Reborn Tycoon Rise

In later generations, Marvel was able to create a huge box office of more than 20 billion US dollars within 10 years. The profits of peripheral products were even higher. At the same time, it also passed movies and spread the brand to the world.

But currently, due to limitations of computer technology, Marvel-type movies simply cannot meet the American people’s requirements for superheroes. Otherwise, Marvel would not have gone through several bankruptcies and bankruptcy in the 1980s and 1990s. During the resale, at the most pitiful time, the Marvel team of more than 4,000 people was laid off to only more than 200 people, and more than 90% of the artists and various outstanding talents were forced to leave.

This was a huge loss to Marvel as a whole. Even after Marvel gradually recovered, it could only bring back a small number of the people it once had, and the innovative steps in superheroes were completely disrupted. Looking back at history, 80- During the 1990s, there was at least a decade when no new superheroes emerged that were influential enough.

Now, once Disney takes control of Marvel, Marvel's comics can create greater sales through Disney's huge distribution channels. In terms of funds, even if the company loses money, it will focus on training artists and story innovators, as long as the salary is paid Once the bonuses are in place, new stories and characters will be born continuously, and as long as one of them can become famous, in the 21st century, a movie will be able to earn a hundred times the current investment.

After discussing some follow-up Disney development plans with Mike Eisner, Xu Zhi left Los Angeles. Although Mike Eisner had certain ambitions and intended to control the Disney Group, Xu Zhi was not worried about any problems. He holds 100% of the company's stocks. Unless the US government forcibly intervenes, no one can change the situation.

What's more, important positions such as finance and human resources are still in his hands. Any large investment in the company requires his approval. However, he believes that Mike Eisner is a talent. As long as the investment plan is not too outrageous, he can do it. Even if it is a film that requires an investment of tens of millions of dollars, Xu Zhi will not interfere too much unless there is a huge loss in the future.

After leaving Los Angeles, Xu Zhi took a private plane to Connecticut, a state in the northeastern United States. It is one of the smallest states in the United States, with an area of ​​only 13,000 square kilometers. It is only twice the size of Shanghai, but it is home to American industry. One of the capital cities, many world-class corporate headquarters in the United States are here, such as Xerox, General Electric (which moved away after the 1990s), United Technologies, Tenneco, Aetna Insurance, etc...

In the northeastern part of Connecticut, a small town called Farmington welcomed a fleet of top-notch Cadillac bulletproof vehicles.

Huberline Company is a multinational company headquartered in Farmington and well-known throughout the United States. Its main business is spirits and it also involves some other food fields.

However, since the 1980s, the spirits market in the United States has been greatly impacted. Although Huberline has not yet fallen into extreme difficulties, the development of the entire company has almost stagnated. Many shareholders of the company intend to withdraw. In this area, funds are invested in a more stable direction, so some investment banks have also added the business of selling a top spirits company to their tasks.

Goldman Sachs Bank was naturally one of them. After being rejected by many wine giants seeking the same business, Goldman Sachs contacted Xu Zhi. Originally it was just a routine inquiry out of business needs. After Xu Zhi received the news, he naturally He refused directly. He had no interest in alcohol. However, after seeing the business structure of Huberline Company sent by Goldman Sachs, Xu Zhi saw a brand that would be known to almost all Chinese in later generations.

"Mr. Xu, welcome." At the main entrance of Huberline Company, Jack Marshall brought a group of company executives to welcome guests from Asia.

The information on both sides is very clear. Jack Marshall recognized the young man in front of him through Goldman Sachs and some financial reporters he knew. However, his net worth is almost several times the total assets of their company, even one of the largest entertainment companies in the United States. Disney was acquired by him.

"Mr. Marshall, you're welcome." Xu Zhi smiled, shook hands with him, and greeted several people around him.

"This is the person in charge of the company's liquor business, the company's vice president Ben Melania."

"This is Irvin Blair, the company's chief financial officer."

"This is Michael Myers, the head of the company's chain store business."

"This is Andrew Ashburn, the head of the company's packaged food business."

"This is Klaus Parker, CEO of the company's European region."

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While Jack Marshall introduced the people around him to Xu Zhi, he led Xu Zhi and a group of people toward the inside of the company.

Although Huberline's profits are not good, it is one of the largest liquor companies in the United States, with total assets of more than one billion U.S. dollars. Its main business is liquor, and it has a certain market share in the United States and Europe.

In addition to liquor, the company also produces various alcoholic products such as red wine and beer. At the same time, the company also owns a large area of ​​land in Connecticut and grows a large amount of wheat and other staple foods. In addition to the alcohol business, it is also involved in Some food business.

Xu Zhi had already understood this information clearly before coming here. During Jack Marshall's introduction, Xu Zhi focused on Michael Myers, the person in charge of the food business.

What he controls is Huberline's largest food chain restaurant outside of its non-alcohol business, which mainly sells fried chicken, burgers, cola, egg tarts, etc...

The name of the restaurant chain is KFC!

That’s right, it’s the most popular Western-style restaurant in mainland China: KFC!

KFC was born in the 1930s. Founder Harland Sanders invented a secret recipe for cooking chicken: layer the chicken with a mixture of 11 herbs and spices, and then fry it under high pressure. This cooking method is very fast. It was welcomed by customers, and Sanders' store did a booming business until it was closed due to highway construction in the 1950s.

After losing his store, Sanders did not open a new store because of his age. Instead, he made profits by licensing others to use his secret recipe. This was also the prototype of the KFC chain.

In 1964, 74-year-old Harland Sanders sold his business to a lawyer, John Brown, for US$2 million. After several years of development, in 1971, John Brown sold his business for US$275 million. KFC was sold to Huberline for .

Throughout the 1970s, due to the outbreak of the oil crisis, the U.S. economy suffered a severe contraction. The fast food industry developed rapidly with low-cost and efficient food methods. At the same time, Huberline Company also continuously injected large amounts of capital and hired a large number of enterprising managers. With high-level personnel, KFC has developed at an alarming rate.

In 1972, KFC opened its first branch in Osaka, Japan. Three years later, a total of 64 branches were established throughout Japan, mainly in the Tokyo area. At the same time, Lian Xiangjiang also opened 15 branches in the mid-1970s. Outside of Asia, KFC has gradually entered Europe, Canada and Latin America, beginning direct competition with catering giant McDonald's.

By 1976, the total number of KFC branches worldwide exceeded 1,000, most of which were franchises. The total turnover had reached US$200 million. Because the initial business was mainly along the highways in the United States, KFC's popularity has spread throughout the United States. .

But like most large companies, KFC has also encountered various problems of acclimatization. Although Huberline strives to strictly control KFC, there are great cultural differences in applying American-style store design, menus and sales methods. It was difficult for agents in each country to adapt to the practices of other countries. All kinds of resistance secretly grew, and serious conflicts arose in their cooperation. This caused KFC's overseas business to suffer huge losses. By the late 1970s, KFC Complete retreat from Xiangjiang and Japan.

Domestically, although the entire U.S. market was prosperous, after the U.S. economy recovered in the 1980s, the growth rate of the fast food industry began to decline. At the same time, another brand, the Qiaoqi fried chicken franchise chain, was also growing rapidly across the country, while several other brands Strong competitors such as McDonald's also began to enter the fried chicken market, which had a huge impact on KFC's business.

What's worse is that KFC's main expansion method is franchising, and the actual management rights of each branch are not in the hands of the headquarters. After the business fell, each branch began to find another way out in order to restore performance, which also severely hit KFC. At the same time, the problems that were suppressed during the company's rapid development have also been exposed one by one: unstable quality, poor sanitary conditions, single-flavored fried chicken, etc...

Although there are many problems at present, KFC's profits are still very high. After all, franchising does not need to bear the labor costs of property and various branches. If you face up to your own internal problems and find suitable solutions, you may not have the opportunity to start again. Rise up and compete with McDonald's.

However, the parent company, Huberline, is holding back KFC. After all, Huberline's main business is liquor. Whether it is packaged food or KFC, they are only marginal businesses. In order to save its own liquor company, Huberline took advantage of KFC. The latter's profits were almost all used up due to the large-scale blood drawing. This led to KFC's financial difficulties and was unable to research new products and invest in advertising operations.

The lack of funds has led to slow updates of branch equipment and a gradual decrease in popularity, which in turn has led to a decline in the company's efficiency. In a vicious circle, this year, KFC quickly fell into crisis.

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