华东市场承压海外试水 紫燕食品净利润增长难掩营收颓势

Core Viewpoint - Ziyan Food reported a contradictory performance for 2024, with a revenue decline of 5.28% to 3.363 billion yuan, while net profit increased by 4.5% to 346 million yuan, highlighting a dual logic of cost control and strategic adjustment amid weak consumer demand [2] Revenue and Profit Analysis - The company's revenue decreased by 5.28% to 3.363 billion yuan, but net profit rose by 4.5% to 346 million yuan, making it one of the few companies in the marinated food sector to achieve profit growth [2] - Fresh product revenue fell by 6.65%, with signature product "Couple's Lung Slice" revenue down by 9.84%, indicating risks associated with over-concentration in regional markets [2] Cost Control and Supply Chain Management - Ziyan Food's profit growth was supported by deep supply chain integration, strategic partnerships with major suppliers like Wens Foodstuffs and New Hope, and the use of futures to hedge against price volatility, resulting in a 0.41 percentage point increase in fresh product gross margin to 22.95% [2] Strategic Transformation and R&D Investment - The company significantly increased R&D expenses by 91.78% in 2024, launching new products like "Little Fat Bucket" and "Spicy Rabbit Legs," but faced a 6.29 percentage point drop in pre-packaged product gross margin [2] - A consumer trust crisis arose in Q4 2024 due to a public relations issue related to bacterial contamination [2] Market Expansion and Challenges - Ziyan Food is attempting to penetrate the young market through a campus channel strategy, having entered 62 universities and planning to add 350 more stores, but experienced a 33.91% quarter-on-quarter revenue drop and a single-quarter loss of 24.89 million yuan [3] - The company's global expansion efforts, including the opening of its first store in Melbourne and a production base in Nepal, have yet to yield significant results, with overseas revenue at only 6.7836 million yuan, accounting for less than 0.2% of total revenue [3] Future Outlook - A warning of a 71.8% decline in Q1 2025 performance casts a shadow over the annual report, as the company faces weak consumer recovery and intensified industry price wars, raising questions about its ability to balance cost control and innovation investment [3]