"Dumpling Queen" Zang Jianhe: Bringing dumplings to the world

Chinese people love to eat dumplings, and Chinese dumplings are also famous in the Chinese community around the world, but to really make dumplings into a big The person who owns the property is a Qingdao girl who lived in Hong Kong. Her name is Zang Jianhe, and she is known as "Miss Zang".

Today, Zang Jianhe has become a household name in Hong Kong and is known as the "Dumpling Queen". Her deeds have also been made into movies. However, people are still willing to call her "Miss Zang".

"Small dumplings contain profound Chinese culture. I want to spread this culture through dumplings, so that not only Chinese people, but also people around the world can eat Wan Chai Wharf dumplings." In In the "cool" bar of Beijing's Kerry Hotel, Ms. Zang revealed her ambitions to reporters.

In order to let Chinese people eat dumplings, she formed a partnership with the American food giant General Mills and established production bases in Shanghai and Guangzhou. Today, Wanchai Wharf dumplings account for half of the frozen food market in South China. It has also reached a market share of 20%-25% in Beijing; in order to allow people all over the world to eat Chinese dumplings, she will start from next year with the "Wanchai Pier" whose annual sales in China have reached 100 million yuan. For the first time in the world, Wan Chai Pier series of frozen foods are exported to South Korea, Japan, Singapore and Australia, which have been anticipated for many years.

From a weak woman who lived in Hong Kong with no food and clothing but had to raise two children to the famous "dumpling queen" in Asia, Miss Zang's experience is full of legends. How this legend shaped her life trajectory may be answered by the progressive numbers "one, two, three, four, five."

The difficult birth of "a" brand

Nurse, dishwasher, car cleaner, street vendor, street dumpling queen, the world's outstanding female entrepreneur, all of these titles belong to Miss Zang is alone.

In the late autumn of 1977, Ms. Zang quit her job as a nurse in Qingdao and went to Thailand with her two daughters. There was her husband and his extended family who had gone three years earlier than her. However, what awaits her is not the joy of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. Since she did not give birth to a boy, her mother-in-law has "ordered" her husband to marry another wife. Unable to bear the discrimination in her family and the life of two female servants and one husband, Miss Zang resolutely said goodbye to her family with her two daughters and came to Hong Kong.

To this day, when people ask her if she blames her mother-in-law and husband, Miss Zang says very calmly: "I have no complaints, only gratitude. They did not compete with me for my daughter. It is also a major motivation for me to survive and succeed in the future.”

After being frustrated in finding her husband, Miss Zang did not return to Qingdao, but chose to stay in Hong Kong. She wants to use her actions to prove that she can raise her two daughters on her own. Since she didn't understand Cantonese, Ms. Zang began to look for jobs in Hong Kong that didn't require much communication. She washed dishes, cleaned cars, and took personal care. This weak woman had tasted almost all low-level occupations in Hong Kong.

If it hadn’t been for an accident that almost paralyzed her, maybe Miss Zang would have worked at the bottom for the rest of her life. At that time, she was working as a handyman in a restaurant. Unfortunately, she was injured and broke her waist. The cruel boss not only refused to admit that she was injured at work, but also fired her mercilessly. Miss Zang resolutely filed a lawsuit in court and won. However, this feisty Shandong girl refused the 30,000 yuan in compensation that the restaurant owner should have paid, and only paid her the 4,500 yuan in wages she deserved. Later, Miss Zang, who had always insisted that "I would rather be jealous than be pitied", refused the help of the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department. Because she doesn't want to be a burden to this society.

For the sake of her daughter and life, Miss Zang took her family's traditional craftsmanship, pushed her cart, and walked to Wan Chai Pier, which was Hong Kong's transportation hub at the time, and sold her "Beijing Dumplings." But "Beijing Dumplings" is just a general term. As the business boomed, someone reminded her to give her dumplings a name, so she added four words on the "Beijing Dumplings" on the trolley: Wan Chai Wharf.

From then on, Miss Zang named the dumpling brand after the wharf where she sold dumplings as a hawker - Wan Chai Wharf was officially born.

"Two" successful turns

There is an old saying that "opportunity favors the prepared mind". For Miss Zang, this sentence may be changed to "success favors success" A businessman who patiently studies dumplings."

Miss Zang is lucky. During her entrepreneurial journey, two important turning points contributed to "Wan Chai Wharf" becoming a famous dumpling brand.

Successfully entered Japanese department stores

The dumplings have been sold at Wan Chai Pier for several years, and their unique taste has cultivated a group of loyal consumers. By chance, the pampered and extremely picky little daughter of a Japanese department store owner ate 15 "Wan Chai Pier" dumplings in one sitting. The shrewd Japanese businessmen immediately realized that this "Wan Chai Wharf" was no ordinary dumpling, and must have its own unique magic. When the boss found Miss Zang, he found that she was just a vendor setting up a stall on the pier. He couldn't believe it. Naturally, negotiations could not proceed, and the Japanese department store owner walked away.

However, the Japanese department store owner’s daughter’s preference for Wan Chai Wharf dumplings prevented him from giving up making money by operating this kind of dumplings. Early the next morning, the boss made an appointment with Ms. Zang and asked to produce dumplings in the factory of a Japanese-owned department store. Japanese department stores repackage and design the products and sell them as products of Japanese department stores. However, Miss Zang refused in this second round of negotiations: "The brand I worked so hard to create is gone. I gave up the formula. If I get kicked out one day, I won't even be able to be a hawker."

In the third round of negotiations, the Japanese side agreed to use the "Wan Chai Pier" brand, but the address and phone number could not be printed on the packaging. Miss Zang still refused: "The taste of the dumplings has been improved based on customer feedback. Without the address and phone number, how can I communicate with customers and ensure product quality?"

I give in again and again. The Japanese boss was finally forced to agree to all of Ms. Zang’s requests and retained the brand, phone number and address. Interestingly, when the Japanese boss asked her what price she would wholesale to Japanese department stores, Ms. Zang actually proposed a "sky-high price" of "twelve and a half yuan a box". You know, Miss Zang’s retail price of a box of dumplings at that time was “11 yuan a box.” The Japanese department store owner who has been in business in Hong Kong for 28 years admitted: "You are the first and last supplier to sell me goods at a wholesale price higher than the retail price."

As Japanese companies Fully distributed in hundreds of supermarkets in department stores, "Wan Chai Pier" dumplings quickly became the number one frozen food brand in Hong Kong. Up to now, Wanchai Pier has occupied 100% of Hong Kong's fresh dumplings market and 30% of the frozen dumplings market. This is almost an impossible task for the Hong Kong supermarket industry, which does not like to be monopolized by one product.

Joint venture with General Mills in the United States

If the cooperation with Japanese department stores transformed Wan Chai Wharf from a hawker into a small factory, then their cooperation with the American Pillsbury Food Company has transformed The production of dumplings at Wanchai Pier has completed a breakthrough transition to a modern factory.

In 1996, Miss Zang, who was already well-known in Hong Kong, received cooperation invitations from numerous companies, but she was all declined. Because Miss Zang cannot accept their "big company mentality" which seems to be charity. However, there is an American food company, Pillsbury, that is very persistent. From contacting her daughter, to contacting Ms. Zang herself, and finally using the best air tickets and the best hotels to bring Zang to the United States for inspection. "Looking at the advanced equipment and methodical management of American food companies, I agreed to cooperate with them before I left their factory." Miss Zang recalled that this story was obviously much easier than cooperating with Japanese department stores. . "When a large international food company asks me to cooperate with me, people always wonder why I only emphasize how to build the brand of Wan Chai Wharf without mentioning how much money it can make?" Zang The girl said, "I know that the Americans are sincere in cooperating with me. They can really realize my dream of selling dumplings to mainland China and then to the whole world. This is beyond my own ability." ”

In 1997, Wan Chai Terminal officially formed a joint venture with Pillsbury Food Company of the United States. Since then, with the help of the strong financial strength and management level of General Mills of the United States, Wan Chai Terminal has left Hong Kong and begun to fully enter the vast market of mainland China.

Layout China's "three" major production bases

Wanchai Wharf, Hong Kong headquarters, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Beijing. The production bases there are like the dumplings in the hands of Zang girl, one by one Full and real, Miss Zang wants to fill the whole world with these "dumplings".

So far, "Wanchai Pier" has built three large-scale bases, which is also an important step in Ms. Zang's global plan.

In 1985, after several years of accumulation as a hawker, Miss Zang finally opened her first dumpling factory. As dumplings entered the Japanese department store supermarkets in Hong Kong, he successively opened three dumpling factories or former dumpling factories. Shop behind the factory. On the eve of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, while many people were immigrating overseas, Ms. Zang was quietly preparing to build her first large-scale modern factory. Finally, in 1996, in Hong Kong, where land is at a premium, Ms. Zang spent huge sums of money to build a 1,200-square-meter modern factory that meets international standards and stood in Hong Kong. This also enabled the "Wan Chai Pier" to achieve a qualitative leap.

Three years later, in 1998, Miss Zang and the American Pillsbury Food Company jointly established a US$10 million factory in Pudong, Shanghai, which was officially put into production, and "Wanchai Wharf" dumplings officially entered the mainland market.

While building the factory in Shanghai, the Guangzhou production base also started construction at the same time. This month, the renovated and expanded Guangzhou factory has been officially put into production. Ms. Zang revealed that despite occupying 20%-25% of the market share of frozen products, Wanchai Terminal does not yet have a production base in Beijing. However, Ms. Zang, who has an eye on the world market, will not let go of this piece of fat. She said: "The base for building a factory in Beijing has already been selected. Within next year, a new production base will be built in Beijing."

With the completion of several major production bases, Wan Chai Terminal's output will further increase. Next year, it will take the lead in exporting to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia and other countries with strong demand. By then, Wan Chai Terminal will finally begin to go global.

The "Four" Relationship Theory of Enterprise Management

At the beginning, Miss Zang, who only wanted the boss's salary and no compensation from the boss, was able to turn Wan Chai Wharf Dumplings into a large-scale industry. The success of enterprise management is the most important reason. How to treat employees, products, customers and society, the four "relationship theories" practiced by Ms. Zang have achieved her miracle today.

To employees: "Goodwill Ambassador" said

In early 1997, before cooperating with Ms. Zang, Pillsbury Food Company in the United States quietly sent a well-known consulting company to conduct inspections on its factory. investigation. Afterwards, the company wrote in the investigation report: "After working as a consulting company for 10 years, I have never encountered a company with such a close relationship with its employees as Miss Zang."

In Miss Zang's heart, she We always believe that we should care for and respect employees from the bottom of our hearts, help them solve their difficulties, and make them feel safe. Moreover, the salesperson of "Wan Chai Pier" should be the bridge between the company and customers, and also the goodwill ambassador of "Wan Chai Pier" dumplings.

On the product: "Conscience"

Although bulk frozen dumplings are highly profitable, Ms. Zang still refuses to make this product. Because she is unwilling to give customers food without quality assurance. Ms. Zang angrily gave the reporter an example: Some frozen dumpling factories tear up the bags of frozen dumplings after they expire and sell them together with bulk dumplings. Such companies simply have no conscience.

At "Wanchai Pier", all employees work as meticulously as Miss Zang. Ms. Zang told her employees on various occasions: "We don't have any pressure when we make dumplings for ourselves, but when we go out to sell dumplings, we feed them to customers, to the people of Hong Kong, and to the whole of China." As people eat, the burden on us is getting heavier and heavier. We must remember that people in the food business must have a business conscience.”

In Ms. Zang’s business history, she was only fired. Live a person. At that time, Miss Zang was already well-known in Hong Kong. A chef said to her: "Your products are very popular. People will buy them because of your reputation. Just make them casually. Why do you have to be so serious?" It was because of that person. The chef was not serious about the product, so Ms. Zang resolutely "fired" him.

To customers: "Can't offend"

"I can offend my employees, but I absolutely can't offend my customers." This has almost become Miss Zang's mantra.

When she was still working as a hawker at Wan Chai Pier, Miss Zang once discovered that a customer left the dumpling wrappers in the bowl after eating the dumplings. When she asked why, the customer said unceremoniously: "Your dumpling skin is as thick as a quilt, how can anyone eat it?" With this criticism, Miss Zang stayed up for three days and nights to improve the dumpling skin. According to the recipe, I finally rolled out a thin dumpling wrapper. So, she waited for the customer on the pier every day, and finally found the customer among the people passing by.

After he ate a bowl of Zang's new dumplings, he couldn't help but exclaim loudly: "It's delicious! It's delicious!"

Ms. Zang said that career and customers are like the relationship between children and parents. When children perform well, they will be praised and encouraged by their parents, and this praise, in turn, will encourage the children to do better. "Wanchai Pier" has grown up with the encouragement of customers. If I can't do it well on the basis of customers' trust, support and care, I will be sorry for them, which forms a sense of responsibility.

On success: "The right time, right place, right people"

In a book, Miss Zang wrote: "Success is what everyone yearns for, but to get the God of success The favor is inseparable from the right time, the right place, and the right people.”

On August 2, 1998, at the Shanghai Women’s Federation Auditorium, Miss Zang, the “Dumpling Queen” who had just finished her report, was killed by the Shanghai Municipal Government. Laid-off female workers were surrounded. As expected by the Shanghai Women's Federation, the communication between this Hong Kong billionaire and the laid-off female workers in the Mainland is close. Ms. Zang is using her own struggle to influence these laid-off sisters who are starting to start their own businesses with difficulty.

Miss Zang’s “Five” Classic Sayings

During the interview, Miss Zang burst out with sparks of wisdom from time to time during her eloquent conversation, which made the reporter unable to help but marvel. . Miss Zang didn't have much education, and she didn't know how to be literate, but she expressed philosophy in her ordinary speech.

What is recorded here are five "classic quotes" that the reporter inadvertently said when she was chatting with Miss Zang.

-No matter when I meet new or old customers, I will greet them. I don’t feel like I’m doing business, but rather a get-together among friends.

-No brand in the world can achieve permanent success solely by relying on advertising. However, almost all brands rely on strong advertising as a support point. I can proudly say that my product is not a famous brand that started by advertising, but has grown along with the reputation of customers. Because advertising is only the behavioral awareness of businesses, word-of-mouth is the market driving force for customer choice.

-Afraid of failure, rather than afraid of success. The worse the failure, the stronger the motivation to succeed.

-A woman’s attitude and will in times of difficulty will affect her children for a lifetime. As a mother, you must have some spirit.

-Life is like climbing a mountain. Today I climbed halfway, but I am not satisfied. I don’t think I have succeeded because there are still people in front of me. An entrepreneur can never reach the top.

The entrepreneurial history of Ms. Zang

In 1978, Zang Jianhe started selling handmade dumplings at Wan Chai Pier in Hong Kong

In 1985, the first Wan Chai store was established in Hong Kong Wan Chai Dumpling Factory

In 1997, the American Pillsbury Food Company (now merged with the American General Mills Company) invested in the "Wanchai Wharf" and built production bases in Shanghai and Guangzhou

In 1998 In March, a frozen food joint venture was established in Shanghai

In July 1998, hand-wrapped "Wanchai Wharf" dumplings and wontons were launched in Shanghai

In September 1998, they were launched in Beijing and Guangzhou Hand-wrapped "Wan Chai Pier" dumplings and wontons

In December 1998, the hand-wrapped "Wan Chai Pier" rice dumplings were launched

In September 2001, the improved "Wan Chai Pier" dumplings were re-launched Pier" wontons

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