pound?"

Jeff Larson shrugged, a proud look on his face. "Of course. It’s no secret. Every restaurant in Alaska is hoping to buy River Beach Emperor Crab right now."

"Mr. Xu gives them to me for 60 US Dollars a pound. It’s an inside price that only I can get."

After revealing his purchase price, Jeff Larson lifted his chin, his eyes shining with a triumphant gleam. He seemed to be showing off his special relationship with the supplier and this unique discount.

Feng Shan sucked in a sharp breath.

Hearing the price the owner quoted, he almost leaped out of his chair.

’I quickly did the math in my head. I sell it to Eldest Young Master Xu for only 20 US Dollars a pound, and he turns around and sells it to a restaurant for 60 US Dollars a pound. And that’s the *inside* price! A threefold price difference. He’s making money way too easily. Maybe I should raise my price for Eldest Young Master Xu... bump it up by another 20%.’

"Sir, you know Mr. Xu?" It was only then that Jeff Larson realized that this man before him, who looked a bit like one of the Indigenous People, had actually said Mr. Xu’s name.

’Could they have some kind of special connection?’

Feng Shan nodded. His tone was like he was talking about an old friend, tinged with a bit of teasing. "I know him well. We often drink together. It’s just that the kid is a terrible drunk."

’That’s it!!’

The mention of him being a terrible drunk confirmed it for the ponytailed Jeff Larson; this man definitely knew Mr. Xu. His eyes lit up instantly, his face showing a strange mix of excitement and agitation.

He remembered the first time he met Mr. Xu. It was at a beer party at the Fine Ale Brewery.

Mr. Xu and his friend had been invited by someone, though Larson didn’t know who.

When they first met, Larson had thought the two were just ordinary tourists. He’d warmly welcomed them to taste various beers, taking the opportunity to make a sales pitch for the beers.

He just hadn’t expected that not only could they not handle their alcohol, but they were also terrible drunks.

After getting drunk, the two grown men were all over each other, a complete mess.

Not only that, but they had also accidentally broken some decorations and glasses at the party.

However, after sobering up, Mr. Xu seemed deeply apologetic for his drunken behavior.

He explained that he was a seafood merchant and mentioned he had just purchased a batch of exceptional Emperor Crab. He was willing to sell some to Larson as a way of making amends.

At the time, Jeff Larson had thought it over. He ran a restaurant, after all.

And Emperor Crab cream chowder had always been one of his signature dishes.

Emperor Crab was an ingredient he went through in large quantities during daily operations.

He figured since he had an opportunity to purchase a batch of Emperor Crab at a decent price, why not?

So, he bought 200 pounds of Emperor Crab at the market price to test the quality.

Before long, the Emperor Crab arrived.

Jeff Larson had his head chef prepare the Emperor Crab cream chowder using their usual recipe.

When the dish was served, something amazing happened.

Not only did the restaurant staff praise it endlessly during their tasting, but even the dining customers gave it a big thumbs-up after trying it.

Everyone agreed that the meat of these Emperor Crabs was not only exceptionally high-quality but also had a special, clean sweetness to it. The unique flavor seemed to dance on the tongue, providing a completely new culinary experience.

Jeff Larson immediately recognized the market potential of these Emperor Crabs.

He realized this could become a major selling point for attracting more customers to his restaurant.

So, he contacted Mr. Xu again, his tone full of sincerity.

He expressed his willingness to pay a high price to purchase large quantities of the same quality Emperor Crab.

On the phone, however, Mr. Xu refused him flat out without a second’s hesitation.

Mr. Xu explained that the demand for River Beach Emperor Crab was simply too high. It was constantly in short supply, and he had no extra quota to sell him.

In the end, he had no other choice.

Jeff Larson took out a single-barrel Jack Daniel’s whiskey he had treasured for many years.

This barrel of whiskey was his prized possession, something he couldn’t even bear to drink on a normal day. But now, to secure a supply of River Beach Emperor Crab, he could only make the painful sacrifice.

Perhaps his sincerity worked, as Mr. Xu finally relented and agreed to give Larson a quota of a few hundred pounds per month.

After securing the River Beach Emperor Crab, the restaurant’s business exploded overnight.

Even after raising the price of dishes containing River Beach Emperor Crab to 210 US Dollars per serving, customers still flocked to them, their enthusiasm undiminished.

Every day, a long line formed outside the restaurant, all of them there for that signature dish.

This made Larson both happy and distressed. He was happy that business was booming, but distressed that supply couldn’t meet demand.

He had to implement a reservation system, which only slightly alleviated the operational pressure.

’Damn that River Beach Emperor Crab. Why can’t it be supplied in large quantities?’

Watching the orders he had to turn down every day because they were fully booked, Jeff Larson’s heart ached. It was like watching millions of US Dollars slip through his fingers.

Every rejected order meant lost profit.

The problem now was that in all of Alaska, only Mr. Xu could get a supply of River Beach Emperor Crab.

Jeff Larson had also tried teaming up with some other restaurants to contact the River Beach directly.

They hoped to be able to purchase a share of the Emperor Crab.

He waited for a reply with high hopes, but the news he received was disappointing.

The River Beach stated clearly that all the Emperor Crab they caught was sold to their purchaser, and they had no extra crabs to sell.

This reply was like a bucket of cold water dumped on Jeff Larson’s head. It dashed his hopes once again, leaving him with no recourse.

Thus, the situation had reached an unbreakable impasse.

If he wanted to buy crabs, he could only go to Mr. Xu. The problem was, Jeff Larson had tried everything he could think of, but he couldn’t get Mr. Xu to budge.

Moreover, the other party was from Singapore.

His own network didn’t extend to Mr. Xu’s circle at all. They had absolutely no mutual connections who could mediate.

’Now’s my chance!’ This man before him, Feng Shan, who claimed to be close with Mr. Xu, was like a ray of hope for Larson.

Thinking of this, Jeff Larson broke into a shrewd smile, his eyes filled with expectation as he said meaningfully,

"Sir, if you can convince Mr. Xu to sell me a larger share of the River Beach Emperor Crab, I’m willing to add a 30 US Dollar floater on top of the per-pound price. You can decide how to handle that extra margin yourself."

With that, he looked at Feng Shan expectantly, his eyes filled with longing.

Feng Shan understood instantly.

’He wants me to be a middleman, using my connection to earn a cut of the profit.’

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly into a faint, ambiguous smile. He calmly picked up his napkin, dabbed his mouth, and said, "Sorry, my vessel, the River Beach, has an exclusive purchasing agreement with Mr. Xu. We have to abide by the contract. If you want to buy more Emperor Crab, please contact him directly."

After he finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Nash and Jeff and asked, "I’m done eating. How about you two?"

"I’m done too!"

Jeff quickly stood up.

He had just eaten three servings of the Emperor Crab cream chowder in a row; his stomach was stuffed, and he couldn’t fit another bite.

He raised his hand to signal the waiter for the bill, ready to end the meal and move on to other matters.

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