财经观察丨月薪两万吃不起？风波中的百果园：超90%为加盟店，一年闭店966家

Core Viewpoint - The founder of Baiguoyuan, Yu Huiyong, sparked controversy with his comments on the high prices of fruits, emphasizing the importance of educating consumers rather than catering to their price sensitivity [3][7][20]. Group 1: Company Overview - Baiguoyuan was founded in 2001 by Yu Huiyong, starting with an initial investment of 400 yuan, and opened its first store in July 2002, achieving significant sales from the outset [16]. - The company has expanded to over 6,000 stores, with more than 90% being franchise-operated, contributing 99.4% of product sales revenue [12][20]. - The average investment cost for franchisees is approximately 230,000 yuan, including various fees and a projected payback period of around two years [14]. Group 2: Pricing and Consumer Perception - Yu Huiyong stated that the price difference for quality fruits can be four to five times, arguing that Baiguoyuan aims to educate consumers about the value of quality rather than simply offering lower prices [3][7]. - Despite the company's positioning as a high-end fruit retailer, social media complaints highlight perceptions of excessive pricing, with examples of individual fruit prices reaching as high as 23.5 yuan for an apple [8][20]. - A price comparison showed that while Baiguoyuan's prices are perceived as high, the average price differences among competitors are not significantly large [8]. Group 3: Quality Issues and Market Challenges - Baiguoyuan has faced multiple quality issues, including allegations of selling expired or spoiled fruits, which have eroded consumer trust [17][19]. - In 2024, the company reported a revenue decline of 9.81% year-on-year, marking its first annual loss since 2020, attributed to weak consumer demand and increased operational costs [20]. - The company aims to implement a ten-year strategic plan to increase store numbers to over 10,000 and achieve a revenue target of 100 billion yuan, despite recent setbacks [20].