百勝餐飲:中國人仍然愛着肯德基
Yum Brands Inc. executives vigorously defended their business in China at an investor conference on Thursday after the stock fell last week on news that the company’s same-store sales there would drop 4% in the fourth quarter, after rising 21% in the year-earlier period.
百勝餐飲集團(Yum Brands Inc.)的高管們在週四舉行的投資者會議上為其在華業務進行了積極辯護。百勝餐飲上週公佈，第四季度其在華同店銷售額將下滑4%。消息一出，該公司股票應聲下跌。去年同期百勝餐飲的同店銷售額大增了21%。The company, which owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, blamed the decline, in part, on the softening Chinese economy. GDP growth has slowed in China in recent years, from 10.4% in 2010 to 7.5% this year.
Reuters擁有肯德基(KFC)、必勝客(Pizza Hut)和塔可鍾(Taco Bell)的百勝餐飲認為，中國經濟趨弱是該公司同店銷售額增速下滑的原因之一。中國國內生產總值(GDP)的增長近年來有所放緩，已從2010年的10.4%降至今年的7.5%。“But we’ve never whined about the macros,” Yum Chief Executive David Novak told investors. “We think it can be more attributed to our over-estimation of our ability to lap a 21% same-store sales increase in the last year.”
百勝餐飲首席執行長諾瓦克(David Novak)對投資者説，但我們從未抱怨過宏觀經濟。他説，我們認為更多的原因在於我們高估了自己的能力，以為能夠超越去年同店銷售額增21%的成績。
The last time the company posted negative same-store sales in China was in 2009. Since then, Mr. Novak said, the average annual sales at its restaurants in China went from about $1.3 million to $1.8 million and 2,000 new restaurants have been opened.
百勝餐飲上一次公佈在華同店銷售額負增長的情況是在2009年。此後諾瓦克曾説，該公司旗下在華餐廳的年均銷售額從約130萬美元增至180萬美元，並且新開了2,000家餐廳。The company is now estimating mid-single-digit same-store sales growth for China in 2013 and plans to open another 700 restaurants there next year.
百勝餐飲目前估計，2013年其在華同店銷售額將以中段個位數增長，並且計劃明年再開700家餐廳。Yum China executives said that high rent and labor costs in populous cities such as Shanghai have eaten into profits, so they will be focusing more of their growth on so-called “lower-tier” cities across the Mainland.
百勝餐飲的高管説，在上海等人口稠密的城市，昂貴的租金和勞動力成本侵蝕了利潤空間，所以他們會更加看重內地二三線城市的業務增長。The company said it is boosting its round-the-clock offerings at KFC, it’s biggest chain in China, with expanded breakfast, lunch, dinner, late-night and delivery options and more “value” offerings. At its Pizza Hut restaurants, the company is providing free afternoon drink refills, which they say competes head-on with Starbucks SBUX +5.73%. They’re also expanding the Pizza Hut menu beyond pizza to include broader offerings of both Western and Chinese food. For example, Pizza Huts in China will offer a new sizzling steak and are testing breakfast items.
百勝餐飲説，正在大力宣傳肯德基24小時不打烊服務，包括更為豐富的早午晚餐、深夜配餐和送餐選擇以及超值套餐。肯德基是百勝餐飲旗下規模最大的連鎖餐廳。另外，該公司旗下的必勝客目前提供下午茶飲品免費續杯活動，説以此與星巴克(Starbucks)展開正面交鋒。而且必勝客還在增加菜單品種，除披薩外，還有更多中西餐。例如，中國內地的必勝客餐廳將推出新品鐵板牛排，而且在試推早餐。“I believe in our China business model as much today as ever,” Mr. Novak said.
諾瓦克説，我對公司在華業務模式一如既往地有信心。
