Chapter 814 Coke Formula
After lunch, Song Yuanchao took a short break in the office for half an hour and then reviewed several documents.
After finishing, he got up and went to the R&D center.
The R&D center has now moved out of the headquarters, and a new three-story building has been built not far from the headquarters. This is the new location of the R&D center.
In recent years, Sit has invested a lot in the R&D center. Whether it is equipment investment or personnel ratio, it is one of the best in the headquarters. Today's R&D center is completely different from the small laboratory in the early days of the first branch factory. In terms of the scale and advanced level of the laboratory, it is even better than the chemical laboratory of Jinling University.
The head of the R&D center is still Zhan Linhong, who is equipped with a team of 23 people. The team is divided into two groups, one is responsible for beverage R&D, and the other is responsible for instant noodle R&D.
When they arrived at the R&D center, Zhan Linhong was already waiting downstairs. When she saw Song Yuanchao coming, she hurried to greet him.
"Sister Zhan, can't you just wait for me upstairs in such a hot day?" Song Yuanchao complained as soon as he saw Zhan Linhong.
"It's okay. I've been in the lab for too long and it's good for my body to sweat under the sun. Besides, you're the chairman. How ?"
Zhan Linhong said half seriously and half jokingly, which made Song Yuanchao laugh. Speaking of Zhan Linhong, she was an old subordinate of Song Yuanchao who had just arrived in Nandu, and she was also one of the earliest old people to follow Song Yuanchao.
When Song Yuanchao was in charge of the first branch factory, Zhan Linhong helped a lot. At Song Yuanchao's request, Zhan Linhong set up a research and development department and presided over the development of a series of beverage products, which led to the hot sales of the new beverages of the first branch factory.
After the establishment of Sit, Zhan Linhong was directly appointed by Song Yuanchao as the director of the R&D center and has been in charge of all work at the front line of R&D. In recent years, Sit's beverage products have been adjusted several times and Zhan Linhong's R&D team has been indispensable. The current instant noodle products are also gradually improved with the help of Zhan Linhong's R&D team.
The two of them went upstairs while talking and laughing. The R&D center was very quiet and there were rarely people in the office area. Except for a few administrative staff, most of the main R&D team members were busy in the laboratory.
First, I changed into a white coat and put on special boots, then put on a hat and mask, and after passing through the disinfection pool and ultraviolet sterilization room, I officially entered the core area of the R&D center.
Leading Song Yuanchao, he slowly walked forward in the corridor. On both sides were large glass walls, behind which was the laboratory of the R&D center. The staff were dressed similarly to Song Yuanchao and his team, and they were concentrating on their respective work, taking notes and talking quietly at the same time.
This scene looked very sci-fi, and reminded Song Yuanchao of some scenes in science fiction movies.
Listening to Zhan Linhong's explanation, Song Yuanchao stopped from time to time, looked behind the glass wall, and nodded slightly. Ten minutes later, they walked through the corridor and came to an office at the end of the corridor.
This room is an office inside the R&D department's laboratory. It is different from the offices outside, and the layout and furnishings inside are also very different.
After entering the office, Zhan Linhong reported to Song Yuanchao, who had taken off his mask, on the research and development progress of several current products, the most important of which was beverage research and development.
At present, the R&D department has two major categories of beverage research and development: one is the research and development of cola-type carbonated beverages, and the other is the research and development of tea drinks.
The development of cola-type carbonated drinks started last year. In the past six months, the R&D department has come up with several cola formulas, but Song Yuanchao was not very satisfied with any of them. This time, the R&D department has made a breakthrough, and Song Yuanchao came here today for this matter.
Asking Song Yuanchao to wait for a moment, Zhan Linhong picked up the intercom on the table and said something, and there was a response from the other end of the intercom soon.
A moment later, a young man came in holding a plastic container. After putting the things down, he greeted Song Yuanchao and Zhan Linhong and left.
"Based on the experience and shortcomings of previous attempts, the R&D center readjusted the formula and finally finalized these three types of Coke." Zhan Linhong said to Song Yuanchao as he opened the box.
The inner layer of the container is made of thermal insulation material. After opening it, a slight wisp of cold air came out. There were three slightly thick test tubes inserted in the bracket inside. The mouths of the test tubes were sealed with wooden stoppers. In the transparent glass was the dark brown liquid unique to Coke.
"This has just been mixed. In order to ensure that the taste is as similar as possible to the finished product, carbon dioxide gas is specially injected. The proportion of the gas is strictly controlled according to the formal production ratio." Zhan Linhong continued to introduce.
Song Yuanchao nodded and looked at the test tube. There were labels 1, 2, and 3 on it, and nothing else.
Picking up the first test tube, Song Yuanchao first placed the test tube in front of his eyes, looked at the color and transparency of the Coke through the light in the room, and then reached out to pull out the stopper of the test tube.
When the stopper was pulled out, there was a slight sound, and then the gas bubbles of carbonated beverage emerged from the test tube. Song Yuanchao did not drink it immediately. He put the test tube under his nose and sniffed it, just like tasting red wine, and then put the test tube to his mouth and took a sip.
After taking a sip, Song Yuanchao stopped what he was doing, as if he was savoring the taste. After a while, he didn't say anything, and put the test tube back to its original place. Then he picked up a bottle of drinking water beside him, rinsed his mouth, spit out the water in his mouth and wiped his mouth, then took out the test tube numbered 2 and repeated the previous action.
Not long after, Song Yuanchao tasted the three types of cola and a smile appeared on his face.
"Sister Zhan, which one do you think is the best after trying these?" Song Yuanchao asked, pointing at the three test tubes.
"Let's go with Formula No. 1," Zhan Linhong said. "From the current level of acceptance, Formula No. 1 accounts for 86%, Formula No. 3 accounts for 56%, and the lowest level of acceptance is Formula No. 2, which is only 39%."
"What about you? Do you like that?"
Zhan Linhong smiled and said, "Actually, I don't like any of them. You know I don't like beverages very much. Maybe it's because of my work. I usually drink tea or water. But if I really compare them, formula No. 2 is a bit too greasy, and formula No. 3 has a bitter aftertaste. Formula No. 1 is the most suitable. It tastes very similar to Coca-Cola, and it has a different sweet aftertaste."
Song Yuanchao nodded. He had also noticed it just now. When he was the first to drink formula No. 1, he almost thought that Zhan Linhong had poured Coca-Cola directly into it. However, the aftertaste was different from Coca-Cola. Although the difference was not too obvious, it could still be distinguished if carefully considered.
As for the No. 2 and No. 3 formulas, it is just as Zhan Linhong said. However, people have different senses. Some people like the taste of some people and some people don't. It's like people who like to drink Pepsi don't drink Coca-Cola, and vice versa. In other words, it's hard to satisfy everyone.
To be honest, Song Yuanchao was very satisfied with the three cola formulas that the R&D center finally came up with after the adjustment, but he himself was more inclined to Formula No. 1. Zhan Linhong also said just now that Formula No. 1 was the most recognized one from an internal comparison, which was enough to show that it was similar to Song Yuanchao's judgment.
Song Yuanchao asked Zhan Linhong what the actual differences were among these recipes, and Zhan Linhong explained them to Song Yuanchao in detail.
In fact, the overall basic formula of cola products is the same, whether it is Coca-Cola, Pepsi, or several other types of colas currently available in the country. If they are analyzed in the laboratory, most of the ingredients are basically the same.
Of course, Tianfu Cola is an exception, because Tianfu Cola contains a lot of Chinese medicine ingredients, and Chinese medicine is used to replace many raw materials in the formula, thus forming a cola-like taste. The advantage of this is that the taste is unique and people who like it like it very much, but the disadvantage is also obvious. Some people who are not used to this taste are easily resistant, which is also the biggest problem of Tianfu Cola.
Most of the colas developed by the Stewart R&D Center use the same basic formula as cola products, but adjustments have been made to key formula proportions and other additives.
Why has Coca-Cola been so popular for so long? The key lies in the secret of its formula. The basic formula that is on the surface is not the magic weapon for success, but the real killer is what is not in the basic formula.
Someone once said that the secret formula of Coca-Cola is unique. Even if all the factories of Coca-Cola were destroyed overnight, as long as the formula is still there, it can still be reborn in a very short time. Therefore, the formula of a product is the key to the key, and it is also the real core of the enterprise.
In the previous cola formula development efforts, Zhan Linhong and her team thought of many ways to adjust the basic cola formula, but the resulting cola was always unsatisfactory.
In order to complete the task assigned by Song Yuanchao, Zhan Linhong and her team tried no less than a hundred changes, but ultimately failed.
For a period of time, Zhan Linhong even doubted his own abilities. Sit's R&D center is quite strong, and the R&D team is also second to none in the domestic industry. Moreover, Zhan Linhong has rich experience in the R&D of carbonated beverages. How come he can't come up with a suitable cola product?
To this end, Zhan Linhong temporarily stopped adjusting the formula and instead analyzed all the cola products on the market, and then tried to change and explore little by little.
In the end, Zhan Linhong got inspiration from the traditional Chinese medicine formula of Tianfu Cola, and appropriately replaced the chemical ingredients with some natural plant ingredients on the basis of the cola formula to achieve the result of harmonious taste.
After continuous adjustments and improvements, the final three formulas were finally determined, which are the three cola products now in front of Song Yuanchao.
After listening to Zhan Linhong's explanation, Song Yuanchao did not say anything, but continued to pick up the test tube No. 1 that he had put back earlier.
Half an hour has passed. The gas in test tube No. 1 has basically disappeared due to the passage of time. Even the original sealed insulation has become ineffective, and the temperature of the Coke in the test tube has risen to normal temperature.
Song Yuanchao picked up the test tube and shook it, then smelled it again, then raised his hand and tilted his head back to drink the remaining half tube of Coke. After drinking it, Song Yuanchao savored it attentively and finally showed a satisfied smile.
