Chapter 381: Taking Over Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd

After leaving the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Chen Yang drove straight to the Provincial State-owned Enterprise Reform Group Office.

The former chairman of Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd. had already been removed from office in this working group's investigation due to serious dereliction of duty. Considering that Chen Yang was about to take over, Liu Jianghua did not appoint a new management team.

Therefore, Chen Yang could only discuss the acquisition with Liu Jianghua.

However, Liu Jianghua's overall asset valuation for Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd. reached thirty million, and he also demanded that at least eighty percent of the employees be taken over. This left Chen Yang dissatisfied.

"Governor Liu, the only valuable assets of Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd. now are the factory buildings and land. Everything else is just a burden to me. Not to mention thirty million, no one would even take it for twenty million."

Liu Jianghua laughed and said, "Xingcheng is a provincial-level city, and Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd. is located in the urban area; even if we only sell the land and factory buildings, it's certainly worth more than thirty million, right?"

Chen Yang said, "Then I'll only buy the land and factory buildings; I don't care about the rest."

Liu Jianghua snorted and said, "You little brat, you're dreaming. If you don't have to take over the company's employees, there are plenty of people who would take it; it wouldn't even be your turn."

Chen Yang quietly reminded Liu Jianghua, "Governor Liu, I'm not eagerly trying to buy this company. If a more capable company takes it over, I can step aside."

Liu Jianghua glared at Chen Yang angrily and said, "Can't you have some ambition? The country will strongly support food production enterprises this year. As long as you clean up the current mess, will the province mistreat you?"

Seeing that Liu Jianghua was determined to let him take over Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd., Chen Yang directly held up two fingers and said, "Governor Liu, let's talk business. According to our company's due diligence report, I can offer at most twenty million."

"Twenty million is too little!" Liu Jianghua shook his head and said, "Why don't we each step back a bit? Twenty-five million?"

"Just twenty million!" Chen Yang still insisted on his offer, and he poured out his grievances to Liu Jianghua: "Governor Liu, the original industrial chain of Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd. has been completely destroyed. Ordinary people won't buy their products anymore. To revive it, I must replace the entire industrial chain."

"In that case, we would need to introduce new technology and equipment, and remodel the factory. The required investment would far exceed the cost of establishing a new company from scratch."

"If it weren't for your instructions, I truly wouldn't want to take on this mess."

Liu Jianghua slightly frowned and said, "Why not just let Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd.'s production line make the people's sausages? That would smoothly accomplish the company's transition and also reduce the transportation cost of the people's sausages in Xingcheng."

Chen Yang gave a bitter smile and said, "Governor Liu, you know full well how Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd. ended up in this situation. If I produced the people's sausages here, once word got out, everyone would think my company also used dead pork as raw material—who would dare to buy the people's sausages then?"

Liu Jianghua fell silent at once. He clearly understood that food production concerns public safety and is the most sensitive topic. If the news got out that the people's sausages were being contract-manufactured in Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd.'s factory, it could very well trigger a trust crisis for the people's sausage brand.

This is certainly not the result he wants to see.

"How about this? I can give you the twenty million, but you must solve the employment problem for all the workers."

Chen Yang said, "Governor Liu, if the workers of Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd. are willing to follow me, I don't have a big problem. I'm just afraid they won't be willing..."

Liu Jianghua immediately understood Chen Yang's meaning, smiled and said, "Rest assured, I've already looked into the demands of Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd.'s workers. Their demands aren't high—they just want work. As long as you don't withhold their wages, no one will cause trouble."

Chen Yang didn't really believe Liu Jianghua's words. After all, in the minds of Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd.'s employees, he had already been branded as a major villain.

Even if the troublemakers are dealt with, their henchmen still lurk among the masses. Given the chance, they will surely cause trouble again.

After leaving the Provincial State-owned Enterprise Reform Group Office, Chen Yang called Xiao Jian and had his wife Juanzi temporarily transferred back to Xingcheng for a period.

Juanzi is a veteran employee of Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd.; her parents have worked at the company for decades. Most of the staff are well acquainted with her. Having her step forward to do publicity might yield better results.

Moreover, Chen Yang went to the Agricultural University and found Zhao Songtao, to whom he explained his plan to acquire Xingcheng Food Co., Ltd. and carry out an industrial transformation.

Upon hearing that he wouldn't have to leave Xingcheng, Zhao Songtao was naturally even happier. He immediately agreed to go to Xingcheng Limited to serve as Chief Food R&D Specialist.

Chen Yang also gave Zhao Songtao a task: to lead a team in purchasing the relevant soy product production equipment. To ensure brand competitiveness, he demanded that they choose equipment with the most complete functions.

For a new brand to make a splash, it must really pack a punch. It must let ordinary people intuitively feel the difference between the new company's products and other traditional brands.

After leaving the Agricultural University, Chen Yang then called Hu Jiahao of Hu Clan Foreign Trade and ordered 100,000 tons of Beautiful Country soybeans.

These soybeans can be used not only to make soy products but also in feed production at feed mills.

Although the 100,000-ton order exceeds the short-term demand of both companies, Chen Yang vaguely recalls that the price of Beautiful Country soybeans will double in the second half of the year, dragging domestic soybean prices up sharply as well.

The People's Company relies on a low-price strategy; if it doesn't want to increase the second-half budget, the best approach is to stockpile in advance.

Moreover, by purchasing from Hu Clan Foreign Trade, Chen Yang can use HSBC Bank's foreign exchange settlement, which allows a portion of overseas funds to be transferred quickly and legally into the country.

After confirming the transaction method with Hu Jiahao, Chen Yang had him go directly to Deep City to meet with Su Mingyue.

At the same time, he didn't forget to remind the other party to pay attention to epidemic prevention. After all, March is approaching, and the S-virus outbreak will soon be impossible to conceal.

Of course, Chen Yang also called Su Mingyue. Besides instructing her to coordinate the soybean import with Hu Jiahao, he again urged her to strengthen virus prevention work.

After everything was arranged, Chen Yang then drove back to his villa on Jiangmen Dao.

The two sprawling villas are occupied by him alone, which is actually quite lonely.

At this point, Chen Yang began to miss the days when Lin Wei was by his side.

Since Lin Wei was transferred to Shuangfeng Town, her work seems to have become even busier than before; she only calls every few days, and they hang up after a brief chat.

Moreover, Chen Yang still hasn't finished his work here, so he had no chance to return for Valentine's Day or the Lantern Festival. Since what happened with Liu Qingqing, he's become even more reluctant to go back.