Carving time: how to prop up a Wenqing industry chain with a cup of coffee

The sculpture time has spread all over Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Fuzhou and Shenzhen. Preparations for Dalian, Yangzhou and other places are under way and will open soon. In the late 1990s, the carving time of the Zhuang Mingli, affectionately known as the "small and broken shop of Peking University" (near Peking University), often closed during business hours. Now this is marked with a clear "Wenqing brand" carving time has been operating for 15 years, and is favored by capital to successfully expand 31 cafes chain. How does carving time prop up an industrial chain with a cup of coffee?

In the late 1990s, the carving time of this Zhuang Yueli, affectionately known as the "small and broken shop of Peking University" (near Peking University), often closed during business hours. The reason is that when Zhuang Yueli and Li Ruofan are happy, they go to eat hot pot with their regular guests.

Like keeping the chastity of their own brands, many people think that niche brands can't stand the throes of expansion.

Carving time, way of life

On May 29, 2012, carving time announced the launch of the second round of financing plan, which will transform the past direct chain operation to regional franchise chain. At this time, Dioguang has long grown into an expansion empire with a complete supply chain.

In addition to opening 31 direct chain stores in major cities in China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Nanjing, Fuzhou, Hangzhou and Shenzhen, it also has many sub-brands such as "carving time Coffee College", "Yifeng Shangda Public Relations Company", "Life Decoration Collection", "Border Culture" and so on.

Probably to catch up with the good times, when there are few comfortable places to read in Beijing. Zhuang opened a small cafe near Peking University. Students like to read books in the cafe. Those books are very small and difficult to find on the market. They are all collected books that Zhuang read when he studied at the Beijing Film Academy.

When there were no guests, Zhuang showed a movie to himself in the store, and later attracted a lot of nearby students.

This is the type of customers in Dioguang's early years. After the demolition, Dioguang moved to Weigong Village with more types of customers, and the white-collar workers around them like to enjoy the taste of coffee and often come to the restaurant after work. So far, those students have long grown into the backbone of society, and have gone through 15 years of life together with Diaoguang.

Now Dioguang almost has the status of "Chinese-style Starbucks". However, with the expansion of territory, the intervention of investment and the positioning of Dioguang, she will lose some of her guests, but also get more guests. From minority literature and art to small freshness, Diaoguang still keeps its brand with a charming temperament.

Zhuang Jieli said: "as long as you can achieve 70% satisfaction is very good, in the case of expansion, more than 80% dare not expect."

The only thing that remains unchanged here is a cup of fragrant espresso, and those elements that have existed since its inception: dark green signboards, old furniture, dim table lamps, green plants and bookshelves full of books.

The whole industry chain of one cup of coffee

In a sense, carving time is not a single cafe that provides drinks and food, but a place to promote a way of life.

"the ideas we adhere to and the way of life we promote are the soul of carving time." Zhuang Yinglie said.

In order to ensure the quality, carving time has established its own coffee plantation, from planting to baking to unified management of distribution, forming a micro-industrial chain. From the birth of a coffee bean to becoming a fragrant espresso on a customer's desk, every aspect of carving time is visible and controllable.

Through the analysis of the operation of local stores, carving time controls the time and quantity of distribution to ensure that the beans in each store are of high quality and fresh; at the same time, famous domestic bakers are invited to check the taste. The lecturers of the Engraving time Coffee Institute will do professional tests on each batch of coffee beans to ensure that they are qualified at the factory, and also go to the store regularly to test and train baristas in the store.

Carving time to refine the coffee out of their own taste, so that the only flavor is based on the complete model of the whole industry chain.

The brand of Coffee Empire

In order to maintain the continuity of the brand, Dioguang also innovates in the traditional form of joining the chain. At present, the joining mode of carving time is to provide managers from the headquarters to the franchise store, and unified operation and management, strictly ensure that each franchise store has a unique DNA of carving time.

The concept of sculpture time is: humanized decoration and layout, focusing on the development of fresh and healthy food, providing friendly and generous services, promoting artistic and cultural exchanges, and attaching importance to individual creativity and progressive ability. pay attention to the concept of sustainable development and interaction with the community.

The transformation from direct operation to regional alliance, carving time output managers, headquarters is responsible for operation and management, to maximize the continuity of the brand.

"for the current carving time, we have to face some problems brought about by the rapid development, such as the difficulty of employment, the employment of the service industry has always been a big problem in the industry, and the structural changes of the brand audience. some loyal customers will be worried about our expansion, and so on. In view of these problems, we have done all kinds of work to do modular processing, such as interior design, equipment procurement, pre-publicity, operation and so on, not only to be able to quickly open stores, but also to maintain the taste of the brand. " Zhuang Yinglie said.

A frank artist

Zhuang's daily schedule usually gets up around 8 o'clock, then stays in bed to read Weibo and novels, gets up after 9 o'clock to have breakfast, and goes online to deal with official business. Go to the office at noon, swim or work out in the afternoon, or go downstairs and press your feet.

"I've always wanted to be an ancient explorer who can explore and record all kinds of cultural amorous feelings around the world. Africa, America, islands, deserts. Romance seems very important to me. "

Although Mr Chuang, who has run a 15-year-old coffee shop chain favored by capital and successfully expanded 31, still does not classify himself as BUSSINESS MAN. Perhaps it is more of a casual ARTIST, who hires a CEO to run the company for himself on the management team, with maximum trust and little intervention.

"although I don't like the word success very much, the reason why sculpture time can be done well is: on the one hand, the economic environment of the whole continent has taken off; on the other hand, carving has been done early and can stick to it, providing people with a good environment and good service. As for which step to make a successful decision, it should be to start training the next generation of managers very early and be prepared for things that are about to happen or invisible, such as demolition or shortage of financial personnel. " This is Zhuang Yueli's explanation of why his cafe has lasted for a long time.

"our goal is to be the first share of Chinese coffee, although there are still various details to discuss and work with my colleagues, but our expectation is to be able to go public in the next two years." In the heart of this gentle-looking entrepreneur, there is a sense of cruelty and momentum. The time of carving is doomed to its continuation and expansion from the very beginning.