Chapter 662 – Meeting Liu Yonghao
“I need some time to consider about this. Don’t you know that my father’s Tai Hua Agriculture Products company is a competitor of New Hope Group? Their New Hope Group is China’s number one animal feed supplier, and my father’s company is number two.”
Liu Chuanzhi was stunned. How could he know about this? Manager Feng’s father business was really successful. China’s number 2 biggest animal feed supplier? But how come this company’s name was so familiar?
“Manager Feng, even if both of you are competitors, it is also a healthy competition. There is no need for you to treat each other as enemies. Furthermore, the both of you also do not have conflicts before. This should not be a problem, right?”
“Manager Liu, I have no problems. Can you help me ask Liu Yonghao out? I would like to speak to him.” Feng Yu smiled.
Actually, when Tai Hua Agriculture Products company was newly set up, Feng Yu had wanted to recruit Liu Yonghao. But at that time, Liu Yonghao and his brothers’ animal feed factory were already set up and was very successful.
Sichuan province was China’s biggest pig rearing base. It was the world biggest pig rearing base. With this strategic location, the New Hope Group was able to develop rapidly.
Tai Hua Agriculture Products company’s animal feed was mainly supplied to its own pig farms. They were unable to enter the Sichuan market.
Feng Yu did not know Liu Yonghao, but Zhang Ming knew him. It was because Tai Hua Agriculture Products company had snatched part of New Hope Group’s market share.
Luckily, the New Hope Group does not only produce pig feed. They also produce cows, goats, chicken, ducks, etc. feed. They might be affected by Tai Hua Agriculture Products company, but the impact was not that big.
Feng Yu was very interested to know the Liu brothers, especially the eldest brother, Liu Yonghao.
“Ok. I will arrange this meeting. I will let you know the time and place. Do you think this Minsheng Bank is possible? Will people deposit their money into this bank?” Liu Chuanzhi worryingly asked.
“Banks are just Qianzhuang in ancient times. If we are going to set up a bank, we must first let the people have confidence with us. Then we will make use of high saving interest rates and low-interest loans to attract customers. It is very easy to run a bank.”
In this era, the hardest part about setting up a bank was the issue of withdrawing funds from other places and the charges involved. If there were no branches in certain areas, the customer would not be able to withdraw their money, and even if they could, there will be charges.
The advantages for Feng Yu to join this venture was the number of his employees and the financial capacity of his companies. Even if it were only his employees who used this Minsheng bank, it would be a considerable amount. If all of Feng Yu’s companies use Minsheng Bank for their transactions and accounts, it will be perfect.
That day, after Feng Yu returned home, he called Zhang Ming and asked him to come to Beijing. Even if Feng Yu did not partake in this venture, it would still be suitable for Tai Hua Agriculture to form a partnership or collaboration with New Hope Group.
Now was the best time for banks in China to develop. But at the same time, it was also the most challenging period. This was because the existing banks in China were not as powerful as the future years. There were also lots of loopholes that were not discovered. The banks also faced many interventions by the government. For instance, the local government will interfere with the bank’s operation and management, even though they do not have the authority to do so.
Currently, there were many banks in China, and Iron Fist Zhu was the Governor of People’s Bank of China. He was an expert in economics. The government banks were developing rapidly during this period and had eliminated many malpractices. Furthermore, there were no banking alliances yet. Although there were ATM cards now, there were not many ATM machines around, and there were no POS machines. People were still using bank books.
The interbank transactions were troublesome, and UnionPay was not set up yet. There were high charges for transactions. It was tedious for a new bank to establish a relationship with all other banks.
Furthermore, the people were still having the old mindset. When they heard this was a non-government bank, their first thought was “this bank is not safe.” What if they deposit their money into this bank and cannot withdraw it? What if it closes down?
A shareholding bank was the same as a shareholding company. A company will have the risk of being bankrupt and close down. People had seen lots of companies shutting down these few years.
But Feng Yu wanted to be part of this venture because Minsheng Bank was able to let him take loans and the paperwork will be simplified, and he could get a higher amount.
After UnionPay was set up, there will be more ATM machines around, and Minsheng bank should be able to grow. Feng Yu did not expect to earn much from this investment. He just wants the convenience when he needs to get loans.
These people wanted to set up this Minsheng Bank should also have the same thinking. This was a different way of raising funds. Legally raising funds.
In the future years, these people who founded Minsheng Bank, all took lots of loans from the bank. Their businesses grew and developed rapidly because of the availability of funds.
……
3 days later, all of them met in Quanjude’s private room.
If the meeting were held in the office, it would be a formal meeting. This meeting was held in a restaurant. It was more like a gathering of friends. Even if no deals work out, there will be no hard feelings.
Liu Yonghao was stunned when he saw Zhang Ming. “You are Manager Zhang of Tai Hua?”
Zhang Ming smiled and extended his hand for a handshake. “Mr. Liu, this should not be the first time we met. I thought you have forgotten about me.”
Liu Chuanzhi immediately introduces: “Tai Hua Agriculture Products is owned by Manager Feng’s father. Manager Feng, this is Mr. Liu Yonghao.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Feng Yu.” Feng Yu smiled and extended his hand.
“Liu Yonghao. I have heard a lot about you. I finally get to meet you today. I never expect that Tai Hua Agriculture is owned by your family.”
Liu Yonghao did not leave immediately after he saw Zhang Ming and Feng Yu and Liu Chuanzhi was relieved. “Let’s have dinner. I have ordered the dishes. Let’s talk over dinner.”
Liu Yonghao arrogantly said: “The ducks from Beijing Quanjude are fed with my animal feeds. Now, most of the farms all over China orders their animal feed from us.”
Liu Yonghao glanced at Zhang Ming. He only has animal feed for pigs. How can he compete with New Hope Group?
Zhang Ming laughed and replied: “We have Tian Peng Pigs. We are the number one pork supplier in China. We also have pig farms and ham products. Oh, we are selling our products in Tai Hua Supermarket. It’s Tai Hua Supermarket. You get what I mean?”
Tia Hua Supermarket, Tai Hua Agriculture Products? These two companies are related? Liu Yonghao looked up and saw Feng Yu smiling. This Tai Hua Supermarket belongs to his family too? But it was reported that Hong Kong richest man, Superman Li, had invested in this supermarket. This supermarket had something to do with Feng Yu?
Feng Yu gestured to Zhang Ming to stop him. “Zhang Ming, Mr. Liu’s New Hope Group, is really better than us in animal feeds. But, Mr. Liu, your company, is run by you and your family. Are there any conflicts between you and your brothers when you all split the profits?”