Recently, rumors about the expulsion of the head of Nongfu Spring, Zhong Sui, by Wahaha have sparked widespread discussions on the Internet. The cause of this incident can be traced back to February 25, when Zong Qinghou, the founder of Wahaha Group, passed away due to illness, which attracted public attention and warm mourning. Subsequently, Nongfu Spring claimed that it had been the victim of a cyberattack, and Zhong responded to these rumors on March 3.
Nongfu Spring posted an article titled "Zhong Sui: My Second and Third Affair with Zong Lao" on its official Weibo, in which Zhong Sui clarified various rumors on the Internet recently by recalling the past with Zong Qinghou. First of all, he said that his first pot of gold came from the cloth business, not from Wahaha, denying the rumors on the Internet. Secondly, he emphasized that he had never received a salary at Wahaha, nor was he fired for rushing goods. In addition, he mentioned the dispute between Nongfu Spring and Wahaha between natural water and pure water, saying that the two sides had a lawsuit, but eventually shook hands and made peace.
In response to this incident, Dr. Zhou Li, vice president of Wahaha Group, also expressed his views in the circle of friends. He believes that such attacks are intolerable, and that although Wahaha and Nongfu Spring are rivals, they have competed legally under the legal framework in the past and have faced each other in court in the early years. Zhou Li called on the public not to be misled by some false rumors and to evaluate them objectively.
Wahaha Group and Nongfu Spring are two industry leaders based in Hangzhou. Wahaha was founded in 1987, and under the leadership of Zong Qinghou, the company's cumulative sales reached 860.1 billion yuan, profits and taxes of 174 billion yuan, and taxes of 74.2 billion yuan in 35 years. Wahaha has 81 production bases, 187 subsidiaries, and nearly 30,000 employees, leading the industry for 20 consecutive years. Founded in 1996, Nongfu Spring has the top three market shares in the tea drinks, functional drinks and fruit juice drinks markets. In 2020, Nongfu Spring was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with a market capitalization of HK$482.5 billion. Zhong's personal wealth also ranked on the Hurun Report, becoming the richest man in China.
The incident has aroused widespread attention and heated discussions on the Internet. The public is full of curiosity and questions about whether Zhong was expelled from Wahaha. Similar incidents are not uncommon on social **, and competition between enterprises often generates all kinds of rumors and accusations, which brings a certain amount of trouble to both the public and enterprises.
To sum up, the rumor that the head of Nongfu Spring, Zhong Sui, was expelled by Wahaha has caused widespread heated discussions on the Internet. However, Zhong himself responded that the rumors were untrue and that there was competition between the two companies but under a legal framework. This incident has had a certain impact on society and has triggered public discussion and concern about the truth. Regardless of the ultimate truth, we should treat this incident with hospitality, maintain rational judgment on competition and rumors between enterprises, and avoid being misled by false information. As self-leading creators, we must conduct in-depth analysis based on facts and backgrounds to provide the public with true and objective reports.
So far, there is still no latest development on the incident of the head of Nongfu Spring, Zhong Sui, being fired by Wahaha. We expect the regulators to intervene in the investigation in a timely manner to give the public a clear answer. At the same time, this incident also reminds us that we should be vigilant against online rumors and not easily believe and spread unverified information. Only through an objective and rational attitude can we better understand and evaluate this incident, draw lessons from it, and promote social progress.