Core Viewpoint - The recent discussion about "Laoganma changing its taste to save costs" has sparked significant debate among consumers, with some claiming changes in flavor and ingredients, while the company denies any alterations to its original recipe [2][3]. Group 1: Company Response - Laoganma's staff refuted claims of changing ingredients for cost-saving purposes, attributing any perceived taste differences to consumers' evolving preferences and individual taste variations [2]. - The company emphasized that its raw materials, production processes, and recipes have remained unchanged [2]. Group 2: Company Background and Performance - Founded in 1984 by Tao Huabi, Laoganma gained popularity for its unique cooking methods and has since expanded to produce over 20 product lines, including flavored doubanjiang and chili oil [2]. - In the "2025 Guizhou Top 100 Enterprises" list, Laoganma ranked 57th, with a reported revenue of 5.391 billion yuan in 2024, a slight increase of 0.18% from 2023, marking three consecutive years of growth [3]. - The company is close to its historical revenue peak of 5.403 billion yuan in 2020, with only a 0.12 billion yuan difference [3]. Group 3: Leadership and Strategic Changes - There are claims that the return of founder Tao Huabi to active management has contributed to the company's revenue recovery, although company representatives clarified that she has always been involved [3]. - After Tao Huabi stepped back in 2014, the company faced challenges, including a shift to cheaper Henan peppers, which altered the product's taste and led to consumer backlash, resulting in declining sales in 2017 and 2018 [3]. - In 2019, upon Tao Huabi's return to management, the company reverted to its original ingredients, which helped stabilize its performance [3].