The“greengrocers”arenotyourtypicalsellersofvegetables.Rather,theyareagroupofyoungmakersinShenzhen,Guangdongprovince,allwelleducated,partofthepost-85generationwhofeelathomeworkingwithandforleadingglobalcompanies.WithaninnovativespirittheyhavetriedtochangeatraditionalindustrybyincorporatingtheuseoftheInternet.Aftermorethantwoyearsofdelvingintothefreshfoode-commerceindustry,theylabeledthemselves“greengrocers”anddevelopedanewworldforthesector.
YangWei,founderofXiaonongnv.com,afreshfoodOnline-To-OfflinecompanybasedinShenzhenusedtoworkatTencentandyhd.com.Yangwasinspiredduringaconversationwithhisfriends:Theymentionedthatmanywhite-collarworkershavenotimetoshopinfoodmarketsthoughtheywanttocookathome.Yangthenthoughtaserviceprovidingshoppinggroceriesonlinewouldbewelcomed.
YangandhisfriendslaunchedtheirentrepreneurialplanthroughWeChatinJune2013.Theyraised100,000yuaninfunding,boughtasecondhandminibusandrentedanoffice.However,aftersixmonthsdoingthejobparttime,Yangfounditdifficulttoensurethecompany’ssurvival.
Yangthendecidedtomakesomefundamentalchanges.Hepausedtheprojecttore-evaluateitandthenquithisjobinthemiddleof2014.Itwasnowsinkorswim.
TherestaurantsinShenzhenwerethenaturalcustomerswiththeirdailyneedforlargeamountsoffreshvegetables.
Theyvisitedrestaurantstointroducethemselvestotheowners.Thoughabout70percentoftheownerswereinitiallycooltotheirproposals,enoughwereinterestedtomakeitagoingconcern.“Weheldadiscussionthatlastedtheentirenightandcametoaconclusion—wecandoit.”SaidChengYuchao,whoisresponsibleforstores.
“InoneweekwecompletedthedevelopmentoftheWeChatorderingsystem’’,saidLiFei,whoisresponsibleforsales.
“Thenwerentedaplaceanddrovetovariousdestinationstodelivergroceries.Thewholesystemwentonlineafteronlytendays.”
Inthisteam,theoldestwasbornin1985andtheyoungestwasbornin1991.Theyoungerpeoplegenerallydonotcookandrarelyshopforgroceries.Atthebeginningsomeofthemevenboughtthewrongfood.
Startingupabusinessmeansstartingfromnothing.Theaveragedailyworkinghoursisaround16;someofthemevenliveintheoffice.Butthecompanycanhandlenearly1,000ordersadayandhasover2,000clients.
Thegreengrocershaveshownabusinessideathatisfoodforthought.
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