Chapter 29 — Cracks in the Chain
The tenth Patriot Burger was supposed to open with fanfare.
Instead, the bread delivery arrived at noon, four hours late, forcing the staff to hand out free fries to keep the crowd from leaving.
The manager tried to hide his frustration.
Li Ming didn't bother hiding his.
The Milk Mystery
Two days later, the cheese factory reported an odd pattern: milk from their main supplier had started arriving with inconsistent fat content.
"It's making the mozzarella soft and the cheddar crumbly," the plant chief complained.
Li Ming frowned.
"How hard is it to just milk a cow properly?"
The chief didn't answer, but the look on his face said very hard, if the farmer's cutting corners.
More Bread, More Problems
The second-largest flour supplier suddenly raised prices by 12%, citing "rising grain costs."
Yet, when Li Ming's purchasing head checked market prices, they'd barely moved.
"Either they think we're stupid," the man muttered, "or they want us to go elsewhere."
Li Ming scribbled in his notebook:
Own the grain. Own the milk.
Buying Another "Loss"
The eleventh store location came with a stubborn landlord who refused to lower the price.
So Li Ming paid more — 18% over market.
His finance manager groaned, "That's three properties in a row you've bought outright."
Li Ming grinned.
"Better than paying rent forever. And besides… losing money is an art."
Scouting in Secret
That weekend, he sent two trusted staff on a "holiday trip" to the countryside.
Their real mission: talk to a few farmers about their land, milk production, and feed sources.
Nothing formal, just quiet conversations and mental notes.
One of them came back with a story about a struggling dairy co-op that couldn't keep up with payments on its pasteurization equipment.
Li Ming's eyes lit up — not in excitement, but calculation.
A Bigger Picture Emerging
Both chains now had over a dozen outlets combined, and in some districts, they were starting to be mentioned alongside national brands.
Local news even ran a small feature: "Homegrown Chains Compete with Foreign Fast Food."
Li Ming didn't care for the praise.
He cared that with each new store, the cracks in his supply chain got a little wider.
In his head, the logic was simple:
If outside suppliers were unreliable…
If farmers couldn't be trusted…
Then maybe it was time to own the whole process, from cow to cheese, from wheat to bread.
It sounded expensive.
Perfect.