Chapter 696
Chapter 696:
Not long after the news broke, eateries of all sizes across Staville rushed to register, eager to seize this golden opportunity and distinguish themselves in the fierce competition.
This enthusiasm was understandable, given that the Crawford family’s Pavilion Foods Group dominated nearly half of Staville’s catering market, leaving little room for other players. Their stranglehold on the industry had made competition intense, and smaller restaurants were constantly struggling to survive. For many, winning a spot in this contest could mean overnight fame and a significant boost in business.
When Abrial caught wind of the announcement, she quickly called Ashton, her voice laced with teasing. “Ashton, you’ve really outdone yourself! Just as we announce our move into the catering business, suddenly there’s a whole competition organized. Did you set this up to give us a leg up?”
Ashton gave a soft laugh, though it was tinged with frustration. “I wish I could take the credit, but this has nothing to do with me. I’ve been so caught up in promoting our company’s new venture that I haven’t had time to plan anything like this. And now, just as we were starting to gain traction, this competition has stolen all our thunder.”
In reality, Ashton had been blindsided by the announcement, which threw his carefully laid plans into disarray.
But Abrial’s comment sparked an idea in his mind. “You know, you might be onto something. We could use this competition as a springboard to boost our company’s name.”
“Really? I have to spell that out for you?” Abrial teased. “Are you sure you’re not just trying to make me feel like a genius?”
Ashton sighed deeply, his tone turning serious. “Look, Pavilion Foods Group is a giant. They’ve got half the market under their thumb. We can’t hope to outdo them by just opening one restaurant, especially not in just three months. That’s why I wasn’t keen…”
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“On a direct confrontation. But this contest could be our golden ticket to making a splash. Especially since our marketing campaign didn’t have the impact we expected, we need to act fast while there’s still buzz around this.”
“But have you even gone through the contest rules? It’s only open to existing restaurants, not individuals. Can you really open a brand-new restaurant in three days?” Abrial asked.
“Piece of cake. We can just buy an existing restaurant and enter the competition,” Ashton replied with a confident shrug.
Abrial let out a weary sigh. “This is all on you, Ashton. I’m drowning in work with the company. Even if I wanted to help, I simply don’t have the time to manage this.”
As Ashton listened to Abrial’s words, guilt weighed heavily on him. He knew he wasn’t the best at managing the company, which was why he had always left the complex tasks to her. She was the one handling the tough decisions while he was free from the burdens of responsibility. This time, he wouldn’t trouble her with the smaller issues.
After their brief conversation, Ashton quickly hung up and reached out to Milena, hoping to get the contact information for some of Staville’s top restaurants. However, what had seemed like a simple task soon turned into a much bigger problem.
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