“Jing update on prices.” It was the object line of an email from the Chili Crisp brand popular brand in Jing. I had previously bought the brand as a gift, and the message landed in my reception box on April 11, a few days a few days before the growing trade between the United States and China.
Founded in 2018, the small company is best known for its Chinese Chinese Chinese varieties, sold in stores like Target and Whole Foods. The email said that when it was sent on April 11, the brand’s products were subject to a price rate of 160%, against 15% before President Donald Trump’s pricing announcements.
“These prices have a significant impact – not only on our business, but countless others, and have an impact in a disproportionate manner on small independent brands like ours,” said the e -mail. “The integrity of our ingredients, their specific terroir and the craft of our products are very local in Sichuan and will continue to be.”
I covered the brand’s Instagram page and given a video of the founder and CEO Jing Gao discussing the impact of the prices on the company and I contacted more. Here is the conversation we had by email, with my fat questions and Gao’s answers below.
How do the prices affect your business?
Given the volatility of current tariff conversations, it is really important for us as a brand to fully assess the landscape before making important and potentially irreversible decisions. Currently, no order or shipment is pending, and our priorities continue to obtain the ingredients of our basic sauces in Sichuan province and keep our prices as affordable as possible.
The pricing announcements were on and outside and the rates have fluctuated. How did this affect your planning?
Current volatility is a disruptive and will be debilitating for many independent companies. We are fortunate to have established resilience in our organization in the past six years to be able to resist the storm. We have not yet made major commercial decisions because we are waiting for stabilization, but these fluctuations are impossible to plan and affect small businesses and entrepreneurs disproportionately.
Can you explain why it is important for you and for the company to obtain your Sichuan products?
One of our key objectives through all of this is to maintain the integrity of the ingredients of our main products. Our ingredients come directly from Sichuan – fermented black beans, highly appreciated tribute peppers, peppers of Erjingtiao and Cold Caiziyou in cold – and simply cannot be cultivated elsewhere.
Fly by jing sources in the hometown of Gao in China. Fly by jing
Last year, you actually dropped the prices. Do you see the prices that have an impact on product prices in the future, and if so, do you have a calendar on this subject?
Price accessibility for our products is a basic principle of our brand at Fly by Jing. Our mission is to extend the palaces and introduce new flavors on a national scale, so we need our products to be affordable. At the service of this, we implemented a significant drop in prices last year – even in the middle of increasing inflation – and reached more houses than ever. Due to current volatility, it is important for us as a mark to fully assess the landscape before making decisions that will have long -term implications. Currently, our priority is to maintain the prices as affordable as possible while maintaining the integrity of our ingredients.
What was your average day like in recent weeks? Do you work longer when you sail in the situation?
We are at a pivotal moment as a brand and we focus very on expansion to reach new audiences. This news cycle, and its implications, is clearly very consumer because it requires constant attention to an already very busy period – but we are favored as a brand to have established resilience in our company, which allows us to step back and assess the situation before reacting. I often speak to peers, business owners and, of course, to my team, to collect ideas, to develop strategies and to determine the route that will allow us to maintain our basic brand values.
Is there something that you do not see discussing the prices and their impact on small businesses which, in your opinion, are important for people?
Sharing authentic ingredients and flavors is one of the most powerful ways to explore the nuances of other cultures – it arouses curiosity, establishes connection and inspires empathy. These prices, which to date, are at least 160%, do not only threaten the prosperity of our brand, but fly the Americans in an accessible way to connect and appreciate cultures at a time when we need it most. Our success as a brand has proven that daring and diverse international flavors at affordable prices are what Americans want and they are here to stay.
businessinsider
