"The enemy as a teacher" to achieve the Happy Bee fast food king Chen Juezhong's entrepreneurial story
Chen Juezhong his Happy Bee Food Group has the largest fast food service network in the Philippines, as many as more than 2,000 outlets, the average Filipino at least two times a week to patronize the Happy Bee chain of stores, even the former President of the Philippines, Mr. Arroyo, has also called himself a diehard fan of the Even former Philippine President Arroyo called himself a big fan of Happy Bee.
In 2004, Chen Juezhong became the new owner of the famous Chinese food brand by acquiring 85% of the shares of Yonghe Da Wang. Happy Bee now has 411 stores in China, including 316 Yonghe Dawangs, accounting for 20% of overseas sales and 12% of total global revenue.
Chen Juezhong, 61, has a gentle appearance and doesn't even speak loudly. It is hard to imagine that this son of a poor Chinese chef could make the Happy Bee brand a household name in the Philippines in just a few decades, occupying 65% of the Filipino fast food market.
Chen Juezhong started his fortune with a small ice cream parlor, and his winning strategy was to use the enemy as his teacher and adapt to the flavor. It was these two weapons that allowed him to beat McDonald's in the Philippines, and became the real king of fast food in the Philippines. It can be said that Happy Bee is the only fast food company in the world to beat McDonald's outside the United States.
Beginning with a small ice cream parlor
Chen Juezhong's entry into the restaurant business was entirely influenced by his father.
Chen's father, a native of Jinjiang, Fujian Province, came to the Philippines to work in Manila when he was less than 13 years old. He first worked in a restaurant as an odd-job man and then as a cook. In the 1960s, Chen's father opened a Chinese restaurant. At that time, the hardware of the restaurant was not good, and often leaks, but because he was good at his craft and kind, attracted a lot of customers.
His father's attitude towards food and beverage y influenced Chen Juezhong, who recalled: ? My father always said that if you are a tailor, the clothes should look good; if you are a caterer, the flavor must be good.?
When he was young, Chen Juezhong and his brother often helped his father in the restaurant after school, under the influence, he developed the idea of catering. 1975, he graduated from college, and his brother borrowed money to open a small ice cream store behind a movie theater, business is good, and soon paid off the debt.
Later, a customer suggested to Chen Juezhong: only a variety of ice cream is too monotonous, is it possible to add other items? After market research, Chen Juezhong decided to do burgers, and indeed, very popular with the guests. Smart he quickly opened a branch, copy the successful business model, within two years to develop to five stores.
In 1981, when Chen Juezhong's career was booming, McDonald's entered the Philippines. When McDonald's red arch logo appeared in Manila, almost everyone believed that the logo would be inserted all over the streets of the Philippines, putting many local brands, including Happy Bee, in jeopardy. At that time, there were many people who changed their business and abandoned the fast food scene, but after much deliberation, my brother and I decided to compete with McDonald's because we felt that we had our own advantages," said Tan Kueh Chung. said Mr. Chan. His sense of taste seems to have become his strongest source of confidence against McDonald's.
What's more, it's not just a matter of taste.
With? The local flavor is the most important. Characteristics to beat the foreign giant
In Chen Juezhong's view, the catering industry is not a high-tech field, the main thing is that the food is tasty, the price is fair. On this basis, the scale of operation must be a constant source of innovation, with delicious things to attract consumers.
Filipinos like sweet and sour flavors, so Chen Juezhong added pineapple to his burgers. He ate oyster noodle line in Taiwan and thought it was delicious, so he immediately asked the senior executives of Happy Bee to fly from the Philippines to Taiwan to taste it in person, and then we all met to study it and figure out how to make it this kind of ? tasty thing? into their new products.
In addition, Chen Juezhong boldly borrowed the successful operation mode of McDonald's, and gradually formed a ? The perfect enterprise business model, strong brand effect and franchise system of the franchise?3 major business management tips, accumulated? Food, service, cleanliness, affordability? Fast food business 8 words of truth, targeted to compete with McDonald's, with? The local flavor of the restaurant is the best. The characteristics of the local food overcame the foreign food. Foreign? brand, and at the same time in the taste of great efforts.
Facts have proved that Chen Juezhong's? The way to play? is correct. From the 1990s onwards, McDonald's was virtually irresistible to the powerful offensive of Happy Bee. By 2005, Happy Bee had 1,079 outlets in the Philippines, compared to McDonald's 200 or so. This made Happy Bee the only fast food brand in the world that could outnumber McDonald's in terms of local stores.
? We have the same food quality, hygiene and pleasant dining environment as McDonald's, the same attractive toys for kids as McDonald's, the same innovative advertisements, the same efficient franchise system, and not only that, but the unique taste of Filipino food that McDonald's doesn't have. We have everything that McDonald's has and we have everything that McDonald's doesn't have, so McDonald's doesn't have any advantage," he said proudly. Chen Juezhong said proudly.
In 1993, Happy Bee was officially listed in the Philippines, becoming the first fast food company to be listed in the Philippines. Subsequently, Chen Juezhong through mergers and acquisitions, franchising and other ways, has been the? Greenwich? ,? Great Mill? Greenwich, Great Mill, and Beefy's. Chaokoon Fast food brands such as the net to the account, the establishment of their own fast food kingdom.
Rapid M&A is not something Chen Juezhong? Happy Bee? against McDonald's, KFC and other burger fast food, with? Greenwich? Greenwich, Greenwich, Greenwich, Greenwich, Greenwich, Greenwich, Greenwich, Greenwich, Greenwich Greenwich? and? Great Mills? Franchises take on Pizza Hut. Each of these four brands targets a different consumer segment:? Happy Bee? for families with small children;? Greenwich? for teenagers;? Ultra? For working people;? The Great Mills? For the upper income bracket.
Acquisition of Yonghe Da Wang? Fly? into China
However, it is clear that the limited market in the Philippines is not enough to satisfy Chen Juezhong's?
However, the limited Philippine market was clearly not enough to satisfy Chen's appetite.
In February 2004, Happy Bee purchased the company for RMB 22.5 million. In February 2004, Happy Bee acquired 85% of the shares of Yonghe Da Wang for RMB 22.5 million. Chen Juezhong shell into the market, into the Chinese mainland market. In this regard, some people are optimistic that China's fast food industry from now on has the possibility of doing big, and then the foreign fast food stings a full head. Others are worried that Happy Bee, which lacks a distinctive cultural personality and recognition, will not be able to compete with foreign fast food in a market where there is little? The company is also worried that Happy Bee, which lacks a distinctive cultural identity and recognition, may not be able to make its mark in China's fast food market. The Chinese fast food market may not be able to colorful.
In Chen Juezhong's view, China's catering is developed, with a wide range of cuisines and different tastes. The crowd is difficult to adjust has been many fast-food restaurants to make big? Bottleneck? Chen Juezhong believes that regional differences in food culture and eating habits, is not the key reason why China's fast food industry can not be bigger, ? Catering industry is not like the computer industry, it is very simple: China does not lack of good cooks, such as a bowl of beef noodles, you do a good job yourself is very easy, but if you let each chain store every day to do a good job of a bowl of beef noodles, to ensure that every day's quality is the same, it is difficult. Chain stores can focus on different products according to the eating habits of different regions, and the most important thing is to standardize the implementation and solve the problem. Now the challenge is how to make it good all the time.?
According to Chen Juezhong, Happy Bee all finished or semi-finished products, are first in the ? Central Kitchen? Do good, and then transported to the branches, not only all the staff to carry out the relevant training, even the stores of the oven are the same brand, ? How else can you guarantee the same temperature and the same results? Even so,? Our food, there is no guarantee that 100% of the same, there will be subtle differences in taste, but guests do not feel, only we know.?
Under Chen Juezhong's careful layout, today, Happy Bee has 411 stores in China, including 316 Yonghe Da Wang, accounting for 20% of overseas sales and 12% of total global revenue. Chen Juezhong is very optimistic about China's huge consumer market, he said, will focus on expanding the Chinese market in the future, and as Happy Bee continues to expand its scale in China, its China market operations will turn profitable.
The meticulous and conscientious Chen Juezhong has been focusing on the catering industry for nearly 40 years and has not been involved in other areas,? It is difficult to make good food, there are too many links in it, it is simply too busy?
It has been said that a focused person, even if he carries a car, can reach his destination faster than others. Perhaps this is the key to Chen Juezhong's success.
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