"As you know, it takes quite effort, and a lot of resources just to get that bottle of sauce made," Tapiwa began to speak softly.
Of course, all the effort required was the time needed to cook. And as for resources, the main ingredients were affordable. And as for the salt, sugar, and cooking oil, it was still acceptable.
However, the fact that those three were currently available in the sauce made the sauce to be very expensive and she was ready to charge more.
Her family used to buy sauce before, though she wasn't sure whether they were still doing it now. However, it was very pricey.
Tapiwa wasn't going to use the method used by other merchants, though. However, she was going to make sure that her returns would be in hundreds percentage of profits and not just a small figure.
When she calculated the cost of making a 500g bottle of sauce in the manner she did, each bottle would cost her around 150 copper coins, including the bottle that cost 30 copper coins, which was of the lowest quality that she used.
If she were to package them in the containers that she was going to collect once she returned to Guche which were 100 copper coins per bottle, the costs would reach up to 250 copper coins. And that would change everything.
She wanted to take into consideration everything and give a fixed price. And since these people would be buying in bulk and probably on a longer term, the price needed to be acceptable at the same time, too.
So, with all that in mind, Tapiwa gave Benjamin the actual price she had thought of before she started this project, "for retail purposes, it will be 800 copper coins, and for wholesale purposes, it will be 750 copper coins. Just consider the 50 copper coins as a once-off discount that only those that will buy in bulk would get."
Hearing this price, Benjamin didn't react or say anything. His mind was busy calculating, comparing, and analyzing.
Tapiwa didn't urge him but just allowed the man to think it through. Her sauce was already cheaper when compared to other sauces out there. She still remembers seeing a small bottle of sauce being sold for 10 bronze coins.
It was very absurd and despite her love for money, she won't become such a rotten merchant, even if it means offending a few people or two.
"I will take the deal!' without negotiating, Benjamin accepted the offer.
He wasn't a fool to try to negotiate when chancing upon such cheap sauce, and in larger containers as well. He didn't know why she was being cheaper than others, but one thing was for sure: he had gotten a jackpot.
He could also tell that Madam Sims knew exactly what she was doing, so he wasn't willing to probe much lest that backfire on him.
Hearing him agree just as easily as that, she was relieved inside. Even though she knew that no businessman would refuse such an easy bargain, especially for a commodity that usually was priced in bronze coins, she was just happy that another business deal of hers was successful once again.
"However, before we sign anything, I would like you to know that there is a limited amount of what I can supply you, especially in a month," Tapiwa dropped a bomb.
Benjamin looked at her and began to wonder if this woman just wanted to see him drop dead on the floor.
Suppressing his turbulent emotions though his clenched jaws were not helping, he asked with gritted teeth, "How many can you supply us in a month?"
Tapiwa wanted to make money, a lot of it, but sometimes the tallest tree was the easiest to become a target.
So, although she had one hundred kilograms worth of sauce at the moment, she didn't even feel her heart race as she lied through her teeth saying, "At the moment, I can only supply you with twenty kilograms every month. And you can choose how to get it. Whether at once or at intervals, since the shelf line is very short, but I guess that will be not a problem since you are a big business."
Benjamin, who was trying his best though it wasn't helping to calm himself down after hearing of how constricted the supply would be, heaved a sigh of relief.
His fat body jiggled, and the frown on his face loosened, brightening up his eyes. Seeing all that, Tapiwa didn't know what to think of the young man anymore.
'Just how short-tempered and easily soothed can he get?' she couldn't help but ask herself in wonder.
Benjamin was truly worried that he could only receive a few bottles. And these bottles obviously won't be enough, especially to supply the four restaurants that he had opened.
At the same time, he also knew how limited the supply of sauce was to everyone who knew the purchasing channels.
So, hearing that she could supply twenty kilograms worth of sauce every month, how could he not be happy?
Judging by her tone, he could guess that the madam could actually make more, but she was only willing to supply that much to him.
Since they were new to doing business with each other, Benjamin decided to take things slowly. One day, he was going to let her warm up to him and grant him some special rights.
"That's fine with me. And if it is possible, I would love to get the full order at once, and don't worry about anything else," he decided.
He was fully aware that for specials like the sauce to last longer, they would need to be kept in a cool place and if they weren't, they would go bad quickly
But judging by how the rich and noble loved sauce, he didn't need to worry about that happening at all.
Tapiwa flashed a happy smile at the man saying, "And I don't do credit. Every transaction will be done by cash, and we can only officially sign the deal tomorrow once I bring the sauce over."
Benjamin frowned, hearing that he could only wait till tomorrow, so he hurriedly suggested, a smile on his face saying, "How about I follow you and just get the sauce back?"
The idea was very good. If it was before, she had an ox-cart of her own, she might have agreed but when she thought of how it was too early for outsiders to know her home and come to her house directly just because of a few bottles of tomato sauce, she automatically rejected the idea.
"I am sorry about that but I still do have errands to run," she wasn't lying though.
She still had a few more places to visit before she could return to her house.
Hearing the firm rejection in her tone, Benjamin was overwhelmed with emotions. He became downcast, but Tapiwa wasn't having any of it.
"We can sign the contract today. This way, I will have no way to back out. What do you think?"
Hearing her suggesting this, Benjamin finally settled, knowing that he wouldn't be able to win no matter what.
The manager finally appeared once more, and a contract was written meticulously. Seeing Tapiwa reading every single word and pointing at this and that, Benjamin finally admitted that he had met another knowledgeable woman who wasn't his mother.
After agreeing to the terms and conditions of the contract, Tapiwa signed with her thumbprint, since all her stamps were supposed to be back home.
With the deal signed, both parties were finally at ease. Tapiwa, being more generous, left an unopened bottle for him while she left the restaurant with a packed lunch box full of fragrant food.
'The kids can have something different to eat today!' she thought happily as she left the restaurant.
"Madam, please wait! I have been waiting for you for a while. My Madam would like to meet up with you. Are you perhaps available now?" an unfamiliar female voice suddenly called out to her.
Tapiwa turned around to look at this familiar woman before a smile deepened on her face after some quick thought, 'they came faster than I anticipated. How interesting!'