Zhang Zhonghua and a group of company employees got off the plane. Most of the CFC employees came to the UK for the first time. They were very excited when they saw the huge Heathrow Airport in front of them.
A flight from Hong Kong Island to London costs more than 800 US dollars. This is the salary of a senior white-collar worker in Hong Kong Island for two years. There are not many people in Hong Kong Island who have the luxury to fly abroad.
Walking out of the airport, Zhang Zhonghua looked at the ticket in his hand and complained speechlessly. This ticket was too expensive. A few decades later, a ticket from China to London with transfers would cost only a few thousand yuan. Most people would do it.
rise.
There is only one Cathay Pacific airline on Hong Kong Island. I really love buying it, but I can’t bear to take a boat ride.
"Boss, welcome to London."
Jia Jinghua led two employees who arrived early and drove to the airport to greet Zhang Zhonghua and his party. Three brand-new cars parked next to the three of them. Zhang Zhonghua looked at the number of cigarette butts on the ground and knew that the three of them must have been waiting for a long time.
"Thank you for your hard work, Manager Jia. Let's go to the hotel first."
Zhang Zhonghua said.
The three cars drove along the Thames River towards the center of London. Everyone listened to the employees of Tianzhou Logistics Company explaining the Thames River and the buildings along it. Some ancient buildings along the way attracted everyone's attention with their extraordinary momentum.
There are many cars and pedestrians on the roads of London. There are all kinds of cars and pedestrians in fashionable and beautiful clothes. The British in the 1960s were a bit too fashionable.
Otherwise, some people say that fashion is a reincarnation. Looking at the clothes of British people now, Zhang Zhonghua has the feeling of looking at fifty years later. London can be regarded as a fashion capital now, but he doesn’t know where Paris, the romantic capital of the future, will be now.
What does it look like.
Britain has experienced a prosperous industrial revolution. Although heavy industry has already moved out of London, the environment is really not very good. It may be impossible to recover. The fog is not for nothing.
Of course, the Thames River is not as clean as Zhang Zhonghua imagined. Zhang Zhonghua couldn't help but think of the holy river in India, which is really clean and hygienic.
Soon the car stopped in front of the hotel. It was not a high-end hotel but it was pretty good. It was not like they didn't come out to enjoy it.
Everyone looked at the surrounding museums, palaces, Tower Bridge and countless cruise ships on the Thames River, and they were even more shocked. Although Hong Kong Island has developed well in recent years, there is still a huge gap between it and London, an international city.
Of course, everyone is more dissatisfied. In the past century, Britain has been drawing blood from Hong Kong Island. Especially after World War II, in order to restore its vitality, a large amount of Hong Kong Island's tax revenue was transferred to the United Kingdom, causing the development of the entire Hong Kong Island to lag behind. Otherwise, Hong Kong
The development of the island is definitely more than what it is now.
“Welcome to London, England.”
As soon as Zhang Zhonghua and everyone got out of the car, they saw Zheng Juan greeting everyone at the door of the hotel. She was so beautiful in a white suit that she blinded everyone who had just arrived in the UK.
"Ajuan, where can I buy these beautiful clothes?"
Xin Xiaoling said with a smile.
"They are all over the streets here. This outfit costs more than 60 dollars. The cost in the UK is too high."
Zheng Juan thought of the price of this suit and said distressedly.
60 US dollars is equivalent to 340 Hong Kong dollars. Zheng Juan's monthly salary is only this much. However, Zhang Zhonghua gave a high business trip allowance, which is a benefit to everyone in the company.
"Britain is really rich. The streets full of cars and fashionable passers-by are much better than Hong Kong Island."
Xin Xiaoling said with some envy.
"Britain is much richer than we thought. It is paradise, but it is also hell."
Zheng Juan joked.
"Every heaven is hell! But I don't seem to see many poor people here."
Xin Xiaoling
"Of course there are poor people, but those poor people perform in some squares or work in factories. It is rare to see poor people in such prosperous areas, especially in scenic spots." Zheng Juan explained.
Everyone went upstairs and returned to their rooms to simply wash up. Zhang Zhonghua's room was an executive suite, equipped with a refrigerator, TV, air conditioner, etc.
Half an hour later, Zheng Juan, Xin Xiaoling, He Jiliang, Jia Jinghua and others also came to Zhang Zhonghua's room. Zheng Juan had coffee delivered.
“Let’s briefly introduce the income and consumption situation in the UK.”
Zhang Zhonghua said.
"The current per capita annual income in the UK is close to 2,000 pounds; the annual income of a middle-class family can reach more than 20,000 pounds. Currently, one pound is about 2.75 US dollars. It should be the country with the highest income in the world."
Zheng Juan handed over several investigation reports as she spoke, and Zhang Zhonghua also picked them up and read them. The data was very detailed. It included the income of workers, civil servants, chefs, drivers, service personnel and other industries in London. Nowadays,
The British pound is equivalent to about 15 Hong Kong dollars, which translates into a middle-class family's annual income of up to 300,000 Hong Kong dollars, which is too high.
Zhang Zhonghua was shocked by this data.
Xin Xiaoling and He Jiliang looked at each other and were shocked by the income of British people. The salary was too high. It seemed that the salary was going to be increased.
The UK now has a population of more than 55 million, its GDP is US$116 billion, and its gross national income is higher than its GDP. It can be said that the country is poor and the people are rich, and the sun never sets on the empire. The old gentleman will always be
He is arrogant and looks down on the old man from the ugly country.
"The British have high incomes and low consumption. There are two main extremes. The first is that the prices of industrialized goods are very low. Clothing and the like are processed on Hong Kong Island and the price is as low as around 3 pounds;
The second is that the consumption in the service industry is very high. For example, a meal in a restaurant costs at least 1 pound, and a haircut starts at 3 pounds. As for decoration, maintenance and other costs, it is even more expensive. Simply put, labor is very expensive."
Zheng Juan briefly talked about the consumption situation in the UK, and then handed over a survey report.
Zhang Zhonghua picked up the report and read it again. A bottle of Coke was 4 shillings, bread was between 6 and 12 shillings, vegetables were more than 1 pound per pound, and meat was about 2 pounds.
After looking at the prices of ordinary goods, he turned to another page. Car repairs started at 80 pounds, and decoration was even more expensive, starting at 2,000 pounds. Zhang Zhonghua could only say 96226.
Zhang Zhonghua took a deep breath. No wonder families in Europe and the United States have many cars. Both cars and gasoline are cheap here, but the maintenance fees are too high.
The service industry in developed countries is really ridiculously high. Recruiting waiters and cashiers costs a lot of money every month. It has completely hit Hong Kong Island and areas with large populations in Japan. It seems that decorators need to find a way. It is really impossible to use ships from Hong Kong.
The island invites a group of people to come.
Everyone put down the investigation report. Zheng Juan looked at Zhang Zhonghua, Xin Xiaoling and He Jiliang with shocked expressions and curled their lips. Shocked, right? We were only shocked when we were conducting the investigation.
"What about the location selection situation in London?" Zhang Zhonghua asked.
"London's traditional business districts are concentrated in three areas: Financial City, Midtown and West End. The Financial City is the core business district. The price of a 200-square-meter base in the two business districts of Midtown and West End is about 150,000 to 20,000.
The price of 200 flats in the City is between 250,000 and 300,000 pounds; the price in other areas is slightly cheaper between 50,000 and 100,000 pounds.
The current housing prices in London are frighteningly high, and most people simply cannot afford them. As for the castles outside the city, although they cover a huge area, they are not expensive, and a relatively complete one only costs over one million pounds."
Zheng Juan said.
Currently, CFC Catering has close to 50 stores in Japan and its daily income is less than 100,000 pounds. To buy 100 stores in London would cost over 100 million Hong Kong dollars, and you can even buy a building in Central.
"Now that Japan can allocate 3.6 million pounds, Japan should continue to rely on loans to expand and use all profits to develop the British market."
Zhang Zhonghua said with emotion.
"Are the stores in London easy to buy? It shouldn't be easy in the Financial City, right?"
Xin Xiaoling asked.
“Shops in the Financial City are not difficult to buy, but rents there are very high and restaurants are difficult to maintain there, so there are always restaurants that want to transfer and sell them.
I have selected 3 shops there, one is 400 square meters with two floors and costs 550,000 pounds in the center of the entire financial city. The other two are much cheaper, both are 200 square meters and cost about 250,000 pounds.
As long as you choose another one that can occupy three directions, plus the flagship store occupies the center, the four stores can radiate to the entire financial city."
Zheng Juan said to Zhang Zhonghua.
The cost of opening a store in the UK, especially in London, is too high, and the plan needs to be revised. Hong Kong Island, Japan, and the UK are each more ruthless than the other. Think about it, a store in Hong Kong Island costs hundreds of thousands.
Hong Kong dollars are enough, but a shop in London costs millions of Hong Kong dollars.
The flagship store costs 550,000 pounds, the three branches each cost 250,000 pounds, and the four stores cost almost 1.3 million pounds, which is equivalent to more than 19 million Hong Kong dollars.
Moreover, if you hire a decoration company from the UK, the decoration alone will cost hundreds of thousands of pounds. It is easy for workers in the UK to make money.
This cannot be done in the UK's asset-heavy operation. The current housing prices in Japan are acceptable, but they will not be able to do it twenty years later.
"Then let's win four stores first and establish a foothold in London's Financial City. Once the investment reaches 5 million pounds, we can get a mortgage in the UK." Zhang Zhonghua said.
It is really difficult for a company to internationalize. Now Zhang Zhonghua admires the legend of Charter King even more. He is different from Li Chaoren. Li Chaoren can only hang out in Hong Kong Island, and he can only cheat his own people and go abroad.
Can't play at all
"Mortgage loans are relatively easy in the UK. There are the headquarters of Standard Chartered Bank and HSBC. If you contact them through connections in Hong Kong Island, you can still get a loan from them."
Xin Xiaoling immediately said to Zhang Zhonghua.
"Then choose Standard Chartered Bank. I remember that Standard Chartered Bank is better than HSBC in Europe, right?"
Zhang Zhonghua asked.
CFC cannot always rely on HSBC for loans, not to mention that Hong Kong Island still owes HSBC tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars, and Standard Chartered is more international than HSBC. HSBC is mainly invincible on Hong Kong Island.
"No problem, Standard Chartered Bank has branches in Europe and North America, and Standard Chartered Bank is also very strong in Africa."
"Well, forget about Africa. Except for a few countries in Africa, there will be no soil for CFCs to survive in a short period of time."
"Boss, there's one more thing. Our CFC's set menu is expected to need to be modified accordingly. People in the UK are much taller than Asians, and their appetites are much larger than those in Asia."
Zheng Juan said with a smile.
If the set menu from Hong Kong Island were brought to the UK, I'm afraid the UK would have to eat one and a half portions to be full. At present, Europeans and Americans are much stronger than Asians.
Zhang Zhonghua glanced at Zheng Juan and thought to himself that I have eaten at McDonald's and KFC in the UK. We have been to Europe before (in a previous life).
I already have recipes like Colonel's Chicken Nuggets, Vegetable Salad, and Chicken Wraps in my mind, but they're just not on the market yet.
"Then the burgers here in the UK are bigger than those on Hong Kong Island, and some snacks and vegetable salads are also added to the menu. I can sell them whatever the British like to eat."
"Almost everyone here in the UK drinks afternoon tea whenever they have time. Should we also add stocking milk tea to the menu?"
"Well, Manager Jia is right. People who work here almost always have afternoon tea in the afternoon, and stockings milk tea is also good."
Zheng Juan agreed.
"Since you all think it's okay, then add it, but milk tea will only be provided during afternoon tea."
"No problem, the profit of afternoon tea is the highest of the day, and our prices here will also start to be calculated in pounds."
Zheng Juan said with a smile, feeling very excited. In the future, the income of CFC restaurant will not only be in Hong Kong dollars, Japanese yen, pounds and US dollars, but also in various currencies such as Lira, Mark, Franc and so on. It is a happy thing to think about it.
things.
"We need to set the price well here, so that there are more types of afternoon tea, otherwise we will be sorry for such an expensive house price and such a high income."
Zhang Zhonghua also said with some excitement.
"That's for sure. Aren't we always doing as the Romans do?"
Everyone also laughed. Are house prices high in London? High! But income and consumption are higher. In this case, the price of CFC restaurants will definitely rise.
"Boss, West Germany has already inspected it. The location of Hamburg is the most suitable for establishing a central kitchen. It is close to the bay and has convenient transportation, and the land price is also very cheap. And there is no need for major changes. Land and railways are very convenient.
convenient."
Jia Jinghua said.
Another few million were needed, and Zhang Zhonghua felt a headache.
"Okay, let's buy a factory and start renovating it in two days. Don't rush to buy equipment. Don't build a central kitchen yet. Let's transport it here by sea from Hong Kong Island. We will consider purchasing equipment after a while.
.”
Zhang Zhonghua said somewhat helplessly.
The most important task of CFC Company at present is to open a store to make money, and building a factory can take some time off.
Zhang Zhonghua was speechless. Every time he felt that he had some money, the world would give him a slap in the face and let him know that he was still very poor. When would he have to worry about having too much money and no place to spend it?
"I think a small central kitchen can be established near London. Vegetables and cheese cannot be transported from Hong Kong Island and must be processed here."
Xin Xiaoling added.
"It's very cheap to buy a truck in Europe, but you need to transfer some maintenance personnel from Hong Kong Island, who can also be used as drivers. The labor costs here are really too expensive."
Jia Jinghua said.
"Well, let's do this first, and we'll talk about it later when the situation arises."
Zhang Zhonghua nodded and agreed with several people's opinions.
