Core Viewpoint - The founder of Baiguoyuan, Yu Huiyong, sparked widespread discussion with his comments on consumer education and pricing strategy, which led to a decline in the company's stock price and raised concerns about its quality and consumer trust [1][6][8]. Group 1: Company Performance - Baiguoyuan reported a net loss of 386 million yuan in 2024, marking its first annual loss since 2020 [4][12]. - The company's revenue for 2024 was 10.273 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 9.81% [12]. - As of the end of 2024, Baiguoyuan had 5,127 stores, a net decrease of 966 stores from 2023, moving away from its goal of exceeding 10,000 stores [3][14]. Group 2: Market Reaction - On August 11, 2023, Baiguoyuan's stock opened lower, experiencing an intraday drop of 8%, ultimately closing with a decline of 0.57% [2][7]. - Since its IPO on January 16, 2023, at an issue price of 5.6 HKD per share, Baiguoyuan's stock has seen a maximum decline of 75.56%, closing at 1.74 HKD on August 11, 2025 [7]. Group 3: Consumer Trust and Quality Issues - Baiguoyuan was once regarded as a benchmark for quality fruit, but recent years have seen frequent quality issues, leading to a decline in consumer trust [8][10]. - Reports of selling substandard products, including overnight fruit cuts and spoiled fruit, have surfaced, damaging the brand's reputation [10][11]. - The company's strategy of educating consumers about fruit quality has been met with backlash, as many consumers feel that they should not need to be "educated" to purchase fruit [6][8].
百果园董事长“教育消费者”惹争议 一年闭店966家万店目标渐远