As August arrived, seeing that the factory stabilized over there, Cheng Su found some free time and went to inspect the Joy Soon Loy Restaurant, preparing gifts for the Mid-Autumn Festival for various households.
Mooncakes have long been sold by bakeries. The packaging this era naturally doesn’t compare to the 21st-century standards, and using a paper box for packaging is considered high-end. Mostly, they are wrapped in wax paper, four in a barrel, tied with string, and a sheet of red paper printed with "Mid-Autumn mooncake" is pasted on the outside. When the oil from the mooncakes seeps out, the red paper gets infused with a layer of oil, seemingly scented with that sweet aroma, which appears more traditional.
Old Song suggested whether they should also stock some products for sale to match the season since most restaurants sell their homemade products.
Cheng Su replied, "Better not. If we sell, we should make them ourselves. This year it’s too late, but I’m thinking next year we’ll make Joy Soon Loy’s mooncakes ourselves."
Currently, Joy Soon Loy isn’t large, and the place is small, making mooncakes would be troublesome.
Her intention is to expand the floors of Joy Soon Loy, and then set up a pastry section. When conditions are met, it would be easy to make house-brand pastries.
She recalled that some famous Cantonese restaurants she saw in her previous life had shops selling pastries and their own brand products. When the scale grows, they could have one too.
Old Song listened, then said, "It’s rare for you not to make money when you can!"
Cheng Su gave a faint smile and said, "It’s not that I don’t want to make money, I just don’t want other items tagged with our restaurant’s brand. Old Song, you should know, building a brand is indeed not easy. If we sell now and it doesn’t go well, will people trust us someday when we truly make our own products?"
Old Song was taken aback, it seemed to be the truth.
"Alright! I’m really getting old!" Old Song self-mockingly smiled.
Cheng Su said, "You’re just considering the restaurant’s benefits. We won’t sell mooncakes, but I’ll list some items that Xiao Jiang will purchase, and our employees should receive a Mid-Autumn Festival gift!"
During holidays and festivals, giving some pastries to employees makes everyone feel heartfelt.
Old Song quite agreed with her method of winning hearts and secretly admired it, because a barrel of mooncakes, while not costly, accumulates into a substantial expenditure, and she can give them to the fast food staff, factory workers too!
Therefore, Cheng Su as a boss is indeed quite generous, and it’s no wonder that for so long, there hasn’t been talk of employees wanting to switch jobs, but rather there are people wanting to join and work here.
"Moreover, now that it’s August, I plan to add two floors above before the year ends, what do you think?" Cheng Su shared her thoughts with Old Song.
Old Song was delighted, saying, "Adding floors? Great, if we can make it, we may make huge business during the New Year."
"Yes, building is troublesome, and the bungalow can’t be used temporarily, otherwise with all the coming and going, and dust everywhere, it’ll be greatly affected. This kitchen remains here, you see?" Cheng Su looked at the bungalow and kitchen in front of her, thinking of construction with skies filled with dust, wouldn’t the dishes be covered in dust too?
"This is indeed a problem." Old Song pondered but there’s only one kitchen, what to do?
"Do you think the place next door could be cleared to set up a temporary kitchen? Set up stoves and pots for cooking, would that work?" Cheng Su thought for a while and asked.