Core Viewpoint - The rising prices of fruits at Baiguoyuan have led to customer dissatisfaction, with many expressing that the costs are unaffordable for average salaries, while the company maintains its commitment to high-quality products despite the price increases [1][3][7]. Company Performance - Baiguoyuan's revenue growth has significantly declined, with a reported revenue growth rate of only 0.69% in 2023 and a net profit growth rate of 11.88%. In the first half of 2024, both revenue and net profit experienced negative growth, with revenue down by 11% and net profit down by 66.06% [16]. - The company's 2024 financial report indicated a revenue of 10.273 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 9.8%, and a pre-tax loss of 391 million yuan, marking the first net loss in five years [16]. Store Operations - Baiguoyuan operates over 5,000 chain stores and has more than 80 million registered members across over 190 cities. However, the number of retail stores has decreased by 966 year-on-year, leaving only 5,127 stores by the end of 2024 [16]. - The number of franchise stores also declined from 6,081 to 5,116, averaging nearly five store closures per day [16]. Customer Perception and Strategy - The chairman of Baiguoyuan, Yu Huiyong, acknowledged customer complaints about high prices but emphasized the importance of educating consumers about the value of quality fruits. He stated that the company aims to avoid compromising on quality for lower prices [9][11]. - Yu also highlighted the company's strategy of either optimizing costs to lower prices or maintaining quality, indicating that the focus will not shift towards cheaper, lower-quality products [11].