Chapter 131: Start of the Mayonnaise Venture
Mayonnaise. No one in Hesa had seen anything like it.
However, he couldn’t just put a high price tag on them, as it would certainly not sell well.
He took out a parchment and a quill, then began scribbling numbers. For now, he wanted to test how much mayonnaise he’d make...
He set the lid aside, dropped in the yolks, oil, vinegar, salt, and sugar, then began to crank...
All of which were listed on his paper...
Soon, the paddles cut through the mixture, folding air into it, binding yolk and oil until it thickened into a pale golden cream.
The steady creak of the wooden lever and grind of metal filled the quiet room. It wasn’t elegant, but it was efficient.
Minutes later, he dipped a spoon into the result and tasted. Smooth, glossy, and rich.
Perfect.
’It’s good for one tub...’
Rayven gently nodded at this.
With the perfect ratio he’d learned, eight eggs could make a tub of mayonnaise, which was about 2 liters.
A dozen eggs cost twenty-two copper coins. It was not bad.
Oil was the next ingredient. Good olive oil wasn’t cheap in Hesa City.
One small barrel costs one silver and thirty copper, enough for around fifteen tubs. That meant nearly nine copper worth of oil per tub.
Then came the vinegar. He used less than half a flask per batch, roughly one copper. Salt and sugar together didn’t even reach one copper if he would calculate it per tub. Still, it would be 14 copper worth of salt and sugar for 12 tubs...
’I can just put it at 1 copper for the sake of it.
He began calculating again.
Cost per tub:
Eggs - 15 copper
Oil - 9 copper
Vinegar - 1 copper
Salt & Sugar - 1 copper
Total: 26 copper.
Rayven felt a bit satisfied as he tapped the pen against his parchment.
That wasn’t too bad. But he still had to think about storage and presentation.
He couldn’t just scoop mayonnaise into bowls and send them off. The texture would spoil fast if exposed to air, especially in the summer heat.
Glass jars were necessary.
’Maybe the same ones used for ink storage?’ Rayven shook his head as that would be too small.
Still, he doesn’t have a price in hand for that.
For now, he just listed that he needed a clean, transparent, and easy-to-seal container.
He only knew about the price of a small ink pot that would surely not be enough.
Still, he was aware of the small jar for three copper coins each if bought by the hundred.
Adding to the 26 copper... Then, that brought the total up to 29 copper coins per tub.
Rayven stared at the number for a while. If he wanted to make a profit, he needed to set the price properly. Not too cheap, or people would treat it as a common condiment. Not too expensive, or no one would even dare try.
"About thirty copper cost... if I sell it for eight..." he muttered softly.
A fifty-copper profit for each sale wasn’t bad. And once he bought ingredients in bulk, the cost would drop further.
But he believed that he could be a bit greedier on this matter. He knew that this would be popular after all.
Maybe 1 silver and 50 copper should actually be doable...
Or even 2 or 3 silver coins would be possible since he still had to pay his employees, the land, and other expenses like marketing, and many others.
Still, he needed a target audience. The commoners could afford it once or twice out of curiosity, but the real market was the inns, taverns, and restaurants serving the merchant class.
He wrote a note under his calculation:
Potential buyers:
City taverns (bulk order)
Merchants (luxury condiment)
Street vendors (sample use)
If he could convince even one large inn to start using his product, the rest would follow...
"I should start working on my own network..."
After considering his options... He turned to his mayonnaise.
He dipped the spoon again and gave it another taste.
It was unlike anything the city had. Creamy, tangy, and rich. It could go with bread, meat, or even vegetables.
"This will make me rich... I just have to hide the ingredients and the method to create this." he murmured, as he felt more confident the more he tasted it.
But to keep up with the demand, he needed help. Producing each tub by himself would take too long. His arm already ached from turning the mixer for some time.
He eyed the mixer on the counter... He looked at its wooden crank, the gear, and the small blade or paddle that rotated inside.
It worked, but if he wanted to scale production, he needed at least two more and someone to operate them since they’re not automatic just yet.
Rayven picked up his pen again and scribbled a list.
Immediate needs:
- 2 additional mixers
- 200 glass jars
- Storage shelves
- Delivery crates
He frowned. That would easily reach five to seven gold in total, perhaps more because the mixer wasn’t easy to make...
’Should I consider getting more investors?’ Rayven mused as he considered his elder brother and Albert once again.
It shouldn’t be that difficult since they saw his Fountain Pen business become successful.
After all, Albert always said, "If you can turn something common into gold, then you’re already halfway to success."
Rayven smiled faintly at that thought.
Tomorrow, he would show Albert the product himself and propose the idea to Golden Coast Trading to invest in his new venture.
He wanted to go big in this after all.
Just like that, he cleaned the spoon, sealed the tub carefully, and placed it inside a cool wooden box lined with a damp cloth to preserve it overnight.
"Just one more spell... Just give me a month or so." Rayven muttered to himself as he was already excited to purchase his 10th Spell and learn the method to advance to the second tier.