Liu Xin, chairman of Little Potato, is currently a member of the China Chain Store and Franchise Association and a member of the China Cuisine Association. There are 107 chain stores nationwide, covering ten provinces and regions (Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Jiangsu, Shaanxi), two cities (Beijing, Tianjin), and one special zone (Shenzhen). The chain stores currently have 3,000 employees The remaining people. The slogan of Xiaotuodou Catering Co., Ltd. is: to be China’s McDonald’s. The "Small Potato" pickle series is deeply loved by consumers and has become a major local specialty food. It was awarded the title of "Chinese Famous Dishes" by the Domestic Trade Bureau. The "Little Potato" trademark, an intangible asset, was valued at 156.73 million yuan by Beijing Yashi Intangible Assets Appraisal Firm in 1998.

However, how can a small laid-off worker make a "little potato" bigger and become a billionaire?

The advent of Little Potato

In 1989, Liu Xin, a 24-year-old stevedore at Shenyang Fuel Company, was "unfortunately" laid off. As a married man, he welded a "back-riding donkey" to make a living, selling vegetables, fish, and delivering clothing in the market. Two years later, he used the 7,000 yuan he had saved to start a clothing business with his wife Jin Xiuyi, and soon switched to a fruit business. However, after several months of hard work, he failed to make any money. Since Liu Xin is a "cooking expert", Jin Xiuyi also learned to make small pickles and large flower rolls from her mother since she was a child. Finally, they discussed and decided to open a small restaurant. In this way, Liu Xin and his wife spent all their money and opened a cold noodle restaurant on Taiyuan Street. But within a year, they not only lost all the 7,000 yuan they invested, but also owed a lot of foreign debt.

In order to pay off the debt, Liu Xin had no choice but to return to his old business and get on a tricycle again, selling vegetables, fish, and watermelons everywhere... But Liu Xin did not give up the idea of ??reopening the restaurant. He kept thinking: If others can do it, why would I lose? While delivering food, he began to try his best to get close to various restaurant owners and arrange business deals. During the gradual learning and accumulation, Liu Xin discovered a rule: all restaurants with operating characteristics do well in business, while most of the restaurants that do not operate well have no characteristics and do not have their own main product features! He decided to return to Taiyuan Street and open a restaurant. Liu Xin took a fancy to the house at No. 11 Taiyuan Street. This is a restaurant opened by a boss in Heilongjiang. He is anxious to return to his hometown. Liu Xin used the house his parents left him to live in as a mortgage and cashed in the hotel. After that, he borrowed 3,000 yuan from here and there, hired a few people, painted the walls, and bought 4 dining tables. As soon as this snack shop named Linyuan Cold Noodle Shop opened, it was known as affordable, clean, and welcoming. Attracting visitors from all over.

One day, when Liu Xin was walking on the streets of Taiyuan, he heard two people walking in front of him say: "Go to Linyuan to eat small potatoes." Liu Xin opened a cold noodle shop, but they said they were eating small potatoes. , which inspired Liu Xin a lot. He learned that his "little potatoes" were popular. The next day, Liu Xin changed the name of Linyuan Cold Noodle Shop to "Little Potato" Pickles Restaurant. Small potatoes are a specialty of Northeast China. They are much smaller than ordinary potatoes, but their fragrance and nutritional value are much higher than that of large potatoes. Because this variety has a large yield, many people plant it. The careful Liu Xinhui immediately targeted it. Liu Xin visited and inspected various places and collected folk techniques for cooking small potatoes. After careful consideration, he researched and prepared a small potato stew juice using a variety of medicinal materials, and added soy sauce, pork belly, coriander, etc. to stew. The dish "Small Potatoes" not only has the characteristics of Northeastern large bowl dishes, but also tastes absolutely delicious than Northeastern large bowl dishes.

A large bowl of "small potatoes" costs 10 yuan, plus two large flower rolls for 2 yuan, which is enough for two people to have a delicious meal. This dish was an instant hit as soon as it came out and was warmly welcomed by people. It is often seen that customers stand outside the store waiting for a table to eat. Later, Liu Xin took small potato pickles as the leader, selected vegetables that people often eat in daily life as the main ingredients, highlighted the characteristics of rich color, rich flavor and palatable salt aroma, and used cooking methods such as sauce, stewing, mixing and stir-frying to produce There are 150 varieties of small potato pickles in five categories. "Little Potato" fascinated all the customers, and there was a catchphrase: "Can't get enough of the delicious food, Shenyang Little Potato." For a time, the Little Potato delicacy became popular in Shenyang, and business was booming. In less than two years, Liu Xin earned more than one million in assets.

Small Potatoes and Big Brands

In 1995, because the profits from growing small potatoes were too small, and the survival rate of small potatoes was lower than that of ordinary large potatoes, some farmers turned their backs and started planting large potatoes. , Liu Xin's restaurant suddenly ran out of supplies and was in danger of going bankrupt.

At this time, relatives and friends advised Liu Xin: "You have already made a lot of money, just close the shop and go home to live a good life." But Liu Xin didn't think so, and he started to work hard. From that day on, he has had a dream: to make small potatoes bigger and spread them across the country and the world...Liu Xin decided to invest in growing small potatoes himself. His idea aroused opposition from everyone including his wife. They thought it was too risky for him to do that. If the planting failed, they would lose all their hard-earned wealth. But Liu Xin was determined. He took 1 million and went to Tieling and other places to invest in planting small potatoes. The first planting failed and he lost nearly 500,000.

But Liu Xin did not give up. He temporarily gave up planting and worked closely with relevant scientific research departments to study scientific methods of growing small potatoes. Six months later, Liu Xin invested more than 1 million yuan in Shenyang, Tieling and other places to support the planting and development of small potatoes. For nearly half a year, Liu Xin stayed in the field every day to observe the growth of small potatoes. God pays off, this time it was successful. Small potatoes sprouted like mushrooms after a rain, and local farmers and Liu Xin achieved a win-win situation. Liu Xin quickly made a lot of money by relying on "Little Potato". In two years, he has accumulated abundant funds. In 1996, Liu Xin spent 6 million yuan to buy a one- to four-story building located at the south end of Taiyuan Street, and invested 4 million yuan in purchasing equipment and decoration, so that a unique "Shenyang Little Potato Food" plaque was hung at the south end of Taiyuan Street, becoming an eye-catching landmark in Shenyang City. A landscape. However, when "Little Potato" became famous, Li Gui came.

For a time, more than a dozen "small potatoes" appeared in the city. In order to ensure that his legal rights and consumer rights were not infringed, Liu Xin decided to apply for a national trademark for the gourmet restaurant he founded with all his efforts. register. In 1997, the country's first trademark certificate registered for a catering name, with the trademark seal of the People's Republic of China and the State Trademark Administration, flew from Beijing to Liu Xin, adding endless excitement to the Little Potato Pickles Food City. Brilliance and a thousand times worth. In July 1997, Shenyang Little Potato Catering Co., Ltd. was officially established. In order to make the "Little Potato" brand last for a long time, Liu Xin strictly controls the quality in terms of material selection, preparation, processing, etc., and often goes to inspect it in person. It is precisely because of this kind of integrity that "Little Potato" has gradually become famous. Not only is the business in Shenyang booming and making money every day, but people from outside the province are also gathering in Shenyang to learn the making techniques of "Little Potato". Liu Xin opened several branches in the Northeast, and their business was booming.

Being China’s “McDonald’s” As market competition becomes increasingly fierce, Liu Xin decided to learn from chain-style modern operations and let the flavor of small potatoes spread across the country. As soon as Liu Xin put forward the idea of ??opening a chain store across the country, he encountered a lot of opposition. The chef who had followed Liu Xin for many years advised Liu Xin: "Small potato series is a Northeastern dish, and southerners are not used to it. Besides, there are now restaurants everywhere." There are so many, we should just focus on the market in the Northeast and don’t go out to take risks.” Liu Xin’s wife also advised him: “We have worked hard for so many years and it’s time to enjoy life and stop going out to make troubles. What should I do?" But Liu Xin made up his mind to open up virgin territory in the pass and introduce Xiaotuo. Liu Xin brought 1 million and several "elite soldiers and strong generals" to Shandong first.

Liu Xin bought a hotel in a prosperous area of ??Jinan City. After more than a month of decoration and equipment, "Little Potato" finally made its debut in Shandong. Although Liu Xin had done a lot of publicity in the local area before this, local residents did not recognize "Little Potato" at all. On the opening day, the front door of the hotel was deserted. At the end of the day, the turnover was less than 200 yuan. Liu Xin was not discouraged. In order to open up the market in Quancheng, he decisively put up a sign: "Shenyang small potatoes have settled in Shandong, and the people of Quancheng are invited to try them for free for three days." As soon as the free tasting sign was put up, many people came. "Taste", this taste is famous. Three days later, many Shandong people came to the store to eat small potatoes. News of the deliciousness of "Shenyang Little Potatoes" quickly spread in Jinan, and some curious Shandong people made a special trip to taste Shenyang's "Little Potatoes." For a time, "Little Potato" became popular in Quancheng again. After successfully opening a branch in Shandong, in just two years, Liu Xin used his shrewd mind and strong work enthusiasm to open several more branches outside the province, and all of them were prosperous. He asked Liu Xin for a while There are many investors to cooperate with.

Since 1999, Shenyang Little Potato Catering Co., Ltd. has opened branches in Beijing, Tianjin, Jilin, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, Shenzhen, Jiangsu and other places. Now it has branches all over the country. 131 chain stores have been developed. From Heilongjiang in the north to Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in the south, people can taste the authentic Shenyang small potato delicacies. However, Liu Xin was not satisfied with the results he had achieved, and he began to move towards higher goals. At the Shenyang Little Potato Chain Group franchise store owner meeting, Liu Xin put forward the slogan of "becoming a McDonald's in China's catering industry." It seems that he has made up his mind to transform this private enterprise developed from a mom-and-pop shop into a joint-stock cooperative operation and reinvent himself. transformation.