Jie’s first major foray into business came when he took over a struggling Fujianese supermarket in Toronto. He noticed that poor product sourcing and management were the primary issues. By sourcing products directly from Canadian suppliers, he managed to cut costs and increase profitability. This success laid the groundwork for his future endeavours . 

In 2006, Jie bought a failing IGA supermarket in Brampton and rebranded it as Fair & Fresh. This supermarket introduced the ‘East meets West’ concept, combining Western and Asian products. By hiring a diverse staff and catering to the local community, he introduced innovative services such as free home delivery for seniors. This approach led to tripling the store’s sales within a year, making it highly successful and eventually leading to its sale.