PFC Chapter 263 Saving the Dough
Chapter 263 Saving the Dough
Chapter 263 Saving the Dough
That day, the sun seemed to have been provoked, unleashing its full power and baking the entire city until it looked like it was about to smoke. Inside the bakery of a certain famous brand, the temperature was even more outrageously high, like a giant steamer.
Supervisor Wang was so busy in the workshop that she barely had time to breathe. Large beads of sweat rolled down her forehead as she hurried between the various workstations, wiping them away. Orders were booming today, and the employees were working against the clock, but at this crucial moment, one problem after another arose.
"Why is there no room for this dough again!" Manager Wang complained loudly, looking at the refrigerator crammed full, with some dough balls even squeezed out of shape. She knew that if the dough was left in this high temperature environment without a proper place to freeze, it would over-proof in no time, and the finished product would not taste right, ruining her business reputation.
Manager Wang was extremely anxious. Without thinking twice, she quickly pulled out her phone and dialed the number of Li Yuan, the chairman of the partner company. As soon as the call connected, she poured out the situation: "Chairwoman Li, you have to save us! This weather is unbearably hot, and the dough simply won't fit in the refrigerator. If this continues, it will over-proof, and this whole batch of bread will be ruined! Do you think you could find a way to get a special freezer that can properly preserve the dough without it over-proofing?"
On the other end of the phone, Li Yuan had just finished an important business meeting and was sitting in her office drinking coffee, trying to relieve her fatigue. Hearing Manager Wang's anxious plea for help, she put down her coffee cup, her expression turning serious. She said earnestly, "Old Wang, don't panic. Calm the employees down. I will definitely resolve this issue as soon as possible. Don't worry, we absolutely cannot let our reputation be ruined by this!" After hanging up, Li Yuan stood up and paced back and forth in her office, silently thinking: This is no small matter; I need to discuss a solution with the senior management immediately.
So Li Yuan picked up the walkie-talkie and shouted into the other end, "Sister Chen, notify all senior management that there will be an emergency meeting in the conference room in half an hour to discuss the freezing of dough in the baking workshop. This matter cannot be delayed!"
On the other end, Sister Chen responded crisply, "Okay, Chairman Li! I'll notify them right away, and I guarantee that no one will be left out!" Sister Chen was known throughout the group for her competence and high efficiency, and in no time, the news spread to all departments.
Half an hour later, the conference room was full, but the atmosphere was unusually tense. Li Yuan, dressed in a well-tailored business suit, her eyes revealing a firm and unwavering determination, slammed her hand on the table and said loudly, "Everyone, I've called you all here urgently today because my partner's baking workshop is facing a major problem. It's too hot, and there's nowhere to freeze the dough. It could over-proof at any moment. If this isn't handled properly, their reputation will be in serious jeopardy! Everyone, quickly rack your brains and think of a solution!"
Zhang, an engineer from the technical department, spoke first. He pushed up his thick glasses and said with a serious expression, "From a technical point of view, we can upgrade the existing freezing system to increase the cooling capacity and optimize the insulation materials. This will lower the temperature of the freezer and effectively inhibit dough fermentation. In addition, we can install intelligent temperature control equipment to monitor the temperature and humidity in real time and ensure a stable environment."
Li Yuan frowned slightly and asked, "Engineer Zhang, how much will it cost to implement what you've said? And how long will it take to complete?"
Mr. Zhang adjusted his glasses, hesitated for a moment, and replied, "Upgrading the refrigeration system will require an investment of about 80 yuan, and the construction period, if all goes smoothly, will take about two weeks."
Upon hearing the figure, CFO Sister Liu's eyes widened, and she couldn't sit still any longer. She exclaimed excitedly, "80? That's no small sum! And how many orders will we lose in two weeks! Chairman Li, I think the cost is too high and the risk is too great. We need to reconsider carefully."
At this moment, Xiao Wang from the sales department suddenly blurted out, "Why don't we just explain to the customer that the weather has been hot lately, and the dough is 'acting up,' so product supply might be a little delayed?"
Everyone cast disapproving glances at him. Sister Chen couldn't help but complain, "Xiao Wang, are you planning to turn away all your customers? You can't just ruin the reputation they've worked so hard to build."
The meeting room erupted in chaos. Everyone argued heatedly, faces flushed, and no one could convince anyone else. Li Yuan rubbed her temples, feeling like her head was about to explode from the noise. Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck her, and she exclaimed, "I have an idea! Let's transform the freezer into an 'ice castle,' add some artificial snow and icicles, and it'll not only significantly lower the temperature but also create a unique atmosphere. Maybe it can even become a popular spot for taking photos and attract more customers!"
Everyone was so shocked by this idea that their jaws nearly dropped. Sister Chen even burst out laughing: "Chairman Li, are you planning to open a snow and ice theme park, or start a baking business?"
Li Yuan said seriously, "Think about it carefully. If word got out that our group has a frozen bread-making room, how attractive would that be? Wouldn't customers be lining up to place orders?"
“I think we can buy a few more large refrigerators,” Zhang suggested, pushing up his glasses. “That would increase the freezing space and temporarily solve the problem of not having enough room for the dough.”
“Mr. Zhang, your idea is too simplistic,” Sister Zhao immediately retorted. “Buying a refrigerator costs a lot of money, and even if you buy one, what if it’s still not enough when the weather gets hotter? This isn’t a long-term solution.”
"Then what do you suggest, Sister Zhao?" Zhang asked, somewhat unconvinced.
Sister Zhao shrugged and said helplessly, "I'm also worried about this. This is not a good thing."
A silence fell over the meeting room. Everyone racked their brains for a solution, but couldn't come up with anything good. Just then, Li Yuan suddenly had a flash of inspiration. Her eyes lit up, and she excitedly said, "I have an idea! We can find an unused room next to the workshop and convert it into a dedicated freezer. Wouldn't that solve the problem of storing the dough?"
Everyone's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and they all nodded in agreement. "That's a great idea!" Sister Chen was the first to clap her hands and cheer. "However, converting a room into a freezer is not an easy task. We need to consider a series of issues such as refrigeration equipment, insulation materials, and temperature control."
“That’s right, these issues need to be studied carefully,” Zhang agreed. “I can go and see the specific situation of that room first, and then design a renovation plan based on the actual needs.”
“Okay, Mr. Zhang, please get it done as soon as possible.” Li Yuan nodded, then looked at Sister Zhao, “Sister Zhao, how much will it cost to renovate the freezer? Could you help me calculate it and see if our budget is sufficient?”
Sister Zhao took out her calculator and started calculating rapidly. After a while, she frowned and said, "I've made a preliminary estimate. The cost of purchasing refrigeration equipment, installation, debugging, and insulation materials will be around 50 yuan. That's no small sum; we need to consider it carefully."
"50?" Li Yuan frowned slightly. "Although it's a bit expensive, if it can completely solve the problem of dough storage and ensure smooth production, this money is worth spending. What do you all think?"
“I think it’s a good idea,” Sister Chen said first. “After all, the dough problem has seriously affected production. If it’s not resolved in time, the losses could be even greater.”
“I agree,” Engineer Zhang said. “As long as the freezer’s performance is guaranteed, spending a little more money is worthwhile.”
Everyone else echoed their agreement. Seeing that everyone was in agreement, Li Yuan made the final decision: "Okay, it's settled then! Sister Zhao, you arrange the funds as soon as possible; Engineer Zhang, you work on designing the renovation plan and try to start construction as soon as possible; Sister Chen, you are responsible for coordinating the various departments to ensure the smooth progress of the renovation work. Does everyone have confidence?"
"Yes!" everyone answered in unison.
After the meeting, everyone quickly got to work. Engineer Zhang led his technical team to an unused room next to a certain brand's baking workshop, carefully measuring dimensions and inspecting the wall structure, keeping them very busy; Sister Zhao was in the office communicating with suppliers about prices and calculating costs, making one phone call after another; Sister Chen shuttled between various departments, coordinating personnel and materials to ensure that all tasks proceeded in an orderly manner.
Li Yuan, meanwhile, was also busy, frequently visiting the workshop and renovation site to check on progress and resolve any problems encountered. Under her leadership, the entire Li Group was working tirelessly, like a wound-up toy, striving to resolve the dough crisis as quickly as possible.
After several days and nights of hard work, the renovation of the freezer was finally nearing completion. Mr. Zhang excitedly reported to Ms. Li, "Ms. Li, the freezer renovation is basically finished. The refrigeration equipment is operating normally, and the temperature is stably controlled within a suitable range. We can put some dough in to test the effect."
Upon hearing this, Li Yuan smiled with relief: "Okay, thank you all for your hard work! Notify Supervisor Wang to bring the dough over."
A short while later, Supervisor Wang, along with several employees, carefully carried the dough into the newly renovated freezer. Everyone stared intently at the dough, not daring to blink, for fear that something might go wrong.
After a while, a miracle happened! The dough that was prone to over-proofing at high temperatures stayed quietly in the freezer without any signs of expansion, just like a group of obedient children.
"It's a success!" Manager Wang jumped up excitedly. "That's great! We don't have to worry about the dough over-proofing anymore!"
Li Yuan and the other senior staff members also smiled happily, their fatigue from the past few days completely gone. "That's great!" Li Yuan said with emotion, "This is all thanks to everyone's joint efforts. This dough crisis has taught us that when facing difficulties, as long as everyone works together and uses their brains, there is no problem that cannot be solved."