新希望：順勢而動的國際化之路

向雯

新希望集團有限公司董事長劉永好：新希望集團將加大海外投資力度，尤其是做好在“一帶一路”沿線國家選址布局。通過集團的國際化布局，能更好地了解海外市場，了解競爭對手，了解國際行業發展格局，使自己更加具備全球化思維，能夠參與到國際大格局中去。

Liu Yonghao， Chairman of New Hope Group： The Group will expand its oversea presence， particularly in BRI countries. Through the international layout， the Group will have a better understanding of the overseas market， its competitors and industrial development trend across the world， being empowered to have a global perspective and participate in the international competition.

5月22日，劉永好一行出發前往越南、老撾和柬埔寨三國，開始了為期10天的訪問調研。這個由全國工商聯黨組書記徐樂江帶隊，知名民企老總組成的代表團此行目的就是調研當地中資企業發展情況，尋求新的合作契機。這距離上個月新希望集團與越南政府簽約生豬養殖協議不到一個月。

回放到4月25日，在第二屆“一帶一路”國際合作高峰論壇“一帶一路”企業家大會上，新希望集團與越南清化省政府、平福省政府、平定省政府現場簽署投資額為11.47億元人民幣的優質生豬養殖項目合作協議。越南成為了新希望在海外開展生豬養殖業務的首個國家。

說起新希望和越南的緣分，還得追溯到20年前。1998年，新希望已是中國最大的飼料生產企業，生意好到多地出現排隊購買的場景，在廣西、云南生產的飼料開始通過邊貿賣到了越南。同年，源于亞洲金融危機爆發，越南政府開始加大引進外資的力度，并在租地、稅費等方面給予較大優惠。外部環境加上自身的優勢，萌發了新希望走出國門的念頭。1999年，新希望集團在越南胡志明市建起了海外第一家工廠，這也成為新希望邁向國際化的開端。

出海創業不易，作為國內飼料行業的龍頭老大，新希望在越南也不得不從頭開始。剛“走出去”，產品銷售就出了一些狀況。工廠建得不錯，產品質量也很好，但根本沒人買，說價格太高了。為什么高？原來，在當地人看來，中國貨就是“廉價貨”，中國產的襪子、皮帶、電視、冰箱等，在越南只能賣到美國、日本產品售價的三分之一。

“主要因為當年中國產品剛走出去時，很多都是通過邊貿方式，產品質量難以保證，留下了便宜沒好貨的印象?！眲⒂篮酶嬖V記者。為改變這一狀況，新希望建了近一百個實驗基地，對養殖戶們承諾，“先賒去用，如果產品比別人差，就不用給錢?！蓖ㄟ^這種方式，產品的銷路打開了。隨后，新希望又在印尼、菲律賓、孟加拉、斯里蘭卡等國陸續站穩了腳跟。

2013年“一帶一路”倡議提出后，作為最早“出海”的民企之一，新希望的國際化布局與“一帶一路”倡議不謀而合。新希望旗下農牧業上市公司新希望六和加大在沿線國家的農牧業務布局，業務覆蓋越南、菲律賓、印尼、柬埔寨、緬甸、斯里蘭卡、尼日利亞、埃及、南非等國，業務涉及飼料、種禽、禽養殖、豬養殖和食品等領域。

“一方面，隨著中國在全球經濟地位上升，尤其是‘一帶一路’的影響力深化，新興市場對中國企業的歡迎度更高，項目落地較為容易；另一方面，相對競爭激烈的國內市場，海外新興市場產品供給相對缺乏，從而能夠獲得更高的投資回報。”新希望六和海外運營中心的相關負責人分析。

隨著國內消費供給側改革，經濟邁入高質量發展，新希望進一步加大農牧業全產業鏈布局，此次在越南簽約的生豬養殖協議，不僅是新希望加碼越南的表現，也是公司加大飼料產業的上下游投入，布局養殖端和食品端的“重要一步”。20年過去，新希望六和深耕越南市場，已形成南、北兩大片區下轄8個飼料公司和3個養豬公司，成為了越南飼料板塊的知名企業。

2017年11月底，新希望聯合厚生投資、淡馬錫、中投海外、啟承資本等投資者，以10億澳幣（50億人民幣）完成了對澳洲寵物食品公司Real Pet Food Company（真誠愛寵公司）的收購，正式進軍寵物食品市場。

作為中國最大的農牧集團，這不是新希望第一次玩跨界。早在十年前，新希望集團就以農牧業為起點，跨界金融、地產、化工等多個領域，組建起一艘多元化航母。站在深化改革擴大開放的時代新起點，新希望集團提出從傳統企業向“五新企業”轉型升級的新目標，以“轉換新機制、布局新賽道、探索新科技、擔當新責任、任用新青年”的理念引領企業加快發展、創新發展。

“做這樣的變革，是看到了趨勢。為適應經濟轉型升級的需要，必須主動調整戰略。”面對市場，劉永好永遠保持著警惕心，這也跟他多年的經營理念有關。“順潮流而動，略有超前，快半步”。在劉永好看來，民營企業要發展，就是要順著改革開放的潮流，不做違背潮流的事。

近兩年，新希望也將產業觸角伸向了澳大利亞、南美、北美等新大陸農牧業資源發達國家與區域。2013年，新希望收購澳大利亞第三大牛肉加工企業Kilcoy Pastoral Company（KPC），通過這家歷史悠久的屠宰加工企業，新希望與當地數以千計的大型養牛農場簽訂了三至五年的長期協定，幫助他們擴大生產能力。

目前KPC的牛肉加工規模已經從收購時的每年20萬頭擴張到每年50萬頭，并在中國和美國都建立了牛肉加工基地，旗下的高端牛肉產品順利銷售到中美日韓等國市場。按照劉永好的思路，在布局“一帶一路”過程中，要把資源和市場結合起來，建立多贏格局。這樣才能更好地落實“一帶一路”倡議，加快“走出去”。

近年來，新希望的前進步伐也印證了這一思路。2015年5月，新希望乳業與新西蘭皇家農科院簽署戰略合作協議，雙方將在乳業健康與營養方面進行合作；2016年6月底，草根知本集團全資并購擁有27年品牌歷史的澳大利亞保健品ANC；2018年6月，新希望六和與法國最大的養豬企業科普利信簽署戰略合作協議，雙方將以“從農場到餐桌”的全產業鏈模式，在未來5到10年為中國消費者生產高質量豬肉……目前，新希望集團在海外近30個國家和地區進行投產、建設、籌建、投資的公司超過50家，全球員工7萬余人。

“世界上唯一不變的是變化本身?！笔澜缰骷宜官e塞·約翰遜曾這樣說過。“埋頭拉車，抬頭看路，仰頭望天?！庇肋h保持創業者的心態，也許正是劉永好37年來保持新希望基業長青的秘密。

互聯網+，大數據，人工智能，生物科技……對于這些新科技，68歲的劉永好相當熟悉?！叭思叶颊f我是‘老農民’，而且是養豬的，靠到我身邊聞一聞還有豬的氣味。不過豬的氣味不一定是臭的，現在我們用一種新的生物科技技術，使得豬糞不僅不臭了，還有特別的香味，這就是科技的進步。”劉永好談道。

新希望在人工智能、大數據與農業相結合方面，新希望做了很多嘗試。比如，通過大數據來調整豬生長周期；通過云計算，采集歷史幾十年的養豬市場價格變化和病害數據進行科學計算。另外，公司還積極建設標準化養豬場，豬場有專門的空氣過濾系統和糞水處理系統，隔離病菌和避免環境污染，保證食品安全?！拔覀冞€和一些大學研究機構聯合做無人化養豬的嘗試，整個養豬場通過機器人來看管。這是我們下一步的發展目標，通過高科技、智能化來改造養豬場，提升畜牧業的綜合能力?！?/p>

2月22日，新希望乳業波士頓科研創新中心正式揭牌。該中心將以波士頓為核心，輻射北美、歐洲、澳洲的全球性產學研科體系，聚焦于微生物基礎功能與產業化研究、精準營養研究與產品開發、食品風險與營養檢測三大主題，更好實現乳業的科技轉型。

科技創新已經成為新希望集團發展的“關鍵詞”?！白兏飫撔峦际悄贻p人和年輕的企業發起的。作為30多年的企業，走年輕化道路，要走共創共擔共享的合伙人之路。”劉永好在多個場合談到“年輕化”這個話題。

2013年，80后的劉暢從父親劉永好手中接任了集團最大的農牧板塊——新希望六和董事長一職，開啟了全集團的 “年輕化”組織變革。5年時間過去，新希望集團現有的3400多名管理干部，平均年齡降到了三十幾歲。集團副總裁、國際部總裁、區域平臺總裁等核心高管均為80后，而且在農牧、乳業、地產等板塊，還涌現出了90后的銷售總監、財務總監。這批年輕人正在成為新希望發展的中堅力量。

“在我看來，傳承不是家族傳承，而是事業平臺的傳承；傳承不是對一個人的傳承，而是對年輕一代優秀集體的傳承；傳承不是一個人經驗的傳承，而是第一代企業家作為水珠映照出這個時代的精彩輝宏，那背后的視野、格局和智慧的傳承。”劉永好如是說。

On May 22， the delegation of Liu Yonghao and other entrepreneurs headed for Vietnam， Laos and Cambodia， starting the 10-day visit and research. Led by Xu Lejiang， Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce， the delegation comprising famous entrepreneurs of private-owned enterprises took an oversea trip to investigate the development of local Chinese companies and seek new opportunities for cooperation. This visit was launched one month after the New Hope Group’s conclusion of the agreement on pig breeding with the Government of Vietnam.

Back to April 25， at the Belt and Road CEO Conference of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation， New Hope Group signed the cooperation agreement on premium breeding projects with the governments of Thanh Hoa， Binh Phuoc and Binh Dinh of Vietnam， which were worth RMB 1.147 billion. Vietnam has become the first country to accommodate New Hope’s pig breeding business outside the territory of China.

The establishment of ties between New Hope Group and Vietnam may date back to 20 years ago. In 1998， New Hope was already the biggest feed manufacturer in China， the products of which sold so well that consumers waited in long lines for purchase. The feed manufactured in its Guangxi and Yunnan factories were exported to Vietnam through boarder trade. In the same year， due to the Asian Financial Crisis， the Government of Vietnam began to vigorously encourage foreign investment and provide enticing preferential treatment for investors in land rental， taxes and charges. In view of the external environment and the inherent advantages， New Hope Group was resolved to expand its business beyond the territory of China. In 1999， New Hope Group established its first oversea factory in Ho Chi Minh City， Vietnam， which turned over a new page for the Group to step forward to the global market.

It is never an easy job to start up a new business abroad even for New Hope Group， the leader of feed industry in China， as it intended to expand new market in Vietnam. The selling did not go well in the early days of New Hope’s “going global”. The factory was there， the quality was fine， but nobody bought， as local consumers said the product was over-priced. Why？ It turns out that the local people had considered “made-in-China” products as cheap goods. Products like Chinese socks， leather belts， TV sets and refrigerators were only priced at one third as much as their US or Japan counterparts in Vietnam.

“That is because Chinese products were exported mostly by border trade at the very beginning. Their quality was poor， so our neighboring countries thought these cheap goods from China always meant bad quality.” Liu Yonghao told the reporter. To change their mind， New Hope Group established nearly one hundred pilot bases and warranted to them： “You may take our products on credit. If you still believe our product is inferior to any other product， we will not charge you.” The products were gradually accepted by local people through this way. Subsequently， New Hope Group has set up stable customer pools in Indonesia， the Philippines， Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

After the Belt and Road Initiative （BRI） was proposed， New Hope Group， as one of the earliest enterprises stepping onto the foreign market， found its international layout coincided with the initiative. New Hope Liuhe， a listed agriculture and husbandry company affiliated to New Hope Group developed its blueprint for agriculture and husbandry sectors in the BRI countries， with its presence covering Vietnam， the Philippines， Indonesia， Cambodia， Myanmar and Sri Lanka of Asia as well as Nigeria， Egypt and South Africa of Africa， engaged in feed， breeding poultry， pig and poultry feeding， food， etc.

“On the one hand， as China is becoming economically stronger， particularly with the deepening of the BRI， emerging markets are more likely to accept Chinese enterprises， so projects tend to be incepted more easily. On the other hand， compared with the intense domestic market， the supply in oversea emerging market is relatively in shortage， so we may yield a high return of investment”， according to head of the overseas operation center of New Hope Liuhe.

After the consumption and supply side reform in China， China has ushered in the era of sound development. New Hope Group further intensified the layout of entire industry chain for agriculture and animal husbandry. The signing of pig breeding agreement with Vietnam not only meant the Group’s wish to further expand its business in Vietnam， but also represented a “significant step” for the Group to put heavier investment in the upstream and downstream of the feed industry and to develop a reasonable feeding and food ends. After 20 years of enduring efforts， New Hope Liuhe has deeply explored the Vietnamese market and developed two districts （south and north）， governing 8 feed companies and 3 pig-feeding companies and becoming a famous enterprise of feed segment in Vietnam.

By the end of November 2017， New Hope Group， in cooperation with Hosen Capital， Temasek， China Investment Corporation International and GenBridge， acquired Real Pet Food Company for AUD 1 billion （or RMB 5 billion）， marking its formal entry into the pet food market.

As China’s largest agricultural and husbandry group， it was not New Hope Group’s first attempt in another sector. As early as ten years ago， New Hope Group had already forged a diversified business layout which was based on the agriculture and husbandry while covering multiple fields such as finance， real estate and chemical industry. Standing at a new starting point in the era of deepening reform and opening up， New Hope Group puts forward the new goal of transformation and upgrading from traditional business to five new strategies： new mechanism， new track， new science and technology， new responsibility and new youth， which can lead the Group to accelerate development and innovation.

“We made this transformation because we sensed such trend. In order to adapt to the economic transformation and upgrade， the strategy must be voluntarily adjusted.” Liu Yonghao is always vigilant about the market for his business philosophy over the past years， “Sail up in line with currents， and step a little bit ahead.” In Liu’s opinion， private enterprises should correspond to the waves of reform and opening up， rather than going against such trend.

In these days， New Hope Group has also extended its business to Australia， South America， North America and other regions and countries on the New World with developed agriculture and husbandry. In 2013， New Hope Group acquired Kilcoy Pastoral Company （KPC）， the third largest beef processor in Australia. Through this timehonored slaughtering company， New Hope Group managed to conclude three to five-year agreements with thousands of large cow farms to help them expand their production.

At present， the KPC’s beef processing has been expanded from 200 thousand per year at the beginning of acquisition to 500 thousand per year， and it has established beef processing bases in China and USA. Its high-end beef products are sold to China， USA， Japan and South Korea. In Liu Yonghao’s philosophy， they should combine resources and markets in their BRI blueprint and set up an all-win pattern. Only by doing so can they better implement the BRI and fasten their pace of “going global”.

This philosophy has been proved by the recent progress made by New Hope. In May 2015， New Hope Dairy and RSNZ signed a strategic cooperation agreement， signifying the cooperation between the parties in terms of dairy health and nutrition. At the end of 2016， Grass Green Group （an investment platform under the New Hope Group） merged and acquired the 27-yearold Australian healthcare product Australian Natural Care （ANC） by buying out all the shareholders. In June 2018， New Hope Liuhe and Cooperl Arc Atlantique， France’s biggest pig breeding enterprise， signed a strategic cooperation agreement. According to this agreement， both parties will take up the entire industry chain mode of “from farm to table” to provide Chinese consumers with high-quality pork in the following 5 to 10 years. Currently， New Hope Group have conducted investment， construction， production and preparation with more than 50 companies in 30 countries and regions， employing more than 70 thousand people all over the world.

“The only thing remaining unchanged in the world is the change itself，” Spencer Johnson， a world famous writer said so. “Draw the cart with head down， look the way ahead and loop up to the sky.” Always keeping the initial aspirations as an entrepreneur is perhaps the secret of Liu Yonghao to ensure the prosperous business for 37 years.

The 68-year-old Liu Yonghao is quite familiar with latest technologies， such as Internet Plus， Big Data， AI and biological technology. “People described me as ‘an outdated farmer’ breeding pigs， and they even could sense the smell of pigs when coming near me. Pigs do not necessarily stink， as we adopt a new biotechnology， and people will never catch the disgusting smell of pig manure， but be surrounded by the special aroma. This is the technological progress.” Liu said.

New Hope Group has made many attempts in many fields such as AI and combination of big data and agriculture. For example， the pork cycle（the phenomenon of cyclical fluctuations of supply and prices in livestock markets） may be adjusted by big data. Through the Cloud Computing， scientific computations can be done based on the pig breeding market price changes and disease data collected over the past decades. Moreover， New Hope Group is actively building up standard pig farms， which are equipped with dedicated air filtration system and manure treatment system to isolate bacteria， prevent environmental pollution and ensure the food safety. “We also make tries for unattended pig breeding in cooperation with some universities， which means the entire farm will be taken charge of by a robot. This is our next goal， which means we will rely on high-tech intelligence to upgrade the pig farm and escalate the comprehensive ability of animal husbandry.”

On February 22， InnovHope Dairy R&D Center was inaugurated. This Bostonbased center has established a world-wide enterprise-university-academic institution system radiating towards North America， Europe and Australia， which will focus on three major themes of microbial basic function and industrialization research， precision nutrition research and product development， food risk and nutrition testing， in order to better realize the technological transformation of the dairy industry.

Technological innovation has become a “key word” for the innovative development of New Hope Group. “Changes and innovations are often initiated by young people and young businesses. As an enterprise existing for more than 30 years， it is necessary to take a road of rejuvenation by employing a partnership mode sharing both risks and benefits.” Liu Yonghao talked about “rejuvenation” on many occasions.

In 2013， Liu Chang， who was born in the 1980s， took over the position of Chairman of New Hope Liuhe， the largest agricultural and animal husbandry sector of the Group， from his father and initiated the “young” organization reform in the Group. Five years passed， most of the 3，400 managers in New Hope Group are in their early 30s. The Vice President of the Group， the President of the international division， the President of the regional platform and other core executives were all born in the 1980s. Moreover， in sectors like agriculture， animal husbandry， dairy industry， and real estate， there are also sales directors and financial directors born in the 1990s. A group of young people are becoming the backbone of corporate development.

“As far as I’m concerned， inheritance is not confined to family inheritance， but the inheritance of career platform； inheritance is not the inheritance to a single person， but to a young generation of excellent people； and inheritance is not the inheritance of a person’s experience， but the inheritance of the vision， mind and wisdom of the first generation of entrepreneurs， who embodied the brilliance of this great era with their marvelous experience.” Liu Yonghao told the reporter.