Preface: Having dealt with food industry professionals for years, how much do you really know about them? How far is their real situation from your imagination? Where does their current state differ from your feelings? Today, we step into the world of food professionals to see what their reality is like. It's a bit scary! I am a food store owner, Friends say: Delivering full truckloads and collecting money in bulk, looks glamorous, but in reality, broke as a joke! Parents say: Busy all day, networking, finding customers, not coming home, truly exhausting! Wife says: Either coming home late or drunk, the tenderness I want, you never show! Kids say: Leave early and return late, by the time you're home I'm asleep, weekends and holidays are sadder, no dad to play with. They all say running a food store is not easy. So what are the differences between before and after opening a store? Difference 1: Alcohol tolerance Before opening: Rarely drank, and if I did, I'd be down after three cups, earning the nickname "Three-Cup Down." After opening: Due to sales needs, I often drink. Half a catty down, and I'm just getting started. Nickname changed to "Tumbler." Difference 2: Social circle Before opening: Not many social needs; my circle was just relatives, friends, and classmates. After opening: I deal with all kinds of bosses and customers daily—Mr. Zhang, Mr. Li, President Wang, President Huang, and all sorts of relatives. "Do you need any food?" Difference 3: Understanding of alcohol Before opening: My understanding of alcohol was limited to brand, price, proof, and appearance. After opening: I realized that selling alcohol requires pricing, promotions, and relationship building... Difference 4: Body shape changes Before opening: Life was stable and regular, with fixed work hours and meals. I was slim. After opening: Busy with social engagements, tending the store, phone on 24/7, delivering alcohol on demand, rain or shine. When busy, I skip meals; at banquets, I eat rich foods. Over time, my body has gradually changed. Difference 5: Holiday arrangements Before opening: Workdays were Monday to Friday, with weekends off. After opening: When others rest, I'm busy; when others are busy, I'm busier. From Monday to Sunday, month start to month end, year start to year end, I can't stop for a living. Difference 6: Time with family Before opening: I had more time after work to spend with family. After opening: The store is my home. I deal with purchase orders and delivery orders, close late, and return home in the dead of night, rarely having time for family. Difference 7: Sleep time Before opening: After dinner, I'd read a bit and rest by 10 PM. After opening: I think about customers, stock, promotions... Sometimes I lie awake until dawn over certain issues. Difference 8: Temperament Before opening: I didn't pamper or indulge anyone. I did as I pleased. When angry, no one could stop me. After opening: To make sales, I've learned to listen to customers' complaints and grumbles. "Customers may mistreat me a thousand times, but I treat them like first love." My temper has gradually mellowed. Difference 9: Lifestyle habits Before opening: When shopping at the supermarket, the first thing I noticed was the dazzling array of products on the shelves. After opening: When shopping, I instinctively look at the food on the shelves—how it's displayed, what brands, how many facings, etc. In friends' eyes, we are like this: In retailers' eyes, we are like this: Everyone thinks our life is like this: But after money turns into stock, our life is like this: When factory reps push stock on us, we are like this: Terminals think we are like this: But facing soaring costs, our pockets are like this: When inventory is full, we are like this: If we can sell it without losing, it's like this: Uninformed retailers think we make huge profits, But I just want to honestly sell genuine goods, yet some suspect I'm selling fakes. Labor, rent, and even utilities are rising, but retailers keep pressing prices down. What else can we do?! In this heat, we can only desperately visit customers: Wages rise, rent rises, cost of living rises! But product prices don't! You're not having it easy, I'm not having it easy, nobody is! In this tough world, I'm delivering goods under the scorching sun! Brothers and sisters, please order more stock... Food professionals are not doing well. Cherish every food professional around you, Because those who have persisted until now have paid more than you can imagine!!! Before knowing, it always seemed so easy After knowing, I can't help feeling my own life is fake This is the life of food professionals All the leisure, ease, and simplicity are illusions! Only the inner bitterness and physical exhaustion are real! Cherish every food professional around you, Because those who have persisted until now have paid more than you can imagine! Through wind and rain, under the scorching sun, in the cold wind, They keep persisting Moving goods, transporting goods, selling on credit, stocking up... They never back down Body tired, mind weary, not earning, even losing money They still keep trying This is the food professional This is the most real life of food professionals Bloody, yet more real Reposted from: Leisure Food Micro Journal -END-