CEO Yoon suddenly burst into laughter.
“Haha, I remember you! The young owner who only picks the best meat. How have you been?”
“Yes, I’ve been doing well, thanks to you.”
“That’s good to hear. What brings you to call me?”
I carefully got to the point.
“I was wondering if you might know some of Megameat’s distribution lines, since you do mid-level distribution.”
“Megameat?”
“Yes.”
“Then of course I know them. Megameat’s lines? They’re in the palm of my hand.”
As expected, his tone was as confident as it had been back then.
“From slaughterhouses and processing plants to logistics centers. I even know all the farms that supply them. Why? Are you trying to supply Megameat?”
“No, that’s not it… I was wondering if I could accompany you if you ever have business at a farm connected to Megameat.”
“Visit a farm?”
CEO Yoon seemed to think for a moment. It could have been a bothersome request. However, he soon answered in a good-natured voice.
“Well, we’re in the same trade; we should help each other out. Coincidentally, I have to make a round of a few places next week, including a farm exclusive to Megameat.”
“An exclusive farm?”
“Places that raise livestock under contract. They’re farms that raise them according to the specs Megameat wants. The shipping price is low, but since Megameat’s volume is guaranteed, it’s stable for the farms.”
I could hear the sound of CEO Yoon exhaling cigarette smoke through the phone.
“Pffft… It’s fine if you come along, but why do you want to? Those kinds of farms don’t seem like your style, President Jeong.”
“I just… want to know a bit more about how the market is moving.”
“Ho, you’re studying? That’s a good attitude. Right. That’s how you survive for a long time.”
He laughed heartily.
“Then how about next Tuesday morning? I’m going to stop by two farms in the South Chungcheong area.”
“Yes, that sounds good.”
“Okay. I’ll text you the details. Oh, and…”
He asked for understanding in advance, as if he were worried.
“When we go to the farm, I’m just going to introduce you as our employee. People in those places don’t like strangers coming and going. Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
“Good. Then, I’ll see you on Tuesday. I’ll show you a lot of interesting things.”
As soon as I hung up, Min-jae asked, “Hyung, are you going all the way to a Megameat farm? Is that CEO Yoon person trustworthy?”
“Well, I’ve only met him once, so I don’t know for sure… but he has a bold personality and seems to have good business sense.”
“What do you mean?”
“CEO Yoon is the type who’s good at calculations. If it’s a matter of mutual help, he seems like the type to do it coolly. Since I’m the one receiving help this time, I’ll have to repay the favor someday, right?”
Min-jae chuckled. “You’re definitely clear about giving and taking, Hyung.”
“You have to be like this to do business.”
“A Megameat exclusive farm… Will there be anything worth seeing?”
“There will be. No matter how big a company is, it’ll be hard for them to manage a farm perfectly.”
Min-jae nodded and then changed the subject. There was a mountain of work to do immediately.
“Oh, right. Hyung, how are you going to let the customers know about President Shim Young-soo’s farm?”
“You know the photos I took when we went to the farm last time?”
“Yes, I took some. But there aren’t many.”
“Since it’s urgent, let’s start by making a flyer with those photos.”
“A flyer?”
“Yeah. Just something simple on one A4-sized page. Including what kind of place Brother’s Clean Farm is, how they raise the pigs, and why we chose meat from this farm.”
Min-jae’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, that’s a good idea. We have photos of the farm landscape, photos of the pigs, and even photos of the feed bags…”
“And also include information like the non-GMO feed and how no antibiotics are used, which President Shim mentioned.”
“By when should I make it?”
“Can you do it quickly? I want to include them when we do the 100g pork belly promotion.”
“Ah, I’ll try to make a draft by tomorrow,” Min-jae said excitedly. “So we’re giving the flyer along with the meat to the people who bring Megameat receipts?”
“Also, can you handle Hidden Gem Meat by yourself for the next few days?”
“By myself? Why? Where are you going, Hyung?”
Min-jae looked up.
“I’m going to go to Jun-ho’s Butcher Shop to attend to the customers.”
“Ah, because of the banner?”
“Yeah. I have to deal with the people bringing Megameat receipts personally, and if a problem arises, I need to handle it immediately.”
I explained the plan point by point. We only had one employee, but it felt like things were running systematically.
“And I think it would be a burden for my father to be alone. You can do it by yourself, right? The packaging and delivery preparations.”
“I can do it, but… the deliveries might get backed up…”
Min-jae looked worried.
“It’s only for a few days. I’ll come back once I see the reaction to the banner and things stabilize to some extent.”
“I understand. Then, if I get too busy, I’ll call you. Don’t worry!”
Min-jae answered vigorously and gave a salute. Suddenly playing soldier? I awkwardly raised my hand and then quickly lowered it.
Hmm… for the record, I haven’t completed my military service. Or rather, to be precise, Korea in 2157 did not have conscription.
“While you fight in the offline battle with the banner, Hyung, I will defend the online front.”
“Right, thanks.”
“Salute!”
Another salute. I just turned away and ignored it.
***
The day after the banner was installed.
From the morning, the whole neighborhood was in an uproar because of the banner. The problem was that it was an uproar because it was a spectacle, rather than an uproar in a positive sense…
“In all my life, I’ve never seen a promotion like that.”
A neighborhood man passing by shook his head as he looked at the banner.
“If you buy Megameat, they give you meat here too? Are they crazy?”
“There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. There must be some ulterior motive.”
“Are those two the same shop?”
Middle-aged women I had never seen before whispered as they passed by. The first reaction came around lunchtime. Although it wasn’t the reaction I had been waiting for…
“Jun-ho!”
A regular, Mrs. Park, walked in with an angry voice.
“What is that? You only give meat to people who bought from Megameat?”
“Ah, Ma’am. That is…”
“What happens to regulars like us? People who buy here every day get no benefits?”
I waved my hands before the flustered words could even come out.
“No, Ma’am. Of course we treat our regulars even better.”
“Really? Is that so?”
“Yes, if you buy pork belly today, I was planning to secretly sneak in another 200g as service. Hehe.”
Mrs. Park’s expression softened.
“That’s more like it. It’s not that I’m looking for something for free… but if you don’t do that, the regulars will feel slighted.”
She was right. I had briefly lost my mind while fighting with Megameat. I frantically sent out promotion texts to the regulars.
Similar things were repeated in the afternoon. People passed by all day and tossed out comments, but there was no one who actually brought a Megameat receipt.
‘I suppose it’s because it’s the first day,’ my father tried to comfort me.
***
It was around 7:00 PM.
I thought it was finally the first customer, but the person who walked in was not someone holding a Megameat receipt.
“Is the owner of Jun-ho’s Butcher Shop here?”
Hearing the voice, it was Manager Kim Jin-soo, whom I had met at Megameat earlier. He was wearing a suit instead of a butcher’s apron.
“What are you doing here?”
Kim Jin-soo pointed at our banner and raised his voice.
“No, what on earth is this? Giving meat if they bring a Megameat receipt? Does this make any sense?”
“Why doesn’t it make sense?”
“No, you’re trying to steal our customers!”
“Stealing? I’m helping Megameat’s business, aren’t I?”
“What?”
“Think about it. In order for people to get 100g of our meat, they first have to buy meat at Megameat. We’re increasing Megameat’s sales.”
I spoke nonchalantly. Kim Jin-soo’s face quickly turned red.
“Such nonsense…”
“Nonsense? Then what about the banner Megameat put up? Mentioning an ‘unfortunate incident at a nearby butcher shop.’ Does that make sense? It’s exactly what they call a double standard.”
“That was just a general marketing phrase…”
“General marketing? There’s only one shop around here, ours, and you’re saying that’s marketing and not an attack?”
My father chimed in from the side. “In my thirty years of business, this is the first time I’ve seen someone openly disparage a neighboring shop like this.”
“Disparage? We were only stating the facts…”
Kim Jin-soo stammered. Even he must have thought it was a double standard.
“Anyway! Take down this banner immediately!”
“Why? Is this illegal?” I asked back. “We didn’t steal the Megameat logo, and we didn’t lie. What’s the problem with giving a service to people who bought meat at Megameat so they can taste our meat too? I’ve already looked into everything with a lawyer.”
“That is… I mean…”
He couldn’t find anything to say and stammered. Now it was my turn to tease him.
“Ah, are you perhaps worried that our meat will be tastier?”
“What?”
“Aren’t you anxious because your Megameat meat will be compared to ours? If that’s not it, you can just compete on quality. Why are you picking a fight over a banner?”
His face grew even redder.
“Hey! Do you really think our Megameat would lose to some meat from your tiny butcher shop?”
“Then it’s fine. What’s the problem? If you’re confident in the quality, you can just leave it alone. Anyway, if Megameat’s meat is better, people will just get our 100g and go back to Megameat.”
“Fine. We’ll see. We won’t just sit idly by, either.”
“What are you going to do? Put up another banner? A different one? Ah, you’ll have to ask your marketing team first.”
When I provoked him, he gritted his teeth.
“Or are you going to report to the head office? Tell them that a hole-in-the-wall butcher shop is doing a promotion with your receipts? Do you think CEO Park Jung-nam would even care? Last time, you said he doesn’t care about things like scraps of banners. I guess he’s been bored lately and developed an interest?”
“You… really…”
“Please leave. I have to do business.”
I pointed to the door, telling him to get out.
“Oh, and Manager, if you buy meat at Megameat and bring the receipt when you leave work, I’ll give you 100g. Go home and try comparing them. I understand being loyal to your company, but you should buy good things for your family. Think of your family’s health.”
Kim Jin-soo huffed and walked out. The door slammed shut. My father said worriedly, “Didn’t you provoke him too much? If that man really reports to the head office…”
“Father, it doesn’t matter whether he reports it or not. We just have to do things our way. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything. You just stay at ease.”
Just then, another customer walked in. This time, it was the real deal.
“Um… I heard you give meat if I bring a Megameat receipt…”
A woman in her forties pulled out a receipt.
“Yes! That’s right. Thank you for coming!”
It was the beginning. As the woman handed over the receipt, she asked with a suspicious look, “But you’re not going to give me just a little bit of meat and then ask me to sign up for something or something like that, are you? Asking for personal information…”
“No, not at all. There’s absolutely nothing like that,” I said, waving my hands. “I’m really just giving it to you. But I’d like to ask for one favor.”
The woman’s look changed to one that said, ‘I knew it.’ She grew wary and asked, “Hmm… what is it?”
“You don’t have to do anything else, but you’re going to eat pork belly tonight, right? When you do, please make sure to grill the meat you bought from Megameat together with our pork belly and try them.”
“Together?”
“Yes, that way you’ll be able to tell the difference in taste. If you grill them together, the comparison will be even clearer.”
Only then did the woman nod as if she understood. “Aha… I see now, it’s a promotion to try them and compare. You must be very confident in your meat.”
“Yes, to be honest, I am very confident.”
As I sliced the pork belly, I thought to myself. I was dying to say something about Megameat. But if I spoke up now, it would only be seen as the bitter ranting of a loser who’s jealous of someone else’s success.
“We bring our meat directly from a place called Brother’s Clean Farm in Icheon. We deal directly with the farm owner.”
“Directly from the farm?”
“Yes. Usually, meat goes from farm to wholesale to middleman to retail, but we bring it straight from the farm. That’s why it’s fresher and the price is reasonable.”
The woman showed interest. “So you don’t just bring any old pig from the farm?”
“Of course. I go and pick them out myself.”
She seemed intrigued. Should I go a bit deeper?
“Did you know that pork also has grades?”
“Pork has grades too? Like beef?”
“Of course. But unlike beef, there’s no obligation to display the grade for pork.”
The woman looked surprised as if it were the first time she had heard such a thing. “Is that so? Now that I think about it, I guess that’s right.”
“It only says domestic pork; it doesn’t show the grade. You’ve been to Megameat, so you’ll know.”
“Oh my, you’re right.” The woman looked at the Megameat receipt again.
“We only bring in 1+ grade or higher. And look at this.”
I showed her a cross-section of the pork belly.
“The fat layers are evenly distributed, right? This is good pork belly. Not too thick, not too thin.”
“Oh my, it really is pretty.”
“And look at the color. It’s pinkish-red, right? That’s proof it’s fresh.”
The woman was impressed. As I packaged it, I added, “And our farm only uses non-GMO feed and almost no antibiotics. Consumers should know this kind of information too, but big supermarkets will never tell you.”
The woman nodded. “That’s so true. They only advertise that it’s cheap.”
“Since you’re the first customer of the promotion, I’ve specially put in 200g. Enjoy it with your family.”
Receiving the packaged pork belly, the woman said, “Oh, thank you. I’ll be sure to compare them tonight. But isn’t it a loss for you to give away such good meat for free?”
“A loss? Not at all.”
“Why?”
“Because I believe you’ll definitely buy ours next time.”
“Hoho, you’re really confident, President.”
The woman looked back as she was leaving the shop. Then, she playfully gave a thumbs up.
“But this young owner has a really good mindset. See you again.”
After sending off the first customer, I waited for the next one.
*Ting*—the second customer came in.
“Welcome!”
It was a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties. He was carrying an eco-bag with the Megameat logo on it.
“I heard you give pork belly if I bring a Megameat receipt?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
The man handed over the receipt. Looking at the Megameat eco-bag he was holding, I asked casually, “Do you use Megameat often?”
“Yes, I go almost once a week. It’s partly because it’s close to home, but the prices are really good.”
The man smiled, holding up the eco-bag as if he were proud of it.
“I’m a fan of Park Jung-nam. It’s amazing to see how he built such a big company from nothing. People like that should be even more successful.”
As I sliced the pork belly, I felt conflicted. This man who respected and cheered for Park Jung-nam… he had no idea that some of the meat he was eating was cheap, low-quality meat.
Fans of Park Jung-nam. In a way, they were the biggest victims.
Using the respect and love of the people who believe in and follow you to fill your own pockets.
This is real betrayal.