Summary of Lihigh Food Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Lihigh Food - **Industry**: Food Production, specifically focusing on frozen baked goods and dairy products Key Points and Arguments Sales Channels and Growth - The **restaurant channel** is experiencing the fastest growth, driven by increased orders from major clients, new tea beverage customers, and strong overseas sales performance. This channel is expected to become the fastest-growing sales channel for the company [2][6][10] - Traditional **bakeries and supermarkets** are facing market demand pressures, with no significant improvement in business for downstream bakeries. The company plans to introduce new dairy products to maintain traditional channel performance [2][6] Production Capacity and Utilization - The company aims to increase the utilization rate of its second UHT cream production line in Foshan from 30%-40% in the first half of the year to a target of 50%-70% for the entire year. When both production lines operate at full capacity, the annual output value is expected to be around 1.2-1.3 billion yuan [2][7] - The **frozen baking** capacity utilization rate was nearly 70% in the first half of the year, with expectations to exceed 70% for the full year [2][8] Product Development and New Launches - New products in the frozen baking category are set to launch in major supermarket clients, with one new product expected to be released by the end of the month. Previous launches have performed steadily and met expectations [4] - The company is exploring new dairy products, such as premium milk for tea beverage clients, but does not have immediate large-scale revenue plans for these products [5][16] Client Relationships and Orders - The growth in the **sauce category** is currently reliant on a major client, Tasitin, with sales primarily concentrated on this customer [5][14] - The company has established partnerships with well-known supermarket chains, expecting to reach a scale of millions in cooperation this year and next, a significant increase from previous years [11][12] Market Trends and Future Outlook - The frozen baking sector is projected to grow approximately 20% year-on-year in the first half of the year, with expectations of reaching a cooperation scale of millions in the short term [10] - The company is optimistic about the future growth potential in the restaurant channel, driven by both existing and new customer orders [17] Challenges and Strategic Focus - The company acknowledges that the growth of new retail channels, such as volume discount stores, falls under the restaurant channel, and has established a dedicated team to better serve these new customers [19] - The potential for channel expansion depends on the operational effectiveness of the baking business model, including staff training and equipment setup [20] Product Differentiation - Lihigh Food's cake products are not identical across different channels; they are tailored to meet specific market demands [22] - The company plans to extend some high-demand products to other channels based on customer needs, indicating flexibility in product offerings [24] Future Production Plans - The pizza production line is set to launch by the end of the year, primarily targeting chain restaurant clients. Initial interest from clients has been strong, but specific order volumes will be confirmed post-launch [25][26] Additional Important Information - The company is focusing on a multi-category and multi-channel development strategy, ensuring that resources are not overly concentrated on any single channel or customer [12]

Core Viewpoint - The credit rating agency has assigned a stable outlook to the company, indicating its strong position in the frozen baked goods sector and stable partnerships with quality clients like Walmart [2][6][18]. Company Overview - The company, Lihigh Food Co., Ltd., is a leading player in the frozen baked goods industry, with a credit rating of AA- and a stable outlook [2][6]. - As of March 2025, the company has total assets of 43.29 billion, total liabilities of 11.54 billion, and net profit of 0.86 billion [2][3]. Financial Performance - The company reported a revenue growth of 9.61% in 2024, driven by the successful market acceptance of new cream products, with cream product revenue increasing by over 60% [12][14]. - The net cash flow from operating activities for 2024 was 4.53 billion, indicating strong cash generation capabilities [4][12]. - The company’s gross profit margin for 2024 was 31.39%, with a slight decrease in the cream product margin due to changes in product mix [12][14]. Market Position and Industry Dynamics - The frozen baked goods market in China is expected to grow significantly, with a projected market size of 611.07 billion in 2024, reflecting an annual growth rate of 8.8% [10]. - The company holds a market share of approximately 15% in the frozen baked goods sector, making it the largest player in the industry [10][12]. - The industry is characterized by low penetration rates and significant growth potential, driven by advancements in technology and improvements in cold chain logistics [10][11]. Operational Challenges - The company faces risks related to capacity utilization, with an overall utilization rate of 72.76% for frozen baked goods in 2024, indicating room for improvement [15][14]. - There is a significant funding gap for ongoing projects, with a total investment requirement of 38.50 billion, of which 20.90 billion remains unfunded [17][18]. - The company is heavily reliant on a single customer, Walmart, which accounted for 22.91% of total sales in 2024, raising concerns about customer dependency [5][18]. Supply Chain and Cost Structure - Direct materials constitute over 70% of the company's operating costs, with fluctuations in raw material prices impacting profitability [19][20]. - The company has a diverse supplier base, with the top five suppliers accounting for 26.43% of total procurement, indicating low supplier concentration risk [19][20]. Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance - Food safety is critical for the company's operations, and it has established a comprehensive quality control system across its supply chain [20][21]. - The company utilizes third-party cold chain logistics, which adds complexity to its food safety management [20][21].