McDonald’s, KFC chicken supplier shows how Chinese firms with the best digital, online game have weathered the coronavirus storm
- A survey by the Hupan School of Entrepreneurship showed companies with the best digital and online capabilities have weathered the crisis most effectively
- Experts say entrepreneurs will be more aware of the impact of unexpected events will prepare to mitigate risks and ensure business continuity
On a rainy morning in January, Zhou Jinying got up early and planned to prepare a feast to celebrate the Lunar New Year with family in her hometown in Jiangxi Province. But her plan fell through when she heard the news that Wuhan, a city more than 160 miles away, had gone into lockdown.
“We were all shocked when the lockdown news was announced. [At that point] we realised that the outbreak of the virus was very serious,” said Zhou.
As head of the brand department at GMK Holdings, a vast chicken processing firm that supplies the likes of McDonald’s and KFC, her thoughts quickly turned to protecting the business.
“We immediately called an emergency meeting with all senior management executives on January 25, the first day of Chinese Lunar New Year, even though most of us were still on holiday,” Zhou recalled.
Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, was sealed off from the outside world at the stroke of midnight of January 23 in an unprecedented bid to contain the fast-spreading virus.