Name: Andre
Country of origin: Germany
Occupation: Former Technical Manager in Construction and current Gelato Master
Years in China: 14
How did your journey in China begin?
I used to work in the construction industry in Germany and in 2006 I got the opportunity to interview for a job as a Construction Manager for the company’s branch in Shanghai. I applied for the position and was successful! So, my journey to China started on January 2007 and I was really happy but also a bit worried.
I came to China with just my passport, a bag and luggage filled with winter clothes. The size of the airport shocked me but before I could get over my shock, I wondered how my cab driver would find me. It ended up being a simple process as he was waiting with a sign and waved his hands as he saw me. Later, he showed me the picture the company gave him which was the photo on my CV. I couldn’t help but keep thinking that the airport was gigantic, and the 30-minute way from the airport to the hotel was just amazing! There were highways with overpasses, with bright colours everywhere. I was even surprised that at night the roads were still busy here! It was at that moment that I fell in love with China. I felt like that’s what I had been missing for so many years.
During my first years here, from 2007 to 2014 I worked as a construction engineer and project manager in the outskirts of Shanghai, Beijing, Yinchuan and Nanjing. Construction works are so much faster here in China. The manpower is incredebly high but also there needs to be more checks and quality control.
When the financial crisis started in 2014, I went back to Germany and worked in my old company. There I noticed how different the work in Germany was. Chinese projects were handled by 20 engineers whereas in Germany we need 3 times more than that. Decisions were made by myself within an hour and in Germany it would take sometimes days or even longer. So, it was not a surprise that I took the first good offer to head back to the country I missed so much. 5 months after arriving in Germany, I got an offer from another German company in Beijing in a high-rank position. Thanks to the opportunities China offered, my career evolved from a construction manager, to project manager, and to area manager for South China, based in Shanghai.
What do you like most about the cities you’ve lived in?
Honestly speaking, when I was in Germany working in the construction business, even though I read the news every day and watched TV, I knew so little about China as the country was hardly ever mentioned in the news. I only knew the capital was Beijing and the song by Katie Melua that said “there are nine million bicycles in Beijing.”
I stayed in Beijing from 2007 until 2008 and I loved the art centers and art disctricts there. I usually spent my Sunday afternoons, which was my only day off, walking around the “hutong” streets which was always a delight. About China in general, I just LOVE the food as the tastes range from spicy to tasty. Additionally, I love how nice and firendly the people are, even if we can’t communicate in German or English, they are willing to listen, to help and to become your friends.
As an engineer, the fast pace and speed at which things are built here will always amaze me.
What is your unique China story?
At the end of 2016, I had to leave the construction company that I had not too long joined due to some internal issues. However, I stayed in Shanghai for an extra year developeing an ice-machine to produce a special type of ice. Unfortunately, this project went slower than I expected, so I decided to move on from that although the machine I developed was very efficient. By then, I decided to work on my own and became interested in gelato-making and decided to start my own business, a gelato shop. In 2016, I moved to Xiamen since my girlfriend Sandra which I visited every weekend, asked me to stay and I did not regret it as it is such a lovely island. I started to work on my Project “Papa Gelato” which was my first and a bit risky shop concept. I had worked out my plan for over 2 years but I had support from a very good friend and former colleague from the former company who assisted with the shop and brand design, feasibility reports, and all sorts of details regarding this business which I was not familiar with.
Although it should have happened 2 years ago, during planning in 2018, we decided to start with the paperwork, licenses, etc. Then in 2019 we had to postpone it again to the beginning of 2020. That year, my friend went home to Malaysia for Chinese New Year and in the meantime I was searching for a suitable venue. But, oh well, you know what happened then. The pandemic. The lockdown. Travel and Visa restrictions. My plan was postponed unwillingly again…
However, something great happened during the pandemic outbreak, Sandra got pregnant and our first baby arrived in December 2020! That was probably the best thing that could have been done during the pandemic for us. We are so happy!
That gave me an impulse to continue with this project. Last February, I went out to check suitable locations again and finally after a few weeks of endlessly searching, I found a place and started creating my dream on mid-March 2021. Most of the renovation works were done by end of July, and 16th August, Papa Gelato had its soft opening and was open for business. Fun fact, the official opening was postponed to avoid August, the “month of ghosts”, according to Chinese superstition.
About making gelato, there is a secret formula that nobody will tell you unless you buy a gelato company or find it by yourself. There is a lot of experimentation, exact calculations are needed to find the right balance of ingredients. So, after (only) 4 failures (I mean, my gelato was delicious, but the texture was not perfect, sometimes it was too sticky or just tasted of burnt vanilla) I found my secret recipe! To illustrate the process with an engineering metaphore, to make gelato you must turn some wheels, first a large one, then a smaller one, to eventually find the right technique. It’s always different when I start making new flavors, hoping that the customers will love it. Listening to them gives me new ideas for further flavors. Thanks to all my supporters and family that I went on this challenging road with. Nothing feels better than a smile of the kids with chocolate from mouth to both ears.
Some background about Andre’s hometown
My hometown is a small German town called Unna just a stonethrow away from Dortmund, the hometown of my favorite Football Team BVB 09. Although the center of my life is here in Xiamen now. My little Family lives here and I found a place to be happy. I would love to visit my parents in Germany soon so they can meet their grandson. But this will have to wait for now.
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