Chapter 422: Chapter 422: Aloe Vera Plantation Base

The Aloe Vera Frost’s effects were so remarkable.

Li Xu already had a clear plan in mind.

Such an excellent product had massive market potential, whether as a medicine or a cosmetic.

He needed to mass-produce this Aloe Vera Frost and bring it to market.

The profits would be immense.

Unlike his previous formulas that required special medicinal ingredients, the Aloe Vera Frost wasn’t picky about the quality of its aloe; ordinary Curaçao Aloe would suffice. Its core competitive advantage lay in its unique formula.

Just like with many successful cosmetics companies, the formula was their lifeline.

When the call connected, Li Xu got straight to the point. "President Ding, I need you to come to the clinic. I have something very important to discuss with you."

Hearing the gravity in Li Xu’s voice, Ding Kaifang agreed without hesitation and headed straight for the clinic.

Li Xu invited Ding Kaifang into his office, handed him the last bottle of Aloe Vera Frost, and said earnestly, "President Ding, this is an Aloe Vera Frost I recently developed. Its effects are outstanding. Take it back and try it first, and then I’ll give you the formula."

Ding Kaifang took the Aloe Vera Frost, though he had no idea what Li Xu was up to.

But he trusted Li Xu one hundred percent.

He knew that if it was from Li Xu, it had to be top-quality.

"What formula has you so serious?" Ding Kaifang asked curiously.

Li Xu handed Ding Kaifang a piece of paper filled with the names of medicinal ingredients and their proportions, saying gravely, "Once you have this formula, the first thing you need to do is immediately apply for a top-secret patent. Then, you’ll organize a team to start procuring Aloe Vera and baked licorice for industrial-scale production... Remember, no one else can see this formula, and it must absolutely not be leaked."

Ding Kaifang took the formula, a little surprised to see just a few simple ingredients listed on it.

’So it’s an Aloe Vera Frost.’

’It can be used as both a medicine and a cosmetic.’

’And the profit margins on cosmetics have always been high.’

’A cosmetic that costs a few dimes to make can sell for dozens, even hundreds of yuan.’

’This is far more profitable than just selling medicine.’

He carefully put the formula away and patted his chest, assuring him, "Don’t worry, Doctor Li. I’ll make sure this gets done right."

Holding the Aloe Vera Frost and the formula, Ding Kaifang rushed back to Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory.

The moment he got back to the company, he immediately gave the bottle of Aloe Vera Frost to the head of the laboratory, demanding they analyze its components at once.

He knew in his heart that if Li Xu said it was effective, it absolutely would be.

But he still needed a scientific analysis report to support subsequent production and promotion.

The lab was highly efficient, and the research report was ready in no time.

The report showed that the Aloe Vera Frost’s ingredients appeared to be just a few normal skincare components, nothing out of the ordinary.

This left Ding Kaifang a bit puzzled. If they were just ordinary ingredients, how could it have such a miraculous effect?

Still nursing his doubts, Ding Kaifang decided to try the Aloe Vera Frost himself.

He was middle-aged, and his skin had started to show problems like dullness and roughness.

He applied it diligently every morning and evening. After just two days, he could clearly feel his skin becoming smoother and more delicate. His complexion had brightened considerably, and the dullness had faded significantly.

While it wasn’t the instant "skin-rejuvenating" effect that Song Sisi and Sun Qing had experienced, for a middle-aged man, this level of improvement was enough to make him ecstatic.

Only then did he understand that the "normal ingredients" in the report were just a smokescreen; the real magic was in the ingenious formula.

Some of the active ingredients were simply impossible to analyze.

’Just as expected. If it’s from Doctor Li, it has to be top-quality,’

Ding Kaifang marveled internally.

He immediately summoned the staff of the legal department and had them start the application for a confidential patent.

A confidential patent, as the name implies, is one where the application process and its contents are kept secret.

Before the patent is approved, and even after it’s made public, its core technical details are not disclosed, thus better protecting the inventor’s intellectual property and trade secrets.

For a product like Aloe Vera Frost, where the formula is everything, this was undoubtedly the best form of protection.

Once they successfully obtained the confidential patent, other companies would be unable to imitate or copy the core technology, guaranteeing Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory a competitive advantage in the market.

At the same time, Ding Kaifang began preparations for procuring Aloe Vera and baked licorice.

As a supplementary ingredient, the baked licorice wasn’t difficult to procure; there were many suppliers of stable-quality baked licorice on the market.

However, Aloe Vera was the core ingredient of the Aloe Vera Frost. The required quantity was enormous, there were certain quality requirements, and it had to be handled with care. Moreover, it had to be Curaçao Aloe.

After some detailed research, he learned that the most famous Aloe Vera-producing regions were places like Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan. Yunnan, in particular, was an ideal place for Aloe Vera to grow due to its unique climate and geographical conditions.

Among the many production sites, the Aloe Vera from Yuanjiang in Yunnan caught Ding Kaifang’s keen interest.

He looked up information and found that Yuanjiang was located in the Red River Basin and was hailed as the "birthplace of wild Aloe Vera in China." The aloe here was one of the region’s oldest native species, regarded by the locals as a "divine grass bestowed by heaven," passed down through generations.

Yuanjiang possessed a unique, dry-hot valley climate with a high contrast between rainfall and evaporation. It enjoyed abundant sunshine year-round, and its red soil was rich in iron and aluminum with a pH between 6 and 7. These conditions were all extremely suitable for the growth of Aloe Vera.

The more Ding Kaifang learned, the more he felt that Yuanjiang was the best choice.

He called Li Xu and invited him to go on an inspection trip to Yuanjiang together.

Aloe Vera was the core ingredient of the Aloe Vera Frost, and Li Xu had extremely high standards for quality, so naturally, he wouldn’t refuse.

He readily accepted Ding Kaifang’s invitation.

Ding Kaifang immediately booked plane tickets to Yunnan for the next day.

Early the next morning, the two of them set off on their journey to Yuanjiang.

After their plane landed in Kunming, they transferred to a car and drove south, heading straight for the Aloe Vera plantation in Yuanjiang County.

Along the way, Ding Kaifang gave Li Xu a detailed introduction to Yuanjiang’s geography and climate, as well as the important status of Aloe Vera in the local area.

He pointed out the window at the patches of red earth, saying, "Doctor Li, look. The soil here in Yuanjiang is all this red color, rich in iron and aluminum, which is especially suitable for a plant like Aloe Vera. Plus, the sunlight is plentiful and the temperature variation is large, which helps the aloe accumulate active ingredients."

Li Xu nodded, carefully observing the passing scenery, his heart filled with anticipation for Yuanjiang’s Aloe Vera.

Finally, the car drove through the main gate of the Yuanjiang Aloe Vera plantation.

A vibrant green vista unfolded before them: a boundless field of Aloe Vera glistening emerald in the sunlight.

A faint, refreshing plant fragrance filled the air, soothing the soul.

On the plantation, several workers were busy at their tasks.

They wore straw hats and uniform work clothes. Some were bent over, carefully trimming the withered leaves from the Aloe Vera plants;

others pushed wheelbarrows, transporting the harvested, fleshy Aloe Vera leaves to the processing workshop.

Everyone moved with practiced, methodical skill.

The entire plantation pulsed with a vibrant, bustling energy.