Zong Qinghou: Wahaha'S "Catcher"

In April 3, 2007, a report entitled "Zong Qinghou's regret" opened a prelude to the controversy of "Dawa" and quickly escalated in the media's attention. "1st Anniversary years ago,"

In the past year, Zong Qinghou and Fan Yi Dao have been fighting for several rounds.

Meanwhile, the local government and the Ministry of commerce further promoted the attention and influence of the incident.

What is particularly worth mentioning is that in late November 2007, when the French President Sakorzy visited China, the "Dawa incident" became one of the topics during the meeting between Chinese and French leaders, making the business disputes between them become a political topic.

In this storm, Zong Qinghou is the core figure and is placed in the center of the vortex.

His dealer supported him as a "national hero"; opponents called him a "cunning rogue"; his opponent asserted that he would "spend the rest of his life in litigation".

For a time, a respected entrepreneur became a "sad man" in the mud of criticism.

In this way, Zong Qing stood on the cusp of public opinion. At the same time, Wahaha, the biggest beverage manufacturer in China, seemed to be in the wind.

A year has passed, has there been any new progress in the dispute between Danone and Wahaha?

What new strategies will Zong Qinghou take?

How did this storm affect Wahaha's performance in 2007?

In March 5, 2008, Zong Qinghou walked into the "two sessions" with 18 bills.

In March 10th, the new finance reporter interviewed Zong Qinghou with the topic of readers' concern.

At 11 a.m. on March 10, 2008, the new financial reporter rushed to the new metropolitan hotel in Beijing. Zong Qinghou was in the two floor conference room to participate in the discussion of the delegation of Zhejiang.

The accompanying press officer reminded him that the time had come for the interview. He turned out of the meeting and strode to reporters.

A plain blue shirt, a pair of black trousers, and a pair of black cloth shoes with white sides. Zong Qinghou in front of him is a simple and gentle old man.

At this time, the most prominent is the scarlet deputies on his chest.

Hello!

Let's talk downstairs. "

Zong Qinghou greeted reporters and immediately went to the interview area on the first floor with reporters.

Because the environment was noisy, but it did not affect Zong Qinghou's interest in conversation.

As soon as he was seated, he lit a cigarette and prepared for it.

The reporter looked up and saw that his eyes were bloodshot and his hair was slightly messy.

Perhaps it was a tight schedule of meetings that made him look a bit tired.

But it really must have lasted for a year, but he still couldn't see the "Dawa dispute".

During the entire interview process, Zong Qinghou was very calm. He did not fight at the time of the debate. He was not too excited to answer sensitive questions that most affected his nerves.

But in his words, the firmness showed that the reporter felt that he was a loyal guard of Wahaha.

In the morning of April 3, 2007, Dan Qining, a spokesman for Hangzhou Wahaha Group, was on the way to Shanghai.

According to the plan, he went to Shanghai to give some new tea to Wahaha's business partners.

Just then, he received a call from a reporter. Then one by one, he brought the same message: Wahaha had a big news.

A news report titled "Zong Qinghou regrets" is like a deep water bomb, allowing the contradiction between Danone and Wahaha.

Zong Qinghou is very concerned about this report. He told reporters in an interview, "if there is no article, maybe we will continue in the framework of negotiations.

Perhaps this contradiction has already been solved. "

The core events reported by the company are: Danone offered to buy 51% of all non joint venture companies under Wahaha's low price of 4 billion yuan.

The reason is: in the initial joint venture of 39 companies, the joint venture agreement stipulates that the brand "Wahaha" can only be owned by a joint venture, and no other enterprise shall use it.

Zong Qinghou, who was the founder and head of Wahaha, was very worried and annoyed. He said, "we have fallen into the trap that it has arranged carefully."

The so-called "trap" started from ten years ago when the two sides began to cooperate.

In 1996, the Wahaha Group, which was preparing to fight for the national market, was looking for funds in the absence of listing. Finally, it met the French Danone Group, which has entered China for ten years.

Danone acquired 51% of the 39 companies of Wahaha Group through its joint venture with Hongkong's Peregrine joint venture.

After the Asian financial turmoil, Hongkong's Peregrine shares were sold to Danone abroad, bringing Danone to 51% of the absolute controlling position.

During the cooperation, the two sides signed the agreement on trademark pfer agreement.

What Zong Qinghou did not expect was that a seemingly inadvertent clause in the contract led to Wahaha's passivity in the future.

The terms of the article are: "the Chinese side will be able to use (Wahaha) trademarks in the production and sale of other products in the future, and these products have been submitted to Wahaha and its board of directors of the joint venture to consider......"

"This clause simply states that Wahaha should use its own trademark to produce and sell products, which requires consent or joint venture with Danone."

After the incident, he realized the deterrent effect of this clause.

At that time, if it had not been unwittingly ignored, it would be that the consequences were seriously underestimated.

Before and after 1999, Zong Qinghou had established a group of companies that had no joint venture with Danone.

These enterprises are also producing Wahaha brand products.

This is the root cause of Danone's forced acquisition.

When he suddenly proposed a forced takeover, Zong Qinghou refused to accept it. He thought it was a trick played by Danone deliberately.

Because the production and sale of these products, Danone can not be unaware of it, and has never responded. Until now, it is proposed that annexation is the usual way for foreign capital to merge leading brands in the domestic industry.

Zong Qinghou's attitude has always been strong in regard to the ownership of Wahaha's trademark.

He once told the media that the trademark licensing contract is actually a disguised trademark pfer contract. "We are the owner of the trademark. Why do you agree to use the trademark?

I think this clause must be amended. "

He said: "at worst, we can also play another brand.

Your 39 companies are holding you to manage, if you manage losses, you can terminate cooperation, and the trademark is back. "

Zong Qinghou has deeply felt the power of "51%" in reviewing the ups and downs of this year.

He said: "before the dispute, I had the final say, even though I held 49%, I did not feel able to reach the power of 51%.

After the dispute came out, only 51% of the problems came to mind.

This is indeed a very profound lesson, and the concept of legal system must be strengthened in the future.

"Heaven cannot lose pie, or is it on its own?"

In those days, the desire to borrow funds for joint ventures, to change management and to change technology was lost, or to set the rules as the ancestors said, "after the villain is the gentleman."

Speaking of past events, Zong Qinghou was somewhat disappointed.

In the interview, Zong Qinghou told reporters that "Mao Zedong thought has great reference in management," VS said.

This is evident from his "struggle" against Danone.

At the beginning of the war, Zong Qinghou set up the banner of "protecting the national brand" for the dispute of interests. This is undoubtedly a great impetus for the Chinese people who have great confidence in their national economy because of the sustained and rapid economic development.

China's well-known national enterprises, such as jianlijian, Jianlibao, sent letters to help, and even some experts shouted: "national brand is at its most dangerous time."

Zong Qinghou's support team also has an important force?

As long as Zong Qing raises their arms, they will put their maximum energy into the battle of Wahaha brand.

This is also a trump card that Zong dares to fight against Danone.

After the incident, Wahaha's staff and dealers wrote nearly 100 declarations of the crusade against energy, which shows the strength of this force and Zong Qinghou's influence in Wahaha system.

In the past twenty years, Zong Qinghou has never left the market.

He almost chaired all the marketing meetings of Wahaha, took part in every new product promotion and marketing plan, and traveled around the country for more than 200 days each year.

Zong Qinghou is an entrepreneur who is very emotional EQ and is as close as a dealer to a dealer.

At the dealer conference, Zong Qinghou often offered a toast to every dealer who came to the store, so that dealers were very impressed.

Zong Qinghou has tied up national sentiments, company interests, dealers' interests and his own interests.

Zong Qinghou shouted "national righteousness" and made Danone ride.

However, such a move has also raised some doubts.

Wu Xiaobo, a financial writer who has followed Wahaha for more than 10 years and wrote "very Marketing", has said: "in my view, the demands of Zong Qing are quite questionable.

Because, from beginning to end, Danone did not make a big mistake.

The agreement was written in black and white. If there was a real "organ", it would have to blame itself for not seeing the bright eye. How could it possibly be reversed?

It is even more worrying and inappropriate to try to promote nationalism by promoting it. "

Zong Qinghou did not approve of the lack of contractual spirit.

During the interview, he repeatedly stressed the point that he wrote to Danone in last year's resignation from the chairman of the Wahaha joint venture company: it is he who respects the contract and wins the trust that Wahaha has today; it is he who respects the contract that will result in the formation of "yin yang contract" in the pfer of Wahaha trademark.

And Danone has torn it all.

He thought that some legal scholars questioned that the contract of "Wahaha Yin and yang contract deceived the state before and unwilling to respect the rules after the contract" was not objective.

At the moment, he is no longer concerned about the comments of the outside world. What he thinks most is how to sort out the past things and find out the legal evidence clearly.

If peace talks are good or legal procedures are taken, they will eventually be solved according to the facts.

After the dispute over Wahaha influenced the dispute of "Dawa", Zong acknowledged that this incident really involved him.

At the same time, whether it has also affected Wahaha's performance and market reputation?

Zong Qinghou denied this.

He said: "in traditional thinking, the lawsuit is not brilliant, it will have a negative effect on the brand.

This concept must be changed. Litigation is a normal way to solve business disputes in a civilized society.

He added that "development is the first priority, and we have achieved gratifying achievements last year."

In a data provided by Zong Qinghou, the reporters saw that in 2007, Wahaha Group (including joint ventures) achieved a total operating income of 25 billion 800 million yuan, 5 billion yuan of profits and taxes, and 2 billion yuan of tax paid, representing an increase of 38%, 56% and 63% respectively over the previous year.

Zong Qinghou stressed in particular that "especially the nutrition express line has soared from 2 billion 600 million in 2006 to 6 billion in 2007. How good the momentum is!"

According to Zong Qinghou, Wahaha has been growing at an annual average growth rate of more than 70% over the past twenty-one years.

By the end of last year, Wahaha had completed a total of 116 billion 800 million yuan in sales and 8 billion 100 million yuan to the country.

There are 25 underdeveloped areas, more than 5000 companies and millions of people all over the country, because they have changed their faces with Wahaha.

Compared with the "Dawa dispute" that made him worried, Zong Qing was more willing to talk about Wahaha's achievements and market prospects.

"In November last year, we dedicated more than 400 Mercedes Benz, BMW, TOYOTA, Passat and other car dealers to the Huanglong gymnasium in Hangzhou.

Now, the company has sold more than about 20000000 large bosses a year.

It can be said that Wahaha's life is getting better and better.

Zong Qinghou said excitedly that the next step is to speed up the layout of the whole country and develop more new products.

Wahaha has not yet been listed before. Now I have to speed up Wahaha's development. Listing will help to make the main business bigger.

After listing, Wahaha will not only emit more millionaires but also billionaires.

Despite repeated denials about the impact of lawsuits on Wahaha, Zong Qinghou has begun to make preparations for both sides.

The Wahaha Changsheng Beverage Group Co., Ltd., which is located in Haining, Zhejiang, has launched a series of products with "Kai Li" as its trademark. There is no "Wahaha" logo.

Is he planning to retreat for himself?

It's good or bad.