"Post-80s" chive million chive entrepreneurial story

Born in 1989, Chai founded a company with 400 employees in his sophomore year and was called Chai Taiwan by his classmates. After graduating from university in 2012, he returned to his hometown of Chajia Village, Zhangqiu City, Shandong Province to plant leeks. By the end of 2013, his turnover was more than 10 million yuan and his net profit was more than 1 million yuan. The model of "professional large households + farmers' cooperatives + farmers" advocated by him has changed the traditional planting mode for decades, and his potted leek has thus become a typical transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture. Chai Huilong talked about his history of entrepreneurship among the post-80s generation.

I majored in international trade in college and worked as a campus media. Even though I was tempted by an annual salary of 200,000 yuan, I still wanted to return to my hometown -- Chajia Village, Zhangqiu City. My hometown has a history of growing leeks. 355 families race leeks and there are 1,500 mu of characteristic brand bases. The village even registered the brand of green pollution-free leeks in 2000, but this official certification did not bring more profits to the villagers. At the age of 19, I vowed that if four years later, my hometown chives have not gone to the whole country, I will return to my hometown to realize this dream.

Seize the rigid demand that people pay attention to food safety

When I was in college, I kept hearing about various cases of chives poisoning. Many vegetables that are pollution-free and residue-free will not be bought even if they are placed in the supermarket. But leek for northern people is just needed, especially winter dumplings are indispensable (ingredients). However, out of fear, consumers are now refusing to accept even the certificates. Now the urbanization is so severe, many people have no land (want to plant can not plant), also can not grow good chives, can only buy. In the face of such strong demand, our villagers are not making much money. Ordinary leeks are hard to sell in China, and at the farmers' market, 4 yuan is the best price.

I thought at that time, our village just can provide pollution-free leek, we have such a good base, I was born and raised in Chai village, very familiar with the countryside, if not, there is no such a good opportunity.

To change these problems, I must start from many aspects to change some of the past agricultural production and management methods. I decided to focus on family farms, supplemented by farmers' cooperatives. Make a specimen of yourself first, and if successful, then advertise to farmers. I rented the land of 4 uncles, 40 acres of large quantities of leek production, especially for the supermarket, such pollution-free leek can be sold for 30~40 yuan a catty; Another 10 acres of specialized leek bonsai to meet the needs of consumers personalized customization.

The marketing of agricultural products should be grounded

In the past, our leeks were exported to Beijing and Tianjin. We all said well, but consumers did not know who the product was produced and how it was produced. To put it bluntly, there was no brand. My idea is to open an outlet and form a brand.

Since city people don't believe that produce is grown without pollution, we need to show them that Chaijia's leeks are OK.

When I was in college, I engaged in campus media to get through to businesses and students around the school. I am familiar with how media affects users. Who is the target group of each type of media?

We have consciously contacted the media, and we have started advertising on local life channels in cities such as Jinan. The local lifestyle channel has a great influence on local people (especially housewives) and has credibility. Through advertising, we communicate our quality, products, and models to consumers.

They found out that our products were good, so word of mouth spread, and to meet their needs, we launched the community group purchase model. As long as a community orders XX POTS, free shipping. In the Jinan, the community can hear the old women shout: "Do you buy chives, do you need them at home?"

In addition, we also pay special attention to the timing and effectiveness of advertising. We advertise on the traffic radio station, and we buy space from 5 to 5:20. At this time, most of the cars in Jinan are stuck on the road. By letting them listen to my business report, I can make them interested in my leeks.

We also work with institutions [with] high-end people. We first through Jinan's high-end agricultural products website to sell our pollution-free leek. Plus, I work with the bikers club. They need a place to play, and they're willing to support us. We often have a lot of car friends who will drive to our base to see our planting situation, and then take a few POTS back.

Let citizens cut leeks at home

Winter is the high season for leeks. After the traditional leek is removed from the soil, it is not conducive to preservation, and it is not fresh for a long time. People in the city want to grow their leeks (food safety needs) but have no place to grow them. In the face of this market, a lot of people made a try, for example, some people in Beijing do bonsai agriculture, but the price is too expensive, a potted plant may sell for 3, 400 yuan. The other kind is soilless culture, but this kind of crop vitality is very poor, the product grows one crop.

Our leek barrier is the planting technology, especially the seedling technology, it seems that the threshold of entry is very low the threshold is very high, but other areas are difficult to replicate. You need to make sure the plants are ready for consumers to get home.

After studying what our competitors did, we developed bonsai leeks. The raw material is still our Chaijia village pollute-free leek, but the use of organic fertilizer, cultivation in the greenhouse, with uniform specifications of the mud pot to install, so that the yield and quality have been improved, forming a standardized product appearance.

Before the leek is planted in the field, extensive; And potted leek is we carefully raise seedlings for, a high survival rate. The pollution-FREE LEek OF SUCH FIREWOOD HOME VILLAGE CAN BE raised ON THE BALCONY OF citizens, can be used to appreciate ALREADY, CAN eat again. Each pot of leeks can be cut three to five stubble, each time is fresh. We sell products, not ingredients, and the market response is very good. Each pot of chives can be sold for 79 yuan. Citizens finished eating, but also to our reservation and group purchase, we according to the community distribution.

Secure supply chains through cooperatives

If you have sales and word of mouth, you need to ensure a supply chain.

I started by saying, I'm going to show you how to make people rich by growing pot leeks. Later, I was thinking about how to organize the farmers in the village. I decided to compete with the vegetable vendors because I had the margin space, the channel advantage, and the high purchase price. At the same time, I let the villagers join our cooperative, unified management, unified planting, unified sales, and share the profits.

In addition to ensuring output, we also need to ensure quality, quality is the life of the brand. Farmers, as long as you let them earn money, will be willing to follow this model of production, and because everyone is a community of interests, anyone who wants to mess with the signboard is not allowed. Our requirements are very low, most of them are farmers who have been planting land for more than 30 years. Their technology is very mature. We are close to each other and supervise each other. The safety of agricultural products is getting worse, and farmers know that not sprinkling pesticides are competitive.