Wahaha has dominated China's food and beverage industry since its founding by Zong Qinghou in Hangzhou in 1987. Within three years, the company's output exceeded a billion yuan. After acquiring Hangzhou Canned Food Factory a year later, it merged into Hangzhou Wahaha Group. Expanding further, it established Wahaha Fuling Branch in Chongqing, ultimately securing the top position in China's food and beverage sector.
Post-ascendancy, Wahaha didn't rest, actively diversifying into children's clothing, farming, cultural and creative industries, and retail. In 2012, it ventured into retail, opening stores across multiple locations, aiming to create a premium shopping experience.
Wahaha hasn't overlooked the popular trend of "intelligence." The company prominently displays its commitment to intelligence alongside food and beverages on its official website.
As an unlisted company, Wahaha's shares are not publicly traded. Unlike many unlisted companies, its shares aren't concentrated in a few hands but are distributed among various entities. Shareholders include legal persons, internal staff, and social legal entities, with ownership percentages of 43.03%, 31.47%, and 25.50%, respectively.
In the second half of this year, Wahaha has undergone five share auctions, the latest being on December 29, 2023. The 10,000 shares auctioned fetched 2.94 million yuan after 72 rounds of bidding, attracting nearly 40,000 onlookers. The shares were initially priced at 1.84 million yuan but escalated to 2.94 million yuan, or 29.4 yuan per share.
In addition to this auction, there were four others in the past six months. The first, in June, involved 16,750 shares initiated by Zhuji City People's Court, fetching 342,000 yuan or 20.4 yuan per share.
The second, on December 19, initiated by Hangzhou Cultural Property Exchange, auctioned 50,000 shares for 1.1 million yuan or 22 yuan per share.
The third, on December 24, also initiated by Hangzhou Cultural Property Exchange, auctioned 41,000 shares for 1.292 million yuan or 31.5 yuan per share, around a 40% increase from the previous auction.
The fourth, initiated by Hangzhou Cultural Property Exchange on December 28, auctioned 39,000 shares for 870,000 yuan, or 22.3 yuan per share, similar to the second auction.
The fifth, mentioned at the beginning, auctioned 100,000 shares on December 29, totaling 246,750 shares across all auctions for a total of 6.542 million yuan, averaging 26.5 yuan per share.
Wahaha's ability to command high prices for its shares can be attributed to its industry leadership and stable dividends. Despite being unlisted, the company's commitment to shareholder dividends, ranging from 0.3 to 0.5 yuan per share, is highly valued by investors.
As a leading player in China's food and beverage industry and the world's fifth-largest beverage producer, Wahaha continues to be a focus of attention. With a solid foundation, the company actively expands into new businesses. Despite challenges, Wahaha's commitment to growth is evident, as seen in the recent release of 14 new products during its 2024 sales conference in December.
