F-1/A 1 ea175460-f1a9_chansoninter.htm AMENDMENT NO. 9 TO FORM F-1

As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 20, 2023.

Registration No. 333-254909

 

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

AMENDMENT NO. 9

TO

FORM  F-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

Chanson International Holding

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Cayman Islands   2000   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

No. 26 Culture Road, Tianshan District

Urumqi, Xinjiang, China

+86-0991-2302709

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

George Chanson (NY) Corp.

41 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10010

917-545-1575

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

With a Copy to:

 

Ying Li, Esq.

Guillaume de Sampigny, Esq.

Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC
950 Third Avenue, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10022
212-530-2206

Mengyi “Jason” Ye, Esq.

Ortoli Rosenstadt LLP

366 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor

New York, NY 10017

212-588-0022

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: Promptly after the effective date of this registration statement.

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.
   
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.
   
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.
   
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.
   
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.  
   
Emerging growth company
   
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.

 

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to such Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

 

 

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell the securities until the registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting any offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS DATED March 20, 2023

 

3,750,000 Class A Ordinary Shares

 

 

Chanson International Holding

 

This is an initial public offering of our Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.001 per share (“Class A Ordinary Shares”). The offering of our Class A Ordinary Shares is being conducted on a firm commitment basis by EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC (the “Underwriter”). See “Underwriting.” Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our Class A Ordinary Shares or Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.001 per share (“Class B Ordinary Shares”). We currently expect that the initial public offering price for our Class A Ordinary Shares will be in the range of $4.00 to $6.00 per share.

 

Our authorized share capital is $50,000 divided into 44,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares and 6,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares, and we have 3,060,000 Class A Ordinary Shares and 5,940,000 Class B Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding, respectively. Holders of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. In respect of matters requiring a vote of all shareholders, each holder of Class A Ordinary Shares will be entitled to one vote per one Class A Ordinary Share and each holder of Class B Ordinary Shares will be entitled to 10 votes per one Class B Ordinary Share. The Class A Ordinary Shares are not convertible into shares of any other class. The Class B Ordinary Shares are convertible into Class A Ordinary Shares at any time after issuance at the option of the holder on a one-to-one basis.

 

Unless otherwise stated, as used in this prospectus, the terms “Chanson International,” “we,” “us,” “our Company,” and the “Company” refer to Chanson International Holding, an exempted company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of Cayman Islands; the terms “Xinjiang United Family” or “our PRC subsidiary” refer to Xinjiang United Family Trading Co., Ltd., a limited liability company organized under the laws of the PRC and our indirect wholly owned subsidiary; the terms the “VIEs,” the “United Family Group,” or “UFG” refer to 29 individually-owned businesses organized under the laws of the PRC, 28 of which are owned independently by our chairman of the board of directors (“Chairman”), Mr. Gang Li, and one of which is owned independently by Ms. Hui Wang, the Marketing Director of Xinjiang United Family; “Chanson 23rd Street” refers to Chanson 23rd Street LLC, a New York limited liability company and our indirect wholly owned subsidiary; “Chanson Greenwich” refers to Chanson 355 Greenwich LLC, a New York limited liability company and our indirect wholly owned subsidiary; and “the operating entities” refer to Xinjiang United Family and its branch offices, the VIEs, Chanson 23rd Street, and Chanson Greenwich.

 

We have reserved the symbol “CHSN” for purposes of listing our Class A Ordinary Shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market and have applied to list our Class A Ordinary Shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market. At this time, Nasdaq has not yet approved our application to list our Class A Ordinary Shares. The closing of this offering is conditioned upon Nasdaq’s final approval of our listing application, and there is no guarantee or assurance that our Class A Ordinary Shares will be approved for listing on Nasdaq.

 

Investing in our Class A Ordinary Shares involves a high degree of risk, including the risk of losing your entire investment. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 23 to read about factors you should consider before buying our Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

We are a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and not a Chinese operating company. As a holding company with no material operations of our own, we conduct our operations through our subsidiaries in China and the U.S. and the VIEs in China. For accounting purposes, we control and receive the economic benefits of the VIEs through certain contractual arrangements (the “VIE Agreements”), which enable us to consolidate the financial results of the VIEs in our consolidated financial statements under generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. (“U.S. GAAP”), and the structure involves unique risks to investors. Our Class A Ordinary Shares offered in this offering are shares of Chanson International, the offshore holding company in the Cayman Islands, instead of shares of our subsidiary or the VIEs in China. The VIE structure provides contractual exposure to foreign investment in China-based companies. Chinese law, however, does not prohibit direct foreign investment in the VIEs. For a description of the VIE Agreements, see “Corporate History and Structure—The United Family Group.” As a result of our use of the VIE structure, you may never directly hold equity interests in the VIEs.

 

Because we do not directly hold equity interests in the VIEs, we are subject to risks and uncertainties of the interpretations and applications of PRC laws and regulations, including but not limited to, regulatory review of overseas listing of PRC companies through special purpose vehicles and the validity and enforcement of the VIE Agreements. We are also subject to the risks and uncertainties about any future actions of the PRC government in this regard that could disallow the VIE structure, which would likely result in a material change in our operations, and the value of our Class A Ordinary Shares may depreciate significantly or become worthless. The VIE Agreements have not been tested in a court of law in China as of the date of this prospectus. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure,” “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC,” and “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to this Offering and the Trading Market.”

 

 

 

 

We are subject to certain legal and operational risks associated with having the majority of our operations in China, which could cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or become worthless. PRC laws and regulations governing our current business operations are sometimes vague and uncertain, and as a result these risks may result in material changes in the operations of the VIEs, significant depreciation or a complete loss of the value of our Class A Ordinary Shares, or a complete hindrance of our ability to offer, or continue to offer, our securities to investors. Recently, the PRC government adopted a series of regulatory actions and issued statements to regulate business operations in China with little advance notice, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding the efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement. As of the date of this prospectus, we, our PRC subsidiary, and the VIEs have not been involved in any investigations on cybersecurity review initiated by any PRC regulatory authority, nor has any of them received any inquiry, notice, or sanction. As confirmed by our PRC counsel, Dentons Law Offices, LLP (Guangzhou) (“Dentons”), we are not subject to cybersecurity review with the Cyberspace Administration of China, or the “CAC,” under the Cybersecurity Review Measures that became effective on February 15, 2022, since we currently do not have over one million users’ personal information and do not anticipate that we will be collecting over one million users’ personal information in the foreseeable future, which we understand might otherwise subject us to the Cybersecurity Review Measures; we are also not subject to network data security review by the CAC if the Draft Regulations on the Network Data Security Administration (Draft for Comments) (the “Security Administration Draft”) are enacted as proposed, since we currently do not have over one million users’ personal information and do not collect data that affects or may affect national security and we do not anticipate that we will be collecting over one million users’ personal information or data that affects or may affect national security in the foreseeable future, which we understand might otherwise subject us to the Security Administration Draft. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC—Recent greater oversight by the CAC over data security, particularly for companies seeking to list on a foreign exchange, could adversely impact our business and our offering.”

 

On February 17, 2023, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) promulgated the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, or the “Trial Measures,” and five supporting guidelines, which will come into effect on March 31, 2023. If our registration statement on Form F-1 cannot be declared effective on or before March 31, 2023, or if our registration statement on Form F-1 is declared effective on or before March 31, 2023 but we fail to complete this offering and listing on or before September 30, 2023, we will be required to complete necessary filing procedures pursuant to the Trial Measures. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC—The Opinions, the Trial Measures, and the revised Provisions recently issued by PRC authorities may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, as of the date of this prospectus, according to Dentons, no relevant PRC laws or regulations in effect require that we obtain permission from any PRC authorities to issue securities to foreign investors, and we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, sanction, or any regulatory objection to this offering from the CSRC, the CAC, or any other PRC authorities that have jurisdiction over our operations. Since these statements and regulatory actions are newly published, however, official guidance and related implementation rules have not been issued. It is highly uncertain what the potential impact such modified or new laws and regulations will have on the daily business operations of our subsidiaries and the VIEs, our ability to accept foreign investments, and our listing on a U.S. exchange. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (the “SCNPC”) or PRC regulatory authorities may in the future promulgate additional laws, regulations, or implementing rules that require us, our subsidiaries, or the VIEs to obtain regulatory approval from Chinese authorities before listing in the U.S. If we do not receive or maintain such approval, or inadvertently conclude that such approval is not required, or applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change such that we are required to obtain approval in the future, we may be subject to an investigation by competent regulators, fines or penalties, or an order prohibiting us from conducting an offering, and these risks could result in a material adverse change in our operations and the value of our Class A Ordinary Shares, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, or cause such securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless.

 

In addition, our Class A Ordinary Shares may be prohibited from trading on a national exchange or over-the-counter under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the “HFCA Act”) if the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the “PCAOB”) is unable to inspect our auditors for three consecutive years beginning in 2021. Our auditor prior to September 29, 2022, Friedman LLP (“Friedman”), had been inspected by the PCAOB on a regular basis in the audit period, and our new auditor, Marcum Asia CPAs LLP (“Marcum Asia”), has been inspected by the PCAOB on a regular basis, with the last inspection in 2020. Neither Friedman nor Marcum Asia is subject to the determinations announced by the PCAOB on December 16, 2021. If trading in our Class A Ordinary Shares is prohibited under the HFCA Act in the future because the PCAOB determines that it cannot inspect or fully investigate our auditor at such future time, Nasdaq may determine to delist our Class A Ordinary Shares and trading in our Class A Ordinary Shares could be prohibited. On June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, and on December 29, 2022, legislation entitled “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023” (the “Consolidated Appropriations Act”) was signed into law by President Biden, which contained, among other things, an identical provision to the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act and amended the HFCA Act by requiring the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three, thus reducing the time period for triggering the prohibition on trading. On August 26, 2022, the CSRC, the Ministry of Finance of the PRC (the “MOF”), and the PCAOB signed a Statement of Protocol (the “Protocol”), governing inspections and investigations of audit firms based in mainland China and Hong Kong, taking the first step toward opening access for the PCAOB to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong. Pursuant to the fact sheet with respect to the Protocol disclosed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the PCAOB shall have independent discretion to select any issuer audits for inspection or investigation and has the unfettered ability to transfer information to the SEC. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB Board determined that the PCAOB was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong and voted to vacate its previous determinations to the contrary. However, should PRC authorities obstruct or otherwise fail to facilitate the PCAOB’s access in the future, the PCAOB Board will consider the need to issue a new determination. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC—Recent joint statement by the SEC and the PCAOB, rule changes by Nasdaq, and the HFCA Act all call for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to emerging market companies upon assessing the qualification of their auditors, especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments could add uncertainties to our offering.”

 

As of the date of this prospectus, our Company, our subsidiaries, and the VIEs have not distributed any earnings or settled any amounts owed under the VIE Agreements. Our Company, our subsidiaries, and the VIEs do not have any plan to distribute earnings or settle amounts owed under the VIE Agreements in the foreseeable future. As of the date of this prospectus, none of our subsidiaries or VIEs have made any dividends or distributions to our Company and our Company has not made any dividends or distributions to our shareholders. We intend to keep any future earnings to finance the expansion of our business, and we do not anticipate that any cash dividends will be paid in the foreseeable future. If we determine to pay dividends on any of our Class A Ordinary Shares or Class B Ordinary Shares in the future, as a holding company, we will depend on receipt of funds from our PRC subsidiary and from the VIEs to our PRC subsidiary in accordance with the VIE Agreements. See “Prospectus Summary—Dividends or Distributions Made to our Company and U.S. Investors and Tax Consequences.”

 

 

 

 

The cash transfers and transfers of other assets that occurred among our Company, our subsidiaries, and the VIEs included the following intercompany borrowings, raw material transfers, and product transfers: (i) during the six months ended June 30, 2022, Xinjiang United Family received from the VIEs cash and raw materials to the approximate value of $1,046,747 and transferred to the VIEs raw materials and products to the approximate value of $2,448,096; (ii) during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, Xinjiang United Family received from the VIEs cash and raw materials to the approximate value of $159,715 and transferred to the VIEs raw materials and products to the approximate value of $1,953,748; and (iii) during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, Xinjiang United Family received from the VIEs cash and raw materials to the approximate value of $1,794,434 and transferred to the VIEs raw materials and products to the approximate value of $2,968,083. For more detailed discussion of how cash and other assets are transferred among our Company, our subsidiaries, and the VIEs, see “Prospectus Summary—Asset Transfers Between Our Company, Our Subsidiaries, and the VIEs,” “Prospectus Summary—Selected Condensed Consolidating Financial Schedule of Chanson International and Its Subsidiaries and the VIEs,” and our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. To the extent cash in the business is in the PRC, the funds may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of our Company, our subsidiaries, or the VIEs by the PRC government to transfer cash. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC—To the extent cash in the business is in the PRC or a PRC entity, the funds may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of our Company, our subsidiaries, or the VIEs by the PRC government to transfer cash.” Our management is directly supervising cash management. Our finance department is responsible for establishing the cash management policies and procedures among our departments and the operating entities. Each department or operating entity initiates a cash request by putting forward a cash demand plan, which explains the specific amount and timing of cash requested, and submitting it to designated management members of our Company, based on the amount and the use of cash requested. The designated management member examines and approves the allocation of cash based on the sources of cash and the priorities of the needs, and submit it to the cashier specialists of our finance department for a second review. Other than the above, we currently do not have other cash management policies or procedures that dictate how funds are transferred nor a written policy that addresses how we will handle any limitations on cash transfers due to PRC law.

 

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined under the federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. Please read the disclosures beginning on page 16 of this prospectus for more information.

 

Following the completion of this offering, our largest shareholder will beneficially own approximately 89.7% of the aggregate voting power of our issued and outstanding Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares as a group assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option, or approximately 89.0% assuming full exercise of the over-allotment option. As such, we will be deemed a “controlled company” under Nasdaq Marketplace Rules 5615(c). However, even if we are deemed as a “controlled company,” we do not intend to avail ourselves of the corporate governance exemptions afforded to a “controlled company” under the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules. See “Risk Factors” and “Management—Controlled Company.”

 

   Per Share   Total Without Over-Allotment Option   Total With Over-Allotment Option 
Initial public offering price  $                 $                $              
Underwriter’s discounts(1)  $    $    $  
Proceeds to our company before expenses(2)  $    $    $  

 

(1)

See “Underwriting” for more information regarding our compensation arrangements with the Underwriter.

(2) The total estimated expenses related to this offering are set forth in “Underwriting—Discounts and Expenses.”

 

We have granted the Underwriter an option for a period of 45 days after the closing of this offering to purchase up to 15% of the total number of Class A Ordinary Shares to be offered by us pursuant to this offering (excluding Class A Ordinary Shares subject to this option), solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts.

 

We have agreed to issue to the Underwriter warrants, exercisable for a period of four and a half years commencing six months from the date of commencement of sales of the offering, to purchase Class A Ordinary Shares equal to 2% of the total number of Class A Ordinary Shares sold in this offering (including any Class A Ordinary Shares sold as a result of the exercise of the Underwriter’s over-allotment option) at a per share price equal to 100% of the public offering price (the “Underwriter Warrants”). The registration statement of which this prospectus is a part also covers the Underwriter Warrants and the Class A Ordinary Shares issuable upon the exercise thereof.

 

The Underwriter expects to deliver the Class A Ordinary Shares against payment as set forth under “Underwriting” on page 173.

 

Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

EF HUTTON

 

division of Benchmark Investments, LLC

 

Prospectus dated [●]

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

  Page
   
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY 1
   
RISK FACTORS 23
   
DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS 59
   
ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES 60
   
USE OF PROCEEDS 61
   
DIVIDEND POLICY 62
   
CAPITALIZATION 63
   
DILUTION 64
   
CORPORATE HISTORY AND STRUCTURE 66
   
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS 72
   
INDUSTRY 100
   
BUSINESS 108
   
REGULATIONS 126
   
MANAGEMENT 139
   
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS 144
   
RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS 146
   
DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL 147
   
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE 163
   
MATERIAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATION 165
   
UNDERWRITING 173
   
EXPENSES RELATING TO THIS OFFERING 180
   
LEGAL MATTERS 181
   
EXPERTS 181
   

CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT

181
   
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION 181
   
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS F-1

 

i

 

 

About this Prospectus

 

We and the Underwriter have not authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectuses prepared by us or on our behalf or to which we have referred you. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the Class A Ordinary Shares offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted or where the person making the offer or sale is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is not permitted to make such offer or sale. For the avoidance of doubt, no offer or invitation to subscribe for Class A Ordinary Shares is made to the public in the Cayman Islands. The information contained in this prospectus is current only as of the date on the front cover of the prospectus. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may have changed since that date.

 

Conventions that Apply to this Prospectus

 

Unless otherwise indicated or the context requires otherwise, references in this prospectus to:

 

  “Chanson 3rd Ave” are to Chanson 1293 3rd Ave LLC, a New York limited liability company, which is wholly owned by Chanson NY (as defined below);
     
  “Chanson 23rd Street” are to Chanson 23rd Street LLC, a New York limited liability company, which is wholly owned by Chanson NY;
     
 

“Chanson Broadway” are to Chanson 2040 Broadway LLC, a New York limited liability company, which is wholly owned by Chanson NY;

     
  “Chanson Greenwich” are to Chanson 355 Greenwich LLC, a New York limited liability company, which is wholly owned by Chanson NY;
     
  “Chanson International,” “we,” “us,” “our Company,” or the “Company” are to Chanson International Holding, an exempted company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of Cayman Islands and formerly known as RON Holding Limited;
     
  “Chanson NY” are to George Chanson (NY) Corp., a New York corporation, which is wholly owned by Xinjiang United Family;
     
  “China” or the “PRC” are to the People’s Republic of China;
     
  “Class A Ordinary Shares” are to Class A ordinary shares of Chanson International, par value $0.001 per share;
     
  “Class B Ordinary Shares” are to Class B ordinary shares of Chanson International, par value $0.001 per share;
     
  “Deen Global” are to our wholly owned subsidiary, Deen Global Limited, a British Virgin Islands company;
     
  “Jenyd” are to Deen Global’s wholly owned subsidiary, Jenyd Holdings Limited, a Hong Kong corporation;
     
  “ordinary shares” are to Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares;
     
  “the operating entities” are to Xinjiang United Family and its branch offices, the VIEs, Chanson 23rd Street, and Chanson Greenwich;
     
 

the “PRC Stores” are to a bakery chain consisting of 33 stores operated by Xinjiang United Family and the VIEs under our “George ChansonTM” brand in Xinjiang;

     
  the “U.S. Stores” are to Chanson 23rd Street and Chanson Greenwich;
     
 

the “VIEs,” the “United Family Group,” or “UFG” are to 29 individually-owned businesses organized under the laws of the PRC, 28 of which are owned independently by our Chairman, Mr. Gang Li, and one of which is owned independently by Ms. Hui Wang, the Marketing Director of Xinjiang United Family;

     
  “VIE” are to variable interest entity;
     
  “Xinjiang” are to the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of the PRC; and
     
  “Xinjiang United Family” or “our PRC subsidiary” are to Xinjiang United Family Trading Co., Ltd., a limited liability company organized under the laws of the PRC, which is wholly owned by Jenyd.

 

Unless the context indicates otherwise, all information in this prospectus assumes no exercise by the Underwriter of its over-allotment option.

 

The functional currency of Xinjiang United Family, our wholly owned indirect subsidiary in the PRC, and the VIEs, is Renminbi (“RMB”), the currency of China, and the functional currency of Chanson 23rd Street, Chanson Greenwich, Chanson 3rd Ave, and Chanson Broadway, our wholly owned indirect subsidiaries in New York City, is U.S. dollars. Our consolidated financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars. In this prospectus, we refer to assets, obligations, commitments, and liabilities in our consolidated financial statements in U.S. dollars. These dollar references are based on exchange rates of RMB to U.S. dollars, determined as of a specific date or for a specific period. Changes in the exchange rate will affect the amount of our obligations and the value of our assets in terms of U.S. dollars which may result in an increase or decrease in the amount of our obligations (expressed in dollars) and the value of our assets, including accounts receivable (expressed in dollars).

ii

 

 

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

 

The following summary is qualified in its entirety by, and should be read in conjunction with, the more detailed information and financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. In addition to this summary, we urge you to read the entire prospectus carefully, especially the risks of investing in our Class A Ordinary Shares, discussed under “Risk Factors,” before deciding whether to buy our Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all share amounts and per share amounts in this prospectus have been presented giving effect to a forward split of our ordinary shares at a ratio of 1,000-for-1 share and additional share issuances to our existing shareholders approved by our shareholders and board of directors on March 27, 2021.

 

Our Corporate Structure

  

Corporate Structure

 

We are a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and not a Chinese operating company. As a holding company with no material operations of our own, we currently conduct our business through:

 

  (i) an association between Xinjiang United Family and the VIEs known as the “United Family Group” or “UFG”: 28 of the entities that comprise UFG (each a “UFG Entity” and, collectively, the “UFG Entities”) are owned independently by our Chairman, Mr. Gang Li, and one of the entities is owned independently by Ms. Hui Wang, the Marketing Director of Xinjiang United Family. Mr. Gang Li and Ms. Hui Wang are referred herein individually as a “UFG Operator” and collectively as the “UFG Operators.” For accounting purposes, we control and receive the economic benefits of the UFG Entities through the VIE Agreements, which enable us to consolidate the financial results of the VIEs in our consolidated financial statements under U.S. GAAP, and the structure involves unique risks to investors. For more details on the United Family Group, please see “—The United Family Group” and “Corporate History and Structure—The United Family Group.” Our Class A Ordinary Shares offered in this offering are shares of Chanson International, the offshore holding company in the Cayman Islands, instead of shares of Xinjiang United Family or the UFG Entities. The VIE structure provides contractual exposure to foreign investment in China-based companies. Chinese law, however, does not prohibit direct foreign investment in the VIEs. As a result of our use of the VIE structure, you may never directly hold equity interests in the UFG Entities;
     
  (ii) Xinjiang United Family and its three branch offices; and
     
  (iii) Chanson 23rd Street, Chanson Greenwich, Chanson 3rd Ave (currently expected to open in late March 2023), and Chanson Broadway (currently under renovation for an opening planned in April 2023).

 

The following diagram illustrates our corporate structure after the Reorganization (as defined in “Corporate History and Structure—Our Corporate History”) and upon completion of this offering based on a proposed number of 3,750,000 Class A Ordinary Shares being offered, assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option:

 

 

Notes: All percentages reflect the voting ownership interests instead of the equity interests held by each of our shareholders given that each holder of Class B Ordinary Shares will be entitled to 10 votes per one Class B Ordinary Share and each holder of Class A Ordinary Shares will be entitled to one vote per one Class A Ordinary Share.

 

(1)

Represents 2,700,000 Class A Ordinary Shares and 5,670,000 Class B Ordinary Shares held by Gang Li, the 100% owner of Danton Global Limited, as of the date of this prospectus.

1

 

 

 

(2) Represents 270,000 Class B Ordinary Shares held by Jihong Cai, the 100% owner of Haily Global Limited, as of the date of this prospectus.
   
(3) Represents an aggregate of 360,000 Class A Ordinary Shares held equally by two corporate shareholders, each one of which holds less than 5% of our voting ownership interests, as of the date of this prospectus.

 

The following is a complete list of the stores of Xinjiang United Family and UFG as of the date of this prospectus, together with their recognized commercial name and relationship to Xinjiang United Family.

 

    Legal Name of Entity   Commercial Name   Nature of Entity
1   Urumqi Midong District George Chanson Bakery   Midong   Part of UFG – owned 100% by Mr. Gang Li and operated under the VIE Agreements among Mr. Gang Li, this entity, and Xinjiang United Family
             
2   Shayibake District Yining Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Dehui Wanda   Same as above
             
3   Changji George Chanson Youhao Supermarket Bakery   Changji Youhao   Same as above
             
4   Changji George Chanson Bakery   Changji Huijia   Same as above
             
5   Tianshan District Xinhua North Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Hongshan   Same as above
             
6   Tianshan District Xinmin Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Beimen   Same as above
             
7   Tianshan District Minzhu Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Minzhu   Same as above
             
8   Tianshan District Jianquan No.3 Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Riyue Xingguang   Same as above
             
9   Tianshan District Jiefang North Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Wanyancheng   Same as above
             
10   Urumqi Economics and Technology Development District George Chanson Bakery on Kashi West Rd.   Huarun Wanjia   Same as above
             
11   Xinshi District Liyushan South Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Medical College   Same as above
             
12   Xinshi District Changchun South Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Changchun   Same as above
             
13   Xinshi District Beijing Middle Rd. United Family Chanson Bakery   Huijia Third Floor   Same as above

 

 

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    Legal Name of Entity   Commercial Name   Nature of Entity
14   Xinshi District Suzhou East Rd. Chanson Bakery   Baishang   Same as above
             
15   Xinshi District Suzhou Rd. Xiaoxigou Chanson Bakery   Xiaoxigou   Same as above
             
16   Xinshi District South No.3 Rd. Chanson Bakery   Railway Bureau   Same as above
             
17   Urumqi Economics and Technology Development District George Chanson Bakery on Xuanwuhu Rd.   Economics Development Wanda   Same as above
             
18   Shayibake District Youhao South Rd. Chanson Bakery   Hongshan Lifestyle Store   Same as above
             
19   Shuimogou District South Nanhu Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Nanhu   Same as above
             
20   Xinshi District Hebei East Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Hebei Road Huarun   Same as above
             
21   Urumqi Toutunhe District George Chanson Bakery on Zhongya South Rd.   Degang Wanda   Same as above
             
22   Shayibake District Karamay West Rd. Chanson Bakery   Xinbei Yuanchun   Same as above
             
23   Shayibake District Qitai Rd. Hemeijia Chanson Bakery   Dehui Wangda Fourth Floor   Same as above
             
24   Tianshan District Qingnian Rd. Chanson Bakery   Qingnian Road Haojiaxiang   Same as above
25   Xinshi District Liyushan North Rd. Hemeijia Bakery   Vanke Jincheng Huafu   Same as above
             
26   Xinshi District Changchun North Rd. Chanson Bakery   Gaoxin Wanda   Same as above
             
27   Tianshan District Guangming Rd. Chanson Coffee Bakery   Shidai Guangchang   Same as above
             
28   Shayibake District Youhao North Rd. Chanson Coffee Bakery   Meimei No.2   Same as above
             
29   Shihezi Hemeijia Bakery No.1   Shihezi   Part of UFG – owned 100% by Ms. Hui Wang and operated under agreements among Ms. Hui Wang, this entity, and Xinjiang United Family
             
30   Xinjiang United Family Trading Co., Ltd. Tianshan District Chanson Bakery   Tianbai   A branch office of Xinjiang United Family
             
31   Xinjiang United Family Trading Co., Ltd. Chanson Bakery Urumqi Branch   Wenhua   A branch office of Xinjiang United Family
             
32   Xinjiang United Family Trading Co., Ltd. Urumqi Meimei Chanson Bakery   Meimei   A branch office of Xinjiang United Family
             
33   Xinjiang United Family Trading Co., Ltd. Ruitai Chanson Bakery   Ruitai   A store operated by Xinjiang United Family, not a separate legal entity
             
34   Chanson 23rd Street LLC   Chanson 23rd Street   A wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Xinjiang United Family
             
35   Chanson 355 Greenwich LLC   Chanson Greenwich   Same as above
             
36   Chanson 1293 3rd Ave LLC   Chanson 3rd Ave   Same as above. We expect Chanson 3rd Ave to open in late March 2023.
             
37   Chanson 2040 Broadway LLC   Chanson Broadway  

Same as above. We expect Chanson Broadway to open in April 2023.

 

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For ease of reference, unless it is necessary to the understanding of the context to differentiate, throughout this prospectus we will refer to all of the above entities collectively as our “stores” and, to the extent we refer to a specific entity listed in the table above, we refer to such entity by its commercial name.

 

The United Family Group

 

Each UFG Entity was established as an individually-owned business and, for accounting purposes, Xinjiang United Family controls the UFG Entities through the VIE Agreements, which enables us to consolidate the financial results of the UFG Entities in our consolidated financial statements. The VIE Agreements are designed so that the operations of the VIEs are solely for the benefit of Xinjiang United Family and ultimately, the Company, as a result of our direct ownership in Xinjiang United family. As such, under U.S. GAAP, the Company is deemed to have a controlling financial interest in, and be the primary beneficiary of, the VIEs for accounting purposes only and must consolidate the VIEs because it met the conditions under U.S. GAAP to consolidate the VIEs.

 

UFG’s revenue accounted for 44% of our total revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2022, and 86% and 76% of our total revenue for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. UFG consists of 29 VIEs. Our Chairman, Mr. Gang Li, is the sole owner of 28 UFG Entities, and Ms. Hui Wang, the Marketing Director of Xinjiang United Family, is the sole owner of one UFG Entity.

 

Each of the VIE Agreements is described below:

  

Exclusive Service Agreement

 

Pursuant to the Exclusive Service Agreement between Xinjiang United Family and the applicable UFG Operator, who is the sole operator of the UFG Entity, Xinjiang United Family is in charge of all aspects of the UFG Entity’s operation, manages all matters and funds of UFG Entity, and enjoys all the other responsibilities and rights enjoyed by the UFG Operator in accordance with the applicable law, on an exclusive basis. For services rendered to the UFG Entity by Xinjiang United Family under the Exclusive Service Agreement, Xinjiang United Family is entitled to collect a service fee equal to the net profit after tax of the UFG Entity.

 

The term of the Exclusive Service Agreement is 10 years, unless terminated earlier by Xinjiang United Family with a 30-day prior notice. The UFG Entity does not have the right to terminate that agreement unilaterally. The agreement would renew automatically by 10 years after expiration, with no limit on times of renewal.

 

Xinjiang United Family has absolute authority over the management of the UFG Entity, including but not limited to decisions with regard to expenses, salary raises and bonuses, hiring, firing, and other operational functions. The Exclusive Service Agreement does not prohibit related party transactions. Upon the establishment of the audit committee at the consummation of this offering, the audit committee of Chanson International will be required to review and approve in advance any related party transactions, including transactions involving the UFG Entity.

 

Pledge Agreement

 

Under the Pledge Agreement between Xinjiang United Family and the UFG Operator, the UFG Operator pledged all of his or her assets for the business of the UFG Entity to Xinjiang United Family to guarantee the performance of the UFG Operator’s obligations under the Exclusive Service Agreement, Call Option Agreement, and Operating Rights Proxy Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Agreements”). Under the terms of the Pledge Agreement, in the event that the UFG Entity or the UFG Operator breaches their respective contractual obligations under the Transaction Agreements, Xinjiang United Family, as pledgee, will be entitled to certain rights, including, but not limited to, the right to dispose of the pledged assets in accordance with applicable PRC laws. The UFG Operator further agreed not to dispose of the pledged assets or take any actions that would prejudice Xinjiang United Family’s interest.

 

 

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The Pledge Agreement is effective until the latest date of the following: (1) the secured debt in the scope of pledge is cleared off; (2) Xinjiang United Family, as pledgee, exercise its pledge rights pursuant to provisions and conditions of the Pledge Agreement; and (3) the UFG Operator, as pledger, transfer all the pledged assets to Xinjiang United Family according to the Call Option Agreement, or other entity or individual designated by it.

 

The purposes of the Pledge Agreement are to (1) guarantee the performance of the UFG Operator’s obligations under the Exclusive Service Agreement, (2) make sure the UFG Operator does not transfer or assign the pledged assets, or create or allow any encumbrance that would prejudice Xinjiang United Family’s interests without Xinjiang United Family’s prior written consent, and (3) provide Xinjiang United Family control over the UFG Entity for accounting purposes. In the event the UFG Entity or UFG Operator breaches its contractual obligations under the Transaction Agreements, Xinjiang United Family will be entitled to foreclose on the UFG Operator’s assets in the UFG Entity and may (1) exercise its option to purchase or designate third parties to purchase part or all of the UFG Operator’s assets in the UFG Entity and in this situation, Xinjiang United Family may terminate the Pledge Agreement and the other VIE agreements after acquisition of all assets in the UFG Entity or form a new VIE structure with any third party designated by Xinjiang United Family, or (2) dispose of the pledged assets and be paid in priority out of proceeds from the disposal in which case the existing VIE structure will be terminated.

 

Call Option Agreement

 

Under the Call Option Agreement, the UFG Operator irrevocably granted Xinjiang United Family an exclusive option to require the UFG Operator to transfer, to the extent permitted under PRC law, once or at multiple times, at any time, part or all of his or her assets in the UFG Entity to Xinjiang United Family (or its designee). The option price is the minimum amount to the extent permitted under PRC law.

  

Under the Call Option Agreement, Xinjiang United Family may at any time under any circumstances, require the UFG Operator to transfer, at its discretion, to the extent permitted under PRC law, all or part of the UFG Operator’s assets in the UFG Entity to Xinjiang United Family (or its designee).

 

The Call Option Agreement remains effective until all the equity or assets of the UFG Entity is legally transferred under the name of Xinjiang United Family and/or other entity or individual designated by it.

 

Operating Rights Proxy Agreement and Powers of Attorney

 

Under the Operating Rights Proxy Agreement and the Powers of Attorney, the UFG Operator entrusted Xinjiang United Family or the personnel designated by it then to act as his or her proxy and exercise his or her rights as the sole operator of the UFG Entity, including but not limited to: (a) exercising operating rights; (b) getting access to financial information of the UFG Entity; (c) making resolutions about the disposition of the assets of the UFG Entity; (d) approving annual budgets of the UFG Entity or announcing dividends; (e) making resolutions about dissolution or liquidation of the UFG Entity, forming the liquidating committee, and exercising the authorities in the course of liquidation; (f) filing any required document to the company registration agency or any other relevant agency; and (g) signing any resolution.

 

The Operating Rights Proxy Agreement and the Powers of Attorney shall be retrospectively effective from their date of execution and maintain the effectiveness so long as the UFG Operator holds the operating rights of the UFG Entity.

 

Spousal Consents

 

The spouses of the UFG Operators, agreed, via spousal consents, to the execution of the “Transaction Documents” including: (a) Exclusive Service Agreement entered into with Xinjiang United Family; (b) Call Option Agreement entered into with Xinjiang United Family; (c) Operating Rights Proxy Agreement entered into with Xinjiang United Family; (d) Pledge Agreement entered into with Xinjiang United Family; and (e) Powers of Attorney executed by the UFG Operators, and the disposal of the operating rights or the assets for the business of the UFG Entity held by the UFG Operators and registered in their names.

 

 

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The spouses of the UFG Operators further undertake not to make any assertions in connection with the operating rights and assets of the UFG Entity which are held by the UFG Operators. The spouses of the UFG Operators confirm that the UFG Operators can perform their obligations under the Transaction Documents and further amend or terminate the Transaction Documents without their authorization or consent. The spouses of the UFG Operators undertake to execute all necessary documents and take all necessary actions to ensure appropriate performance of the Transaction Documents.

 

The spouses of the UFG Operators also undertake that if they obtain any operating rights and assets of the UFG Entity which are held by the UFG Operators for any reasons, they shall be bound by the Transaction Documents entered into between the UFG Operators and Xinjiang United Family (as amended time to time) and comply with the obligations thereunder as an operator of the UFG Entity. For this purpose, upon Xinjiang United Family’s request, they shall sign a series of written documents in substantially the same format and content as the Transaction Documents (as amended from time to time).

 

Although each UFG Entity has its own set of agreements with Xinjiang United Family, the terms and conditions of their agreements with Xinjiang United Family are identical. As a result of the understandings and agreements, for accounting purposes, we control and receive the economic benefits of the UFG Entities through the VIE Agreements, which enable us to consolidate the financial results of the VIEs in our consolidated financial statements under U.S. GAAP. Except as set forth in these agreements, the UFG Operators are not entitled to any other compensation in connection with their ownership of all the UFG Entities.

 

Risks Associated with our Corporate Structure and VIE Agreements

 

Because we do not directly hold equity interests in the VIEs, we are subject to risks and uncertainties of the interpretations and applications of PRC laws and regulations, including but not limited to, regulatory review of overseas listing of PRC companies through special purpose vehicles and the validity and enforcement of the VIE Agreements. We are also subject to the risks and uncertainties about any future actions of the PRC government in this regard that could disallow the VIE structure, which would likely result in a material change in our operations, and the value of our Class A Ordinary Shares may depreciate significantly or become worthless. The VIE Agreements have not been tested in a court of law in China as of the date of this prospectus. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure,” “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC,” and “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to this Offering and the Trading Market.” 

 

The VIE Agreements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing operational control. For instance, the UFG Entities and the UFG Operators could breach their contractual arrangements with us by, among other things, failing to conduct their operations in an acceptable manner or taking other actions that are detrimental to our interests. The UFG Operators may not act in the best interests of our Company or may not perform their obligations under these contracts. Such risks exist throughout the period in which we intend to operate certain portions of our business through the VIE Agreements. In the event that the UFG Entities or the UFG Operators fail to perform their respective obligations under the VIE Agreements, we may have to incur substantial costs and expend additional resources to enforce such arrangements. In addition, even if legal actions are taken to enforce such arrangements, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the PRC would recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts against us or such persons predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the U.S. or any state. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure—The VIE Agreements with the UFG Entities and the UFG Operators may not be effective in providing control over the UFG Entities” and “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure—The VIE Agreements are governed by the laws of the PRC and we may have difficulty in enforcing any rights we may have under the VIE Agreements.”

 

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We are subject to certain legal and operational risks associated with having the majority of our operations in China, which could cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or become worthless. PRC laws and regulations governing our current business operations are sometimes vague and uncertain, and as a result these risks may result in material changes in the operations of the VIEs, significant depreciation or a complete loss of the value of our Class A Ordinary Shares, or a complete hindrance of our ability to offer, or continue to offer, our securities to investors. Recently, the PRC government adopted a series of regulatory actions and issued statements to regulate business operations in China with little advance notice, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding the efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement. As of the date of this prospectus, we, our PRC subsidiary, and the VIEs have not been involved in any investigations on cybersecurity review initiated by any PRC regulatory authority, nor has any of them received any inquiry, notice, or sanction. As confirmed by our PRC counsel, Dentons, we are not subject to cybersecurity review with the CAC under the Cybersecurity Review Measures that became effective on February 15, 2022, since we currently do not have over one million users’ personal information and do not anticipate that we will be collecting over one million users’ personal information in the foreseeable future, which we understand might otherwise subject us to the Cybersecurity Review Measures; we are also not subject to network data security review by the CAC if the Security Administration Draft is enacted as proposed, since we currently do not have over one million users’ personal information and do not collect data that affects or may affect national security and we do not anticipate that we will be collecting over one million users’ personal information or data that affects or may affect national security in the foreseeable future, which we understand might otherwise subject us to the Security Administration Draft. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC—Recent greater oversight by the CAC over data security, particularly for companies seeking to list on a foreign exchange, could adversely impact our business and our offering.”

 

On February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated the Trial Measures and five supporting guidelines, which will come into effect on March 31, 2023. If our registration statement on Form F-1 cannot be declared effective on or before March 31, 2023, or if our registration statement on Form F-1 is declared effective on or before March 31, 2023 but we fail to complete this offering and listing on or before September 30, 2023, we will be required to complete necessary filing procedures pursuant to the Trial Measures. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC—The Opinions, the Trial Measures, and the revised Provisions recently issued by PRC authorities may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, as of the date of this prospectus, according to Dentons, no relevant PRC laws or regulations in effect require that we obtain permission from any PRC authorities to issue securities to foreign investors, and we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, sanction, or any regulatory objection to this offering from the CSRC, the CAC, or any other PRC authorities that have jurisdiction over our operations. Since these statements and regulatory actions are newly published, however, official guidance and related implementation rules have not been issued. It is highly uncertain what the potential impact such modified or new laws and regulations will have on the daily business operations of our subsidiaries and the VIEs, our ability to accept foreign investments, and our listing on a U.S. exchange. The SCNPC or PRC regulatory authorities may in the future promulgate additional laws, regulations, or implementing rules that require us, our subsidiaries, or the VIEs to obtain regulatory approval from Chinese authorities before listing in the U.S. If we do not receive or maintain such approval, or inadvertently conclude that such approval is not required, or applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change such that we are required to obtain approval in the future, we may be subject to an investigation by competent regulators, fines or penalties, or an order prohibiting us from conducting an offering, and these risks could result in a material adverse change in our operations and the value of our Class A Ordinary Shares, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, or cause such securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless.

 

In addition, our Class A Ordinary Shares may be prohibited from trading on a national exchange or over-the-counter under the HFCA Act if the PCAOB is unable to inspect our auditors for three consecutive years beginning in 2021. Our auditor prior to September 29, 2022, Friedman, had been inspected by the PCAOB on a regular basis in the audit period, and our new auditor, Marcum Asia, has been inspected by the PCAOB on a regular basis, with the last inspection in 2020. Neither Friedman nor Marcum Asia is subject to the determinations announced by the PCAOB on December 16, 2021. If trading in our Class A Ordinary Shares is prohibited under the HFCA Act in the future because the PCAOB determines that it cannot inspect or fully investigate our auditor at such future time, Nasdaq may determine to delist our Class A Ordinary Shares and trading in our Class A Ordinary Shares could be prohibited. On June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, and on December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act was signed into law by President Biden, which contained, among other things, an identical provision to the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act and amended the HFCA Act by requiring the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three, thus reducing the time period for triggering the prohibition on trading. On August 26, 2022, the CSRC, the MOF, and the PCAOB signed the Protocol governing inspections and investigations of audit firms based in mainland China and Hong Kong, taking the first step toward opening access for the PCAOB to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong. Pursuant to the fact sheet with respect to the Protocol disclosed by the SEC, the PCAOB shall have independent discretion to select any issuer audits for inspection or investigation and has the unfettered ability to transfer information to the SEC. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB Board determined that the PCAOB was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong and voted to vacate its previous determinations to the contrary. However, should PRC authorities obstruct or otherwise fail to facilitate the PCAOB’s access in the future, the PCAOB Board will consider the need to issue a new determination. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC—Recent joint statement by the SEC and the PCAOB, rule changes by Nasdaq, and the HFCA Act all call for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to emerging market companies upon assessing the qualification of their auditors, especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments could add uncertainties to our offering.”

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Overview

 

Our Company

 

The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores manufacture and sell a wide selection of bakery products, seasonal products (i.e. products sold during particular holiday seasons), and beverage products; some of these stores also offer eat-in services. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores currently focus their business in Xinjiang of the PRC and New York City, respectively, and plan to expand to other regions of the PRC and the U.S., with a goal of opening three to five new stores in China annually and eight new stores in the U.S. during the next five years. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores aim to make healthy, nutritious, and ready-to-eat food through advanced facilities and industry research and to create a comfortable, yet distinguishable store environment in which customers can enjoy their products.

 

The PRC Stores are a bakery chain consisting of 33 stores operated by Xinjiang United Family and the VIEs under the “George●Chanson” brand in Xinjiang, and the U.S. Stores sell their products in New York City. Chanson 3rd Ave and Chanson Broadway are currently renovating spaces for the opening of two new stores in New York City. Selling through directly-operated stores, instead of franchise stores, allows the operating entities to run their entire operation more efficiently and to exercise greater control over the quality of products and the presentation of their brand, and to better manage customer experience in the stores. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores also sell their products on their digital platforms and through third-party online food ordering platforms. The current customer base of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores consists of both individual and corporate customers. To expand their customer base, the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores have developed a variety of marketing and sale strategies, such as increasing their presence on social media platforms, devising pricing and discounting programs, and improving customer in-store experience.

 

The PRC Stores manufacture the majority of bakery products in their central factory located in Urumqi, Xinjiang, prepare beverage products within the stores, and contract third-party manufacturers to produce seasonal products. the U.S. Stores bake bakery products, prepare breakfast, lunch and all-day brunch, bar food, and other light meals for eat in, and make beverage products all within the kitchen in the stores. To ensure the quality and safety of their products, the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores procure raw materials, including flour, eggs, and milk, from renowned suppliers with a record of consistently supplying high-quality raw materials over decades in the food industry. In addition, the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores have implemented a rigorous quality control system covering their entire operation process and mandated internal training to improve their employees’ awareness and knowledge of food safety.

 

The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores have dedicated and highly-experienced product development teams that constantly create new products that reflect market trends and are designed to meet customer demand. As of December 2022, the PRC Stores had more than 707 types of bakery products and seasonal products on sale, including over 145 types of new products introduced to the market since 2021, and the U.S. Stores had 131 types of eat-in menu items and bakery products on sale, including 36 types of new products introduced to the market since 2021. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores also offer a large number of beverage products and update their drink menus seasonally and in response to ever changing customer demand. By continuously offering new products and refining their product formulas to enhance existing products, we believe that the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores are able to steadily bring in new customers and increase the frequency of their existing customers’ visits to their stores, digital platforms, and store page on third-party platforms.

  

For the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, we had total revenue of $8,543,803 and $6,742,121, and net income of $220,793 and $422,685, respectively. The PRC Stores accounted for 78.6% and 89.2% of our total revenue for those periods, respectively, and the U.S. Stores accounted for 21.4% and 10.8%, respectively. For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, we had total revenue of $14,690,295 and $10,313,512, and net income of $506,769 and a net loss of $164,029, respectively. The PRC Stores accounted for 87.1% and 87.0% of our total revenue for those fiscal years, respectively, and the U.S. Stores accounted for 12.9% and 13.0%, respectively.

 

The PRC Stores primarily generate revenue through sale of bakery products, seasonal products, and beverage products. For the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, revenue derived from sale of bakery products accounted for 93.8% and 93.4% of the PRC Stores’ revenue; revenue derived from sale of seasonal products accounted for 5.4% and 5.4%, and revenue derived from sale of beverage products accounted for 0.8% and 1.2%, respectively. For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, revenue derived from sale of bakery products accounted for 91.4% and 91.8% of the PRC Stores’ revenue, revenue derived from sale of seasonal products accounted for 7.6% and 6.6%, and revenue derived from sale of beverage products accounted for 1.0% and 1.6%, respectively.

 

The U.S. Stores primarily generate revenue through offering eat-in services and sale of bakery products and beverage products. For the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, revenue derived from offering eat-in services accounted for 27.6%% and 25.9% of the U.S. Stores’ revenue, revenue derived from sale of bakery products accounted for 18.2% and 31.3%, and revenue derived from sale of beverage products accounted for 54.2% and 42.8%, respectively. For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, revenue derived from offering eat-in services accounted for 22.2% and 37.9% of the U.S. Stores’ revenue, revenue derived from sale of bakery products accounted for 25.0% and 44.6%, and revenue derived from sale of beverage products accounted for 52.8% and 17.5%, respectively.

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Competitive Strengths

 

We believe that the following competitive strengths have contributed to our success and differentiated us from our competitors:

 

  trendy brand reflecting healthy food concepts;
     
  strict quality control;
     
  advanced industry research and constant product innovation;
     
  advantageous information management system;
     
  well-developed distribution network in Xinjiang; and
     
  experienced management and professional teams.

 

Growth Strategies

 

We intend to develop our business and strengthen brand loyalty by pursuing the following strategies:

 

  expand into new markets by opening new stores;
     
  enhance in-store customer experience and customer services;
     
  keep implementing healthy and nutritious diet principles in product development; and
     
  increase brand awareness.

  

Our Securities

 

On March 27, 2021, our shareholders and board of directors approved (i) a forward split of our outstanding ordinary shares at a ratio of 1,000-for-1 share, (ii) the creation of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares, and (iii) additional share issuances to our existing shareholders to increase the number of total ordinary shares issued and outstanding prior to the completion of this offering from 100,000 to 9,000,000. On March 29, 2021, we filed our second amended and restated memorandum and articles of association with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands (the “Cayman Registrar”) to effect such corporate actions, which filing became effective on March 31, 2021. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to ordinary shares, options to purchase ordinary shares, share data, per share data, and related information have been retroactively adjusted, where applicable, in this prospectus to reflect the forward split of our ordinary shares and the additional share issuances to our existing shareholders as if they had occurred at the beginning of the earlier period presented.

 

Our authorized share capital is divided into Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares. Holders of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. In respect of matters requiring a vote of all shareholders, each holder of Class A Ordinary Shares will be entitled to one vote per one Class A Ordinary Share and each holder of Class B Ordinary Shares will be entitled to 10 votes per one Class B Ordinary Share. Due to the voting power of Class B Ordinary Shares, the holders of Class B Ordinary Shares currently and may continue to have a concentration of voting power, which limits the holders of Class A Ordinary Shares’ ability to influence corporate matters. Each Class B Ordinary Share is convertible into one Class A Ordinary Share at any time by the holder thereof. Class A Ordinary Shares are not convertible into Class B Ordinary Shares under any circumstances. See “Description of Share Capital.”

 

Unless the context requires otherwise, all references to the number of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares to be outstanding after our initial public offering are based on 3,060,000 Class A Ordinary Shares and 5,940,000 Class B Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding.

 

Corporate Information

 

Our principal executive offices are located at No. 26 Culture Road, Tianshan District, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China, and our phone number is +86-0991-2302709. Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is located at 4th Floor, Harbour Place, 103 South Church Street, PO Box 10240, Grand Cayman, KY1-1002 Cayman Islands, and the phone number of our registered office is +1-345-949-8599. We maintain corporate websites at www.xson.com.cn, www.chanson-international.com, www.patisseriechanson.com, and www.thymebarnyc.com. The information contained in, or accessible from, our websites or any other website does not constitute a part of this prospectus. Our agent for service of process in the U.S. is George Chanson (NY) Corp., located at 41 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

 

Summary of Risk Factors

 

Investing in our Class A Ordinary Shares involves significant risks. You should carefully consider all of the information in this prospectus before making an investment in our Class A Ordinary Shares. Below please find a summary of the principal risks we face, organized under relevant headings. These risks are discussed more fully in the section titled “Risk Factors.”

 

 

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Risks Relating to Our Business (for a more detailed discussion, see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business”)

  

Risks and uncertainties related to our business include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

  the operating entities’ business is affected by changes in consumer preferences and discretionary spending (see page 23 of this prospectus);
     
  the operating entities’ long-term success depends on their ability to successfully identify and secure appropriate sites and timely develop and expand their operations in existing and new markets (see page 23 of this prospectus);
     
  the operating entities operate in a highly-competitive market and their failure to compete effectively could adversely affect our results of operations (see page 24 of this prospectus);
     
  our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows have been adversely affected by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) pandemic (see page 25 of this prospectus);
     
  the operating entities rely on their central factory and a limited number of third-party producers and suppliers. Any interruption in operations at the central factory or in such third-party producers or suppliers could prevent or limit their ability to meet demand for or fulfill orders of the operating entities’ products (see page 27 of this prospectus);
     
  the operating entities’ geographic focus makes them particularly vulnerable to economic and other events and trends in Xinjiang and New York City (see page 27 of this prospectus); and
     
  failure to maintain or enhance the operating entities’ brands or image could have a material adverse effect on their business and results of operations (see page 28 of this prospectus).

 

Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure (for a more detailed discussion, see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure”)

 

We are also subject to risks and uncertainties relating to our corporate structure, including, but not limited to, the following:

 

  the VIE Agreements with the UFG Entities and the UFG Operators may not be effective in providing control over the UFG Entities (see page 36 of this prospectus);
     
  the VIE Agreements are governed by the laws of the PRC and we may have difficulty in enforcing any rights we may have under the VIE Agreements (see page 37 of this prospectus);
     
  if the PRC government determines that the contractual arrangements constituting part of the VIE structure do not comply with PRC regulations, or if these regulations change or are interpreted differently in the future, we may be unable to assert our contractual rights over the assets of the VIEs, and our Class A Ordinary Shares may decline in value or become worthless (see page 37 of this prospectus);
     
  our controlling shareholder has potential conflicts of interest with our Company which may adversely affect our business (see page 37 of this prospectus); and
     
  we rely on the approval certificates and business license held by UFG and any deterioration of the relationship between Xinjiang United Family and UFG could materially and adversely affect our overall business operations (see page 38 of this prospectus).

 

 

Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC (for a more detailed discussion, see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC”)

 

We face risks and uncertainties relating to doing business in the PRC in general, including, but not limited to, the following:

 

  changes in China’s economic, political, or social conditions or government policies could have a material adverse effect on our business and operations (see page 39 of this prospectus);
     
  uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations and changes in policies, rules, and regulations in China, which may be quick with little advance notice, could limit the legal protection available to you and us (see page 39 of this prospectus);
     
  you may experience difficulties in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments, or bringing actions in China against us or our management named in the prospectus based on foreign laws. It may also be difficult for you or overseas regulators to conduct investigations or collect evidence within China (see page 39 of this prospectus);
     
  given the Chinese government’s significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of the business of our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs, the Chinese government may intervene or influence their operations at any time, which could result in a material change in the operations of our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs and/or the value of our Class A Ordinary Shares (see page 40 of this prospectus);
     
  any actions by the Chinese government, including any decision to intervene or influence the operations of our PRC subsidiary or the VIEs or to exert control over any offering of securities conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers, may cause us to make material changes to the operations of our PRC subsidiary or the VIEs, may limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, and may cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless (see page 40 of this prospectus);
     
  recent greater oversight by the CAC over data security, particularly for companies seeking to list on a foreign exchange, could adversely impact our business and our offering (see page 40 of this prospectus);
     
 

the Opinions, the Trial Measure, and the revised Provisions recently issued by PRC authorities may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future (see page 41 of this prospectus);

  

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  recent joint statement by the SEC and the PCAOB, rule changes by Nasdaq, and the HFCA Act all call for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to emerging market companies upon assessing the qualification of their auditors, especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments could add uncertainties to our offering (see page 42 of this prospectus);

 

  to the extent cash in the business is in the PRC or a PRC entity, the funds may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of our Company, our subsidiaries, or the VIEs by the PRC government to transfer cash (see page 43 of this prospectus);

 

  failure to obtain requisite approvals, licenses, or permits or failure to comply with any requirements of PRC laws, regulations, and policies may materially and adversely affect our daily operations and hinder our growth (see page 44 of this prospectus);

 

  increases in labor costs in the PRC may adversely affect our business and our profitability (see page 44 of this prospectus);

 

  our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs have not made adequate social insurance and housing fund contributions for all employees as required by PRC regulations, which may subject us to penalties (see page 45 of this prospectus);

 

  PRC regulations relating to offshore investment activities by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiary to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into our PRC subsidiary, limit our PRC subsidiary’s ability to increase its registered capital or distribute profits to us, or may otherwise adversely affect us (see page 45 of this prospectus);

 

  PRC regulation of parent/subsidiary loans and direct investment by offshore holding companies to PRC entities may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds of this offering to make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC operating subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business (see page 46 of this prospectus);

 

  fluctuations in exchange rates could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment (see page 46 of this prospectus);

 

  under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law (the “EIT Law”), we may be classified as a PRC “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes. Such classification would likely result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment (see page 47 of this prospectus);

 

  we face uncertainty with respect to indirect transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises by their non-PRC holding companies (see page 48 of this prospectus);

 

  our PRC subsidiary is subject to restrictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us, which may have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business (see page 49 of this prospectus);

 

  governmental control of currency conversion may affect the value of your investment and our payment of dividends (see page 49 of this prospectus);

 

  there are significant uncertainties under the EIT Law relating to the withholding tax liabilities of our PRC subsidiary, and dividends payable by our PRC subsidiary to our offshore subsidiaries may not qualify to enjoy certain treaty benefits (see page 49 of this prospectus);

 

  if we become directly subject to the scrutiny, criticism, and negative publicity involving U.S.-listed Chinese companies, we may have to expend significant resources to investigate and resolve the matter which could harm our business operations, stock price, and reputation (see page 50 of this prospectus);

 

  the disclosures in our reports and other filings with the SEC and our other public pronouncements are not subject to the scrutiny of any regulatory bodies in the PRC (see page 50 of this prospectus); and

 

  the M&A Rules and certain other PRC regulations establish complex procedures for some acquisitions of Chinese companies by foreign investors, which could make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions in China (see page 50 of this prospectus).

 

Risks Relating to this Offering and the Trading Market (for a more detailed discussion, see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to this Offering and the Trading Market”)

 

In addition to the risks described above, we are subject to general risks and uncertainties relating to this offering and the trading market, including, but not limited to, the following:

 

  there has been no public market for our Class A Ordinary Shares prior to this offering, and you may not be able to resell our Class A Ordinary Shares at or above the price you pay for them, or at all (see page 51 of this prospectus);
     
   the dual class structure of our ordinary shares has the effect of concentrating voting control with our Chairman, and his interest may not be aligned with the interests of our other shareholders (see page 53 of this prospectus); and
     
  we do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future (see page 53 of this prospectus).

  

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Impact of COVID-19 on Our Operations and Financial Performance

 

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, all but one of the PRC Stores were temporarily closed between late January and early March of 2020. The PRC Stores resumed their normal activities on March 8, 2020. However, all the PRC Stores were closed again on July 17, 2020 due to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Xinjiang. The PRC Stores resumed their normal activities in September 2020. However, due to a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic in August 2022 in Xinjiang (the “2022 Outbreak”), which resulted in the implementation of significant governmental measures, including lockdowns, closures, quarantines, and travel bans, the operations of the PRC Stores and the production in the PRC Stores’ central factory were affected starting from August 10, 2022 and all of the PRC Stores and the central factory were closed between October 5, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The PRC Stores and the central factory started to reopen in early December 2022 and resumed their normal business activities on December 10, 2022, and we expect the PRC Stores to gradually recover from the 2022 Outbreak. The PRC Stores took the following measures during August and September 2022 to mitigate the adverse impact of COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns on their business:

 

  Selecting multiple suppliers in different cities with back-up supply chain plans. This increased the PRC Stores’ ability to produce and deliver products on schedule and their capacity to switch suppliers flexibly and safely in case of lockdowns in some of the cities.
     
  Increasing online sales efforts and cooperating with top-tier online food delivery platforms, including Meituan (美团) and Ele.me (饿了么), to facilitate online sales. These online platforms, together with the PRC Stores’ digital platforms, helped the PRC Stores serve more customers when they were not able to serve customers in person because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related lockdowns.
     
  Operating the central factory in a close loop. The PRC Stores operated the central factory in a close loop and kept it fully self-sufficient, which enabled the PRC Stores to continue producing its products normally during a lock-down period. In addition, the PRC Stores were granted the approval from the local government to operate delivery vehicles and deliver food orders. As a result, the PRC Stores’ entire delivery fleet was able complete delivery orders during lockdown periods, while most local companies were not able to because of lockdown policies.

 

In addition, consumer demand declines in China have not had a material impact on the business of the PRC Stores, as consumer demand for bakery and beverage products has not declined and usually increases for two to three months after governmental pandemic control measures are lifted based on past experiences of the PRC Stores.

  

In the U.S., Chanson 23rd Street in New York City provided only delivery and pickup services between the end of February 2020 and the end of June 2020, and resumed outdoor dining services at the end of June 2020 and limited indoor dining services at the end of September 2020. Chanson 23rd Street suspended its indoor dining services again between December 14, 2020 and February 11, 2021 according to an indoor dining ban issued by the Governor of New York State. In addition, the renovation of Chanson Greenwich was delayed and the store opened in December 2021. Chanson 23rd Street resumed its indoor dining services on February 12, 2021 at 25 percent capacity, which was increased to 35 percent on February 26, 2021 and further increased to 50 percent and 75 percent on March 19, 2021 and May 7, 2021, respectively. Starting from May 19, 2021, Chanson 23rd Street has been allowed to provide indoor dining services at full capacity, provided that either diners are seated at least six feet apart or tables are separated by physical barriers. The six-feet rule was later lifted for fully vaccinated people and eventually for all people. As of the date of this prospectus, the U.S. Stores are providing indoor dining services at their full capacity.

 

See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business—Our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—COVID-19 Affecting Our Results of Operations.”

 

Inflation and Supply Chain Impacts  

 

As of the date of this prospectus, the PRC Stores have not been materially impacted by inflation or supply chain disruptions as their raw material, electricity, and fuel prices and labor costs remain stable and the PRC Stores have been regularly introducing new products and adjusting the prices for their existing products.

 

Rising inflation, geopolitical conflicts, including the recent war in Ukraine, and the related supply chain disruptions have had a direct or indirect impact on the business and operations of the U.S. Stores.

 

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The annual inflation rate in the U.S. has been over 6% since January 2022 and was 6.5% in December 2022. Increases in the inflation rate of prices of commodities that are inputs to the products and services of the U.S. Stores, such as agricultural and energy commodities, have led to higher raw material, fuel, freight, warehousing, and labor costs and operating expenses. If the disposable income of the customers of the U.S. Stores does not increase at a similar rate as inflation does, the U.S. Stores’ sales could suffer, which could materially and adversely affect their business and financial condition and cause the U.S. Stores to have additional working capital needs. However, the U.S. Stores cannot predict whether or how long the higher inflation rates will persist. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business—The operating entities’ inability to source raw materials or other inputs of an acceptable type or quality could adversely affect their results of operations.”

 

In addition, although the U.S. Stores do not have any operations outside of the U.S. nor any business relationships, connections to, or assets in, Russia, Belarus, or Ukraine, their business, financial condition, and results of operations have been, and could continue to be, indirectly and adversely affected by the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Such impact arises from: (i) volatility in the global supply of wheat, corn, barley, sunflower oil, and other agricultural commodities; (ii) higher food prices due to supply constraints and the general inflationary impact of the war; (iii) increases in energy prices globally, in particular for electricity and fossil fuels, such as crude oil and natural gas, and related transportation, freight, and warehousing costs; and (iv) disruptions to logistics and supply chains. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business—The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores are currently operating in a period of economic uncertainty and capital markets disruption, which has been significantly impacted by geopolitical instability due to the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Their business, financial condition, and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected by any negative impact on the global economy and capital markets resulting from the conflict in Ukraine or any other geopolitical tensions.”

 

The impact of supply chains of the U.S. Stores from rising inflation and geopolitical tensions primarily consists of (i) higher purchase prices and fuel, freight, and warehousing costs for raw materials and other products, (ii) delays in the manufacturing, processing, and transportation of raw materials and other products; and (iii) logistics and operational disruptions. Future interruptions or friction in the supply chains of the U.S. Stores, as well as anticipation of interruptions or friction, may cause them to be unable to meet customer demand, retain extra inventory, and make operational plans with less precision. Each of these impacts, if the U.S. Stores are affected more than their competitors, could materially and adversely affect their business, adversely impact their prices and/or margins, and cause them to have additional working capital needs.

 

In 2022, to mitigate the increases in costs and expenses described above, the U.S. Stores implemented more stringent and accurate inventory management and upgraded their menus to introduce new products, such as the cocktail products, with higher prices and increase the prices of existing products. However, if the costs and expenses described above continue to increase, there can be assurance that the U.S. Stores can continue to increase prices to maintain their margins. Lower margins could adversely impact the profitability of the businesses of the U.S. Stores. If the amounts the U.S. Stores charge their customers increase at a rate that is either unaffordable to their customers or insufficient to compensate for the rise in their material costs and operational expenses, their business may be materially and adversely affected, their product margin may deteriorate, and they may have additional working capital needs. We do not believe that such mitigation efforts have introduced any other new material risks, including, but not limited to, those related to product quality or reliability or regulatory approval. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business—The inability of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores to pass on price increases for materials or other inputs to their customers could adversely affect our results of operations.” In order to mitigate the potential adverse impact of price increases on their financial condition and results of operations, the U.S. Stores plan to continue to improve their operating efficiency and further strengthen their bargaining power with their suppliers through the continued expansion of their store network.

 

Permission Required from PRC Authorities

 

We are currently not required to obtain permission from any of the PRC authorities to operate and issue our Class A Ordinary Shares to foreign investors. In addition, we, our subsidiaries, and the VIEs are not required to obtain permission or approval relating to our Class A Ordinary Shares from the PRC authorities, including the CSRC or CAC, for our subsidiaries or VIEs’ operations, nor have we or our subsidiaries or VIEs received any denial for our subsidiaries or VIEs’ operations with respect to this offering. Recently, however, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the “Opinions on Severely Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities According to Law,” or the “Opinions,” which were made available to the public on July 6, 2021. The Opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the need to strengthen the supervision over overseas listings by Chinese companies. Effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems, will be taken to deal with the risks and incidents of China-concept overseas listed companies, cybersecurity, data privacy protection requirements, and similar matters. The Opinions and any related implementing rules to be enacted may subject us to compliance requirements in the future. On February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated the Trial Measures and five supporting guidelines, which will come into effect on March 31, 2023. Pursuant to the Trial Measures, domestic companies that seek to offer or list securities overseas, both directly and indirectly, shall complete filing procedures with the CSRC pursuant to the requirements of the Trial Measures within three working days following its submission of initial public offerings or listing application. If a domestic company fails to complete required filing procedures or conceals any material fact or falsifies any major content in its filing documents, such domestic company may be subject to administrative penalties, such as an order to rectify, warnings, fines, and its controlling shareholders, actual controllers, the person directly in charge and other directly liable persons may also be subject to administrative penalties, such as warnings and fines. See “Regulations—Regulations on Mergers & Acquisitions and Overseas Listings.”

 

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According to the Notice on the Administrative Arrangements for the Filing of the Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies from the CSRC, or “the CSRC Notice,” the domestic companies that have already been listed overseas before the effective date of the Trial Measures (namely, March 31, 2023) shall be deemed as existing issuers (the “Existing Issuers”). Existing Issuers are not required to complete the filing procedures immediately, and they shall be required to file with the CSRC for any subsequent offerings. Further, according to the CSRC Notice, domestic companies that have obtained approval from overseas regulatory authorities or securities exchanges (for example, the effectiveness of a registration statement for offering and listing in the U.S. has been obtained) for their indirect overseas offering and listing prior to March 31, 2023 but have not yet completed their indirect overseas issuance and listing, are granted a six-month transition period from March 31, 2023 to September 30, 2023. Those that complete their indirect overseas offering and listing within such six-month period are deemed as Existing Issuers and are not required to file with the CSRC for their indirect overseas offerings and listings. Within such six-month transition period, however, if such domestic companies fail to complete their indirect overseas issuance and listing, they shall complete the filing procedures with the CSRC.

 

Based on the foregoing, if our registration statement on Form F-1 cannot be declared effective on or before March 31, 2023, or if our registration statement on Form F-1 is declared effective on or before March 31, 2023 but we fail to complete this offering and listing on or before September 30, 2023, we will be required to complete necessary filing procedures pursuant to the Trial Measures.

 

On February 24, 2023, the CSRC, together with the MOF, National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China, revised the Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration for Overseas Securities Offering and Listing, which were issued by the CSRC and National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China in 2009, or the “Provisions.” The revised Provisions were issued under the title the “Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies,” and will come into effect on March 31, 2023 together with the Trial Measures. One of the major revisions to the revised Provisions is expanding their application to cover indirect overseas offering and listing, as is consistent with the Trial Measures. The revised Provisions require that, among other things, (a) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals or entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any documents and materials that contain state secrets or working secrets of government agencies, shall first obtain approval from competent authorities according to law, and file with the secrecy administrative department at the same level; and (b) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals and entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any other documents and materials that, if leaked, will be detrimental to national security or public interest, shall strictly fulfill relevant procedures stipulated by applicable national regulations. As of the date of this prospectus, the revised Provisions have not come into effect. On or after March 31, 2023, any failure or perceived failure by our Company, our subsidiaries, or the VIEs to comply with the above confidentiality and archives administration requirements under the revised Provisions and other PRC laws and regulations may result in the relevant entities being held legally liable by competent authorities, and referred to the judicial organ to be investigated for criminal liability if suspected of committing a crime.

 

As there are still uncertainties regarding the interpretation and implementation of such regulatory guidance, we cannot assure you that we will be able to comply with new regulatory requirements relating to our future overseas capital-raising activities and we may become subject to more stringent requirements with respect to matters such as cross-border investigation, data privacy, and enforcement of legal claims. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC—The Opinions, the Trial Measures, and the revised Provisions recently issued by PRC authorities may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, as of the date of this prospectus, we are not aware of any PRC laws or regulations in effect requiring that we obtain permission from any PRC authorities to issue securities to foreign investors, and we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, sanction, or any regulatory objection to this offering from the CSRC, the CAC, or any other PRC authorities that have jurisdiction over our operations.

 

Asset Transfers Between Our Company, Our Subsidiaries, and the VIEs

 

As of the date of this prospectus, our Company, our subsidiaries, and the VIEs have not distributed any earnings or settled any amounts owed under the VIE Agreements. Our Company, our subsidiaries, and the VIEs do not have any plan to distribute earnings or settle amounts owed under the VIE Agreements in the foreseeable future.

 

Our management is directly supervising cash management. Our finance department is responsible for establishing the cash management policies and procedures among our departments and the operating entities. Each department or operating entity initiates a cash request by putting forward a cash demand plan, which explains the specific amount and timing of cash requested, and submitting it to designated management members of our Company, based on the amount and the use of cash requested. The designated management member examines and approves the allocation of cash based on the sources of cash and the priorities of the needs, and submit it to the cashier specialists of our finance department for a second review. Other than the above, we currently do not have other cash management policies or procedures that dictate how funds are transferred nor a written policy that addresses how we will handle any limitations on cash transfers due to PRC law.

 

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During the six months ended June 30, 2022 and the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, cash transfers and transfers of other assets between our Company, our subsidiaries, and the VIEs were as follows:

 

  For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2022  
  No.     Transfer From     Transfer To     Approximate Value ($)     Note  
    1       VIEs       Xinjiang United Family       259,295       Cash (as working capital) borrowed by the VIEs from Xinjiang United Family  
    2       VIEs       Xinjiang United Family       1,046,747       Raw materials purchased by the stores under the VIEs on behalf of Xinjiang United Family  
    3       Xinjiang United Family       VIEs       970,488       Raw Materials from the central factory under Xinjiang United Family to the stores under the VIEs  
    4       Xinjiang United Family       VIEs       1,477,608       Products from the central factory under Xinjiang United Family to the stores under the VIEs  

 

  For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2021  
  No.     Transfer From     Transfer To     Approximate Value ($)     Note  
    1       VIEs       Xinjiang United Family       159,715       Cash (as working capital) borrowed by the VIEs from Xinjiang United Family  
    2       VIEs       Xinjiang United Family       1,953,748       Raw materials purchased by the stores under the VIEs on behalf of Xinjiang United Family  
    3       Xinjiang United Family       VIEs       1,766,804       Raw Materials from the central factory under Xinjiang United Family to the stores under the VIEs  
    4       Xinjiang United Family       VIEs       2,855,345       Products from the central factory under Xinjiang United Family to the stores under the VIEs  

 

  For the Year Ended December 31, 2020  
  No.     Transfer From     Transfer To     Approximate Value ($)     Note  
    1       VIEs       Xinjiang United Family       423,344       Cash (as working capital) borrowed by the VIEs from Xinjiang United Family  
    2       VIEs       Xinjiang United Family       1,371,090       Raw materials purchased by the stores under the VIEs on behalf of Xinjiang United Family  
    3       Xinjiang United Family       VIEs       1,127,716       Raw Materials from the central factory under Xinjiang United Family to the stores under the VIEs  
    4       Xinjiang United Family       VIEs       1,840,367       Products from the central factory under Xinjiang United Family to the stores under the VIEs  

 

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Dividends or Distributions Made to our Company and U.S. Investors and Tax Consequences

 

As of the date of this prospectus, none of our subsidiaries or VIEs have made any dividends or distributions to our Company and our Company has not made any dividends or distributions to our shareholders. We intend to keep any future earnings to finance the expansion of our business, and we do not anticipate that any cash dividends will be paid in the foreseeable future. Subject to the passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) rules, the gross amount of distributions we make to investors with respect to our Class A Ordinary Shares (including the amount of any taxes withheld therefrom) will be taxable as a dividend, to the extent that the distribution is paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles.

 

Under the Cayman Islands law, a Cayman Islands company may pay a dividend on its shares out of either profit or share premium amount, provided that in no circumstances may a dividend be paid if this would result in the company being unable to pay its debts due in the ordinary course of business.

 

If we determine to pay dividends on any of our Class A Ordinary Shares or Class B Ordinary Shares in the future, as a holding company, we will depend on receipt of funds from our PRC subsidiary and from the VIEs to our PRC subsidiary in accordance with the VIE Agreements. Pursuant to the EIT Law and its implementation rules, any dividends paid by Xinjiang United Family to Jenyd will be subject to a withholding tax rate of 10%. However, if Jenyd is determined by the relevant PRC tax authority to have satisfied the relevant conditions and requirements under the Arrangement between the Mainland China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Tax Evasion on Income, or the “Double Tax Avoidance Arrangement,” and other applicable laws, the 10% withholding tax on the dividends Jenyd receives from Xinjiang United Family may be reduced to 5%. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC—There are significant uncertainties under the EIT Law relating to the withholding tax liabilities of our PRC subsidiary, and dividends payable by our PRC subsidiary to our offshore subsidiaries may not qualify to enjoy certain treaty benefits.”

 

Current PRC regulations permit our indirect PRC subsidiary to pay dividends to Jenyd only out of its accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations. In addition, our PRC subsidiary is required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund a statutory reserve until such reserve reaches 50% of its registered capital. Each of such entity in the PRC is also required to further set aside a portion of its after-tax profits to fund the employee welfare fund, although the amount to be set aside, if any, is determined at the discretion of its board of directors. Although the statutory reserves can be used, among other ways, to increase the registered capital and eliminate future losses in excess of retained earnings of the respective companies, the reserve funds are not distributable as cash dividends except in the event of liquidation. Furthermore, if our subsidiaries and affiliates in the PRC incur debt on their own in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other payments. If we or our subsidiaries are unable to receive all of the revenue from our operations, we may be unable to pay dividends on our Class A Ordinary Shares or Class B Ordinary Shares.

 

Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, including profit distributions, interest payments, and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies, without prior approval of State Administration of Foreign Exchange (“SAFE”), by complying with certain procedural requirements. Specifically, without prior approval of SAFE, cash generated from the operations in PRC may be used to pay dividends to our Company. As of the date of this prospectus, our PRC subsidiary, Xinjiang United Family, has conducted the foreign exchange registration related to our Company under the existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, which enables our PRC subsidiary to legally distribute their earnings to our Company.

 

Our Company’s ability to settle amounts owed under the VIE Agreements relies upon payments made from the VIEs to Xinjiang United Family in accordance with the VIE Agreements. For services rendered to the UFG Entity by Xinjiang United Family under the Exclusive Service Agreement, Xinjiang United Family is entitled to collect a service fee equal to the net profit after tax of the UFG Entity. Pursuant to the Call Option Agreement, Xinjiang United Family may at any time and under any circumstances, require the UFG Operator to transfer, at its discretion, to the extent permitted under PRC law, all or part of the UFG Operator’s assets in the UFG Entity to Xinjiang United Family (or its designee). For restrictions and limitations on our ability to settle amounts owed under the VIE Agreements, please see “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure—The VIE Agreements with the UFG Entities and the UFG Operators may not be effective in providing control over the UFG Entities” and “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure—If the PRC government determines that the contractual arrangements constituting part of the VIE structure do not comply with PRC regulations, or if these regulations change or are interpreted differently in the future, we may be unable to assert our contractual rights over the assets of the VIEs, and our Class A Ordinary Shares may decline in value or become worthless.”

  

Implications of Our Being an “Emerging Growth Company”

 

As a company with less than $1.235 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the “JOBS Act.” An “emerging growth company” may take advantage of reduced reporting requirements that are otherwise applicable to larger public companies. In particular, as an emerging growth company, we:

 

  may present only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations;
     
  are not required to provide a detailed narrative disclosure discussing our compensation principles, objectives and elements and analyzing how those elements fit with our principles and objectives, which is commonly referred to as “compensation discussion and analysis”;
     
  are not required to obtain an attestation and report from our auditors on our management’s assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002;

 

16

 

 

 

  are not required to obtain a non-binding advisory vote from our shareholders on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements (commonly referred to as the “say-on-pay,” “say-on frequency” and “say-on-golden-parachute” votes);

 

  are exempt from certain executive compensation disclosure provisions requiring a pay-for-performance graph and CEO pay ratio disclosure;
     
  are eligible to claim longer phase-in periods for the adoption of new or revised financial accounting standards under §107 of the JOBS Act; and
     
  will not be required to conduct an evaluation of our internal control over financial reporting until our second annual report on Form 20-F following the effectiveness of our initial public offering.

 

We intend to take advantage of all of these reduced reporting requirements and exemptions, other than the longer phase-in periods for the adoption of new or revised financial accounting standards under §107 of the JOBS Act.

 

Under the JOBS Act, we may take advantage of the above-described reduced reporting requirements and exemptions until we no longer meet the definition of an emerging growth company. The JOBS Act provides that we would cease to be an “emerging growth company” at the end of the fiscal year in which the fifth anniversary of our initial sale of common equity pursuant to a registration statement declared effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), occurred, if we have more than $1.235 billion in annual revenue, have more than $700 million in market value of our Class A Ordinary Shares held by non-affiliates, or issue more than $1 billion in principal amount of non-convertible debt over a three-year period.

 

Foreign Private Issuer Status

 

We are a foreign private issuer within the meaning of the rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). As such, we are exempt from certain provisions applicable to U.S. domestic public companies. For example:

 

  we are not required to provide as many Exchange Act reports, or as frequently, as a domestic public company;
     
  for interim reporting, we are permitted to comply solely with our home country requirements, which are less rigorous than the rules that apply to domestic public companies;
     
  we are not required to provide the same level of disclosure on certain issues, such as executive compensation;
     
  we are exempt from provisions of Regulation FD aimed at preventing issuers from making selective disclosures of material information;
     
  we are not required to comply with the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents, or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act; and
     
  we are not required to comply with Section 16 of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their share ownership and trading activities and establishing insider liability for profits realized from any “short-swing” trading transaction.

 

Controlled Company

 

Upon completion of this offering, our Chairman, Mr. Gang Li, will beneficially own approximately 89.7% of the aggregate voting power of our outstanding Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares as a group assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option, or 89.0% assuming full exercise of the over-allotment option. As a result, we will be deemed a “controlled company” for the purpose of the Nasdaq listing rules. As a controlled company, we are permitted to elect to rely on certain exemptions from the obligations to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including:

 

  the requirement that our director nominees be selected or recommended solely by independent directors; and
     
  the requirement that we have a nominating and corporate governance committee and a compensation committee that are composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the purposes and responsibilities of the committees.

 

Although we do not intend to rely on the controlled company exemptions under the Nasdaq listing rules even if we are deemed a controlled company, we could elect to rely on these exemptions in the future, and if so, you would not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq.

 

Selected Condensed Consolidating Financial Schedule of Chanson International and Its Subsidiaries and the VIEs

 

The following tables present selected condensed consolidating financial data of Chanson International and its subsidiaries and the VIEs for the six months ended June 30, 2022, and the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. Chanson International records its investments in its subsidiaries under the equity method. Such investments are presented in the selected condensed consolidating balance sheets of Chanson International as “Investments in subsidiaries” and the profit of the subsidiaries is presented as “Income for equity method investment” in the selected condensed consolidating statements of operations. Pursuant to the VIE Agreements, Chanson International’s wholly owned subsidiary, Xinjiang United Family, has the exclusive right to provide the VIEs services related to business operations, including operational and management consulting services and is entitled to consulting fees, which equal to 100% of the consolidated net income of the VIEs. Accordingly, for the six months ended June 30, 2022, and the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, Xinjiang United Family recognized the income from VIEs representing net income of the VIEs and financial interest in VIEs since the commencement of the VIE Agreements.

  

 

17

 

 

 

SELECTED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

 

    For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2022  
    Chanson International (Cayman
Islands)
    Subsidiaries
(British Virgin Islands/Hong Kong)
   

Xinjiang
United Family

(PRC)

   

Xinjiang
United Family’s Subsidiaries

(USA)

    VIEs
(PRC)
    Eliminations     Consolidated Total  
                                           
Revenue   $ -     $ -     $ 2,956,683     $ 1,832,294     $ 3,754,826     $ -     $ 8,543,803  
Cost of revenue   $ -     $ -     $ 1,866,636     $ 1,002,401     $ 1,527,678     $ -     $ 4,396,715  
Income from VIEs   $ -     $ -     $ 959,198     $ -     $ -     $ (959,198 )   $ -  
Income for equity method investment   $ 220,793     $ 220,793     $ -     $ -     $ -     $ (441,586 )   $ -  
Net income (loss)   $ 220,793     $ 220,793     $ 1,058,046     $ (837,253 )   $ 959,198     $ (1,400,784 )   $ 220,793  
Comprehensive income (loss)   $ 220,793     $ 508,389     $ 1,384,591     $ (876,202 )   $ 412,364     $ (1,688,380 )   $ (38,445 )

 

   For the Year Ended December 31, 2021 
   Chanson International (Cayman
Islands)
   Subsidiaries
(British Virgin Islands/Hong Kong)
  

Xinjiang
United Family

(PRC)

  

Xinjiang
United Family’s Subsidiaries

(USA)

   VIEs
(PRC)
   Eliminations   Consolidated Total 
                             
Revenue  $-   $-   $4,544,478   $1,894,207   $8,251,610   $-   $14,690,295 
Cost of revenue  $-   $-   $2,516,966   $1,177,410   $4,065,496   $-   $7,759,872 
Income from VIEs  $-   $-   $1,875,684   $-   $-   $(1,875,684)  $- 
Income for equity method investment  $506,769   $506,769   $-   $-   $-   $(1,013,538)  $- 
Net income (loss)  $506,769   $506,769   $2,027,809   $(1,521,040)  $1,875,684   $(2,889,222)  $506,769 
Comprehensive income (loss)  $506,769   $328,920   $1,849,960   $(1,521,040)  $2,142,485   $(2,711,373)  $595,721 

 

   For the Year Ended December 31, 2020 
   Chanson International (Cayman
Islands)
   Subsidiaries
(British Virgin Islands/Hong Kong)
  

Xinjiang
United Family

(PRC)

  

Xinjiang
United Family’s Subsidiaries

(USA)

   VIEs
(PRC)
   Eliminations   Consolidated Total 
                             
Revenue  $-   $-   $1,141,748   $1,339,770   $7,831,994   $-   $10,313,512 
Cost of revenue  $-   $-   $559,844   $753,890   $3,850,444   $-   $5,164,178 
Income from VIEs  $-   $-   $1,005,508   $-   $-   $(1,005,508)  $- 
Income for equity method investment  $(447,151)  $(447,151)  $-   $-   $-   $894,302   $- 
Net income (loss)  $(447,151)  $(447,151)  $1,194,255   $(1,641,406)  $1,288,630   $(111,206)  $(164,029)
Comprehensive income (loss)  $(447,151)  $(470,574)  $1,170,832   $(1,641,406)  $1,444,260   $(87,783)  $(31,822)

 

18

 

 

SELECTED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEETS 

 

    As of June 30, 2022  
    Chanson
International
(Cayman
Islands)
    Subsidiaries
(British
Virgin
Islands/
Hong Kong)
    Xinjiang
United
Family
(PRC)
    Xinjiang
United
Family’s
Subsidiaries
(USA)
    VIEs
(PRC)
    Eliminations     Consolidated
Total
 
Cash and cash equivalents   $ -     $ -     $ 136,412     $ 105,071     $ 151,901     $ -     $ 393,384  
Intercompany receivable   $ 9,000     $ -     $ -     $ -     $ 6,395,382     $ (6,404,382 )   $ -  
Total current assets   $ 9,000     $ -     $ 1,225,977     $ 729,567     $ 13,083,084     $ (10,422,200 )   $ 4,625,428  
Investments in subsidiaries   $ (4,125,279 )   $ (4,038,955 )   $ -     $ -     $ -     $ 8,164,234     $ -  
Financial interest in VIEs   $ -     $ -     $ 3,840,390     $ -     $ -     $ (3,840,390 )   $ -  
Total non-current assets   $ (4,125,279 )   $ (4,038,955 )   $ 5,499,272     $ 15,695,773     $ 4,734,863     $ 4,323,844     $ 22,089,518  
Total Assets   $ (4,116,279 )   $ (4,038,955 )   $ 6,725,249     $ 16,425,340     $ 17,817,947     $ (6,098,356 )   $ 26,714,946  
Intercompany payable   $ -     $ -     $ 6,404,382     $ -     $ -     $ (6,404,382 )   $ -  
Total Liabilities   $ -     $ -     $ 8,254,022     $ 18,935,522     $ 7,151,088     $ (10,422,200 )   $ 23,918,432  
Total Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit)   $ (4,116,279 )   $ (4,038,955 )   $ (1,528,773 )   $ (2,510,182 )   $ 10,666,859     $ 4,323,844     $ 2,796,514  
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit)   $ (4,116,279 )   $ (4,038,955 )   $ 6,725,249     $ 16,425,340     $ 17,817,947     $ (6,098,356 )   $ 26,714,946  

 

    As of December 31, 2021  
    Chanson
International
(Cayman
Islands)
    Subsidiaries
(British
Virgin
Islands/

Hong Kong)
    Xinjiang
United
Family

(PRC)
    Xinjiang
United
Family’s
Subsidiaries
(USA)
    VIEs
(PRC)
    Eliminations     Consolidated
Total
 
Cash and cash equivalents   $ -     $ -     $ 203,587     $ 167,684     $ 3,525,541     $ -     $ 3,896,812  
Intercompany receivable   $ 9,000     $ -     $ -     $ -     $ 6,469,788     $ (6,478,788 )   $ -  
Total current assets   $ 9,000     $ -     $ 1,168,029     $ 887,802     $ 13,044,182     $ (8,363,157 )   $ 6,745,856  
Investments in subsidiaries   $ (4,346,072 )   $ (4,547,344 )   $ -     $ -     $ -     $ 8,893,416     $ -  
Financial interest in VIEs   $ -     $ -     $ 2,881,192     $ -     $ -     $ (2,881,192 )   $ -  
Total non-current assets   $ (4,346,072 )   $ (4,547,344 )   $ 3,457,117     $ 11,482,509     $ 6,191,804     $ 6,012,224     $ 18,250,238  
Total Assets   $ (4,337,072 )   $ (4,547,344 )   $ 4,625,146     $ 12,370,311     $ 19,235,986     $ (2,350,933 )   $ 24,996,094  
Intercompany payable   $ -     $ -     $ 6,478,788     $ -     $ -     $ (6,478,788 )   $ -  
Total Liabilities   $ -     $ -     $ 7,538,510     $ 14,004,291     $ 8,981,491     $ (8,363,157 )   $ 22,161,135  
Total Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit)   $ (4,337,072 )   $ (4,547,344 )   $ (2,913,364 )   $ (1,633,980 )   $ 10,254,495     $ 6,012,224     $ 2,834,959  
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit)   $ (4,337,072 )   $ (4,547,344 )   $ 4,625,146     $ 12,370,311     $ 19,235,986     $ (2,350,933 )   $ 24,996,094  

 

19

 

 

    As of December 31, 2020  
    Chanson
International
(Cayman
Islands)
    Subsidiaries
(British
Virgin
Islands/

Hong Kong)
    Xinjiang
United
Family

(PRC)
    Xinjiang
United
Family’s
Subsidiaries
(USA)
    VIEs
(PRC)
    Eliminations     Consolidated
Total
 
Cash and cash equivalents   $ -     $      -     $ 278,607     $ 848,371     $ 2,971,568     $ -     $ 4,098,546  
Intercompany receivable   $ 9,000     $ -     $ -     $ -     $ 6,143,430     $ (6,152,430 )   $ -  
Total current assets   $ 9,000     $ -     $ 893,586     $ 1,269,643     $ 9,996,102     $ (6,152,430 )   $ 6,015,901  
Investments in subsidiaries   $ (4,852,841 )   $ (4,876,264 )   $ -     $ -     $ -     $ 9,729,105     $ -  
Financial interest in VIEs   $ -     $ -     $ 1,005,508     $ -     $ -     $ (1,005,508 )   $ -  
Total non-current assets   $ (4,852,841 )   $ (4,876,264 )   $ 1,056,266     $ 11,069,557     $ 4,001,163     $ 8,723,597     $ 15,121,478  
Total Assets   $ (4,843,841 )   $ (4,876,264 )   $ 1,949,852     $ 12,339,200     $ 13,997,265     $ 2,571,167     $ 21,137,379  
Intercompany payable   $ -     $ -     $ 6,152,430     $ -     $ -     $ (6,152,430 )   $ -  
Total Liabilities   $ -     $ -     $ 6,713,176     $ 12,452,140     $ 5,885,255     $ (6,152,430 )   $ 18,898,141  
Total Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit)   $ (4,843,841 )   $ (4,876,264 )   $ (4,763,324 )   $ (112,940 )   $ 8,112,010     $ 8,723,597     $ 2,239,238  
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit)   $ (4,843,841 )   $ (4,876,264 )   $ 1,949,852     $ 12,339,200     $ 13,997,265     $ 2,571,167     $ 21,137,379  

 

SELECTED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS 

 

    For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2022  
    Chanson
International
(Cayman
Islands)
    Subsidiaries
(British
Virgin
Islands/
Hong Kong)
    Xinjiang
United
Family

(PRC)
    Xinjiang
United
Family’s
Subsidiaries

(USA)
    VIEs
(PRC)
    Eliminations     Consolidated
Total
 
                                           
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities   $          -     $         -     $ (399,799 )   $ (275,645 )   $ 315,498     $           -     $ (359,946 )
Net cash used in investing activities   $ -     $ -     $ (397,342 )   $ (118,053 )   $ (51,044 )   $ -     $ (566,439 )
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities   $ -     $ -     $ 1,041,018     $ 331,085     $ (3,568,914 )   $ -     $ (2,196,811 )

 

20

 

 

    For the Year Ended December 31, 2021  
    Chanson
International
(Cayman
Islands)
    Subsidiaries
(British
Virgin
Islands/
Hong Kong)
    Xinjiang
United
Family

(PRC)
    Xinjiang
United
Family’s
Subsidiaries

(USA)
    VIEs
(PRC)
    Eliminations     Consolidated
Total
 
                                           
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities   $             -     $            -     $ (953,910 )   $ (1,704,654 )   $ 4,436,810     $            -     $ 1,778,246  
Net cash used in investing activities   $ -     $ -     $ (799,123 )   $ (942,003 )   $ (289,795 )   $ -     $ (2,030,921 )
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities   $ -     $ -     $ 1,534,818     $ 1,965,970     $ (3,679,028 )   $ -     $ (178,240 )

 

    For the Year Ended December 31, 2020  
    Chanson
International
(Cayman
Islands)
    Subsidiaries
(British
Virgin
Islands/
Hong Kong)
    Xinjiang
United
Family

(PRC)
    Xinjiang
United
Family’s
Subsidiaries

(USA)
    VIEs
(PRC)
    Eliminations     Consolidated
Total
 
                                           
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities   $          -     $           -     $ 575,362     $ (1,586,715 )   $ 2,257,030     $             -     $ 1,245,677  
Net cash used in investing activities   $ -     $ -     $ (33,215 )   $ (312,049 )   $ (229,069 )   $ -     $ (574,333 )
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities   $ -     $ -     $ (1,990,731 )   $ 1,141,352     $ -     $ -     $ (849,379 )

 

ROLL-FORWARD OF INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES AND VIES

 

Balance, December 31, 2019  $(4,405,690)
Comprehensive loss for the year   (447,151)
Balance, December 31, 2020  $(4,852,841)
Comprehensive income for the year   506,769 
Balance, December 31, 2021  $(4,346,072)
Comprehensive income for the period   220,793 
Balance, June 30, 2022  $(4,125,279)

 

21

 

 

  

 

THE OFFERING

 

Class A Ordinary Shares offered by us   3,750,000 Class A Ordinary Shares, or 4,312,500 Class A Ordinary Shares if the Underwriter exercises its over-allotment option in full
     
Price per Class A Ordinary Share   We currently estimate that the initial public offering price will be in the range of $4.00 to $6.00 per Class A Ordinary Share.
     
Class A Ordinary Shares outstanding prior to completion of this offering   3,060,000 Class A Ordinary Shares
     
Class A Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after this offering  

6,810,000 Class A Ordinary Shares assuming no exercise of the Underwriter’s over-allotment option and excluding 75,000 Class A Ordinary Shares underlying the Underwriter Warrants

 

7,372,500 Class A Ordinary Shares assuming full exercise of the Underwriter’s over-allotment option and excluding 86,250 Class A Ordinary Shares underlying the Underwriter Warrants

     
Listing  

We have applied to have our Class A Ordinary Shares listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. At this time, Nasdaq has not yet approved our application to list our Class A Ordinary Shares. The closing of this offering is conditioned upon Nasdaq’s final approval of our listing application, and there is no guarantee or assurance that our Class A Ordinary Shares will be approved for listing on Nasdaq.

     
Ticker symbol   “CHSN”
     
Transfer Agent  

Transhare Corporation

     
Use of proceeds   We intend to use the proceeds from this offering to open new stores in the U.S. See “Use of Proceeds” on page 61 for more information.
     
Lock-up  

We, on behalf of ourselves and any successor entity, have agreed that, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, we will not, for a period of 180 days from the commencement of sale of this offering, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right, or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, our Class A Ordinary Shares or Class B Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our Class A Ordinary Shares or Class B Ordinary Shares; (ii) file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the SEC relating to the offering of our Class A Ordinary Shares or Class B Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our Class A Ordinary Shares or Class B Ordinary Shares; (iii) complete any offering of debt securities of the Company, other than entering into a line of credit with a traditional bank, or (iv) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of capital shares of our Company, whether any such transaction described in (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) above is to be settled by delivery of our Class A Ordinary Shares or such other securities, in cash, or otherwise.

 

All of our directors and officers and our shareholders owning 5% or more of our Class A Ordinary Shares have agreed with the Underwriter, subject to certain exceptions, not to offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right, or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise to transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any of our Class A Ordinary Shares, Class B Ordinary Shares, or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our Class A Ordinary Shares or Class B Ordinary Shares for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” and “Underwriting” for more information.

     

Risk factors

 

 

 

Voting rights

 

The Class A Ordinary Shares offered hereby involve a high degree of risk. You should read “Risk Factors,” beginning on page 23 for a discussion of factors to consider before deciding to invest in our Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

Holders of Class A Ordinary Shares are entitled to one vote per one Class A Ordinary Share.

 

Holders of Class B Ordinary Shares are entitled to 10 votes per one Class B Ordinary Share.

 

Holders of our Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares will generally vote together as a single class, unless otherwise required by law. Mr. Gang Li, who after our initial public offering will control approximately 89.7% of the voting power of our outstanding ordinary shares assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option by the Underwriter or 89.0% of the voting power of our outstanding ordinary shares assuming full exercise of the over-allotment option by the Underwriter, will have the ability to control the outcome of matters submitted to our shareholders for approval, including the election of our directors. See “Description of Share Capital.”

 

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RISK FACTORS

 

An investment in our Class A Ordinary Shares involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our Class A Ordinary Shares, you should consider carefully the risks described below, together with all of the other information set forth in this prospectus, including the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flow could be materially and adversely affected, which could cause the trading price of our Class A Ordinary Shares to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. The risks described below and discussed in other parts of this prospectus are not the only ones that we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business. You should only consider investing in our Class A Ordinary Shares if you can bear the risk of loss of your entire investment.

 

Risks Relating to Our Business

 

The operating entities’ business is affected by changes in consumer preferences and discretionary spending.

 

The operating entities’ success depends, in part, upon the popularity of their bakery products and their ability to develop new bakery products that appeal to consumers. Shifts in consumer preferences away from their bakery stores or their product offerings and mix, their inability to develop new products that appeal to consumers could harm the operating entities’ business. The operating entities’ success depends in large part on their customers’ continued belief that food made with high-quality ingredients, including selected proteins raised without antibiotics, their artisan breads, cakes, pastries, and other bakery treats made without artificial preservatives, flavors, sweeteners, or colors from artificial sources are worth the prices charged at the operating entities’ bakery stores relative to the lower prices offered by some of their competitors. The operating entities’ inability to successfully educate customers about the quality of their bakery products or their customers’ rejection of the operating entities’ pricing approach could result in decreased demand for their products or require the operating entities to change their pricing, marketing, or promotional strategies, which could materially and adversely affect our consolidated financial results or the brand identity that the operating entities have created. In addition, the operating entities’ success depends to a significant extent on discretionary consumer spending, which is influenced by general economic conditions and the availability of discretionary income. Accordingly, the operating entities may experience declines in sales during economic downturns or during periods of uncertainty. Any material decline in the amount of discretionary spending could have a material adverse effect on the operating entities’ sales, results of operations, business, and financial condition.

 

The operating entities’ long-term success depends on their ability to successfully identify and secure appropriate sites and timely develop and expand their operations in existing and new markets.

  

One of the key means of achieving the operating entities’ growth strategies will be through opening and operating new stores on a profitable basis for the foreseeable future. The operating entities opened six, four, and five new stores in the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. The operating entities identify target markets, taking into account numerous factors such as the locations of their current stores, demographics, traffic patterns, and, recently, whether known consumer patterns will remain at the same level as prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and if they need to modify the layout of their new stores to minimize contact with customers. The operating entities may not be able to open their planned new stores within budget or on a timely basis, if at all, given the uncertainty of these factors, which could adversely affect their business, financial condition, and results of operations. As the operating entities operate more stores, their rate of expansion relative to the size of our store base will eventually decline.

 

The number and timing of new stores opened during any given period may be negatively impacted by a number of factors, including:

 

  epidemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic;
     
  the operating entities’ ability to increase brand awareness and bakery product consumption in areas where they open stores;

 

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  the identification and availability of sites for store locations with the appropriate size, traffic patterns, local retail and business attractions, and infrastructure that will drive high levels of customer traffic and sales per unit;
     
  competition in existing and new markets, including competition for store sites;
     
  the negotiation of acceptable lease terms;
     
  the operating entities’ ability to obtain all required governmental permits on a timely basis;
     
  the operating entities’ ability to control construction and development costs of new stores;
     
  the maintenance of adequate distribution capacity, information systems, and other operational system capabilities;
     
  integrating new stores into the operating entities’ existing procurement, manufacturing, distribution, and other support operations;
     
  the hiring, training, and retention of store management and other qualified personnel;
     
  assimilating new store employees into the operating entities’ corporate culture;
     
  the effective management of inventory to meet the needs of the operating entities’ stores on a timely basis; and
     
  the availability of sufficient levels of cash flow and financing to support the operating entities’ expansion.

 

Unavailability of attractive store locations, delays in the acquisition or opening of new stores, delays or costs resulting from a decrease in commercial development due to capital constraints, difficulties in staffing and operating new store locations, or lack of customer acceptance of stores in new market areas may negatively impact the operating entities’ new store growth and the costs or the profitability associated with new stores.

 

Additionally, customer trends, preferences, and demand may vary significantly by region, and the operating entities’ experience in the markets in which they currently operate may not be applicable in other parts of the PRC and the U.S. As a result, the operating entities may not be able to leverage their experience to expand into other parts of the PRC and the U.S. When the operating entities enter new markets, they may face intense competition from companies with greater experience or an established presence in the targeted geographical areas or from other companies with similar expansion targets. In addition, the operating entities’ business model may not be successful in new and untested markets and markets with a different business environment. The operating entities may not be able to grow their revenue in the new cities they enter into, but they will incur substantial costs in connection with any such expansion. Consequently, we cannot assure you that the operating entities will achieve their planned growth or, even if the operating entities are able to grow their store base as planned, that any new stores will be profitable, which could have a material adverse effect on their results of operations.

 

The operating entities operate in a highly-competitive market and their failure to compete effectively could adversely affect our results of operations.

 

The market for bakery products is highly competitive. The current competitors of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores include international and domestic companies that produce and sell bakery products in Xinjiang and New York City, respectively, and their potential competitors include companies that produce and sell bakery products in other cities in the U.S. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores compete for customers primarily on the basis of the price and quality of their products, food safety, brand awareness and loyalty, responsiveness to customer demand and market trends, customer experience, the ability to accurately estimate sales quota and control inventory, production capacity, and operation and management of chain stores. They may not successfully compete with their existing competitors and new competitors may enter the market.

 

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In addition, we cannot predict the pricing or promotion actions of competitors of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores or their effect on customer perceptions or the success of advertising and promotional efforts by the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores. Competitors of the PRC Stores or the U.S. Stores may develop and launch products targeted to compete directly with their products and some of their competitors may have substantially greater financial, marketing, and other resources than they do. This creates competitive pressure that could cause the PRC Stores or the U.S. Stores to lose market share or require them to lower prices, increase advertising expenditures, or increase the use of discounting or promotional campaigns. These competitive factors may also restrict the ability of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores to increase prices, including in response to commodity and other cost increases. If the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores are unable to continue to respond effectively to these and other competitive pressure, their customers may purchase fewer of their products or may insist on prices that erode their margins. These or other developments could materially and adversely affect sales volumes and margins of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores and result in a decrease in their operating results, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

  

Our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread throughout the world, especially in China, the U.S., and Europe. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic—the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus. The pandemic has resulted in the implementation of significant governmental measures, including lockdowns, closures, quarantines, and travel bans, intended to control the spread of the virus. Both the Chinese and U.S. governments have ordered quarantines, travel restrictions, and the temporary closure of stores and facilities. Companies are also taking precautions, such as requiring employees to work remotely, imposing travel restrictions, and temporarily closing businesses.

 

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, all but one of the PRC Stores were temporarily closed between late January and early March of 2020. The PRC Stores resumed their normal activities on March 8, 2020. However, all the PRC Stores were closed again on July 17, 2020 due to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Xinjiang. The PRC Stores resumed their normal activities in September 2020. Due to the 2022 Outbreak, which resulted in the implementation of significant governmental measures, including lockdowns, closures, quarantines, and travel bans, the operations of the PRC Stores and the production in the PRC Stores’ central factory were affected starting from August 10, 2022 and all of the PRC Stores and the central factory were closed between October 5, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The PRC Stores and the central factory stared to reopen in early December 2022 and resumed their normal business activities on December 10, 2022. For measures taken by the PRC Stores during August and September 2022 to mitigate the adverse impact of COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns on their business, see “Prospectus Summary—Impact of COVID-19 on Our Operations and Financial Performance.”

 

In the U.S., Chanson 23rd Street in New York City provided only delivery and pickup services between the end of February 2020 and the end of June 2020, and resumed outdoor dining services at the end of June 2020 and limited indoor dining services at the end of September 2020. Chanson 23rd Street suspended its indoor dining services again between December 14, 2020 and February 11, 2021 according to an indoor dining ban issued by the Governor of New York State. In addition, the renovation of Chanson Greenwich was delayed and the store opened in December 2021. Chanson 23rd Street resumed its indoor dining services on February 12, 2021 at 25 percent capacity, which was increased to 35 percent on February 26, 2021 and further increased to 50 percent and 75 percent on March 19, 2021 and May 7, 2021, respectively. Starting from May 19, 2021, Chanson 23rd Street has been allowed to provide indoor dining services at full capacity, provided that either diners are seated at least six feet apart or tables are separated by physical barriers. The six-feet rule was later lifted for fully vaccinated people and eventually for all people. As of the date of this prospectus, the U.S. Stores are providing indoor dining services at their full capacity.

 

See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—COVID-19 Affecting Our Results of Operations.” Consequently, the COVID-19 pandemic has materially adversely affected our business operations and condition and operating results for 2021 and 2020, including but not limited to material negative impact on our total revenue and net income.

 

The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic impacts our results of operations in 2023 will depend on the future developments of the outbreak, including new information concerning the global severity of and actions taken to contain the outbreak, or the appearance of new or more severe strains of the virus, which are highly uncertain and unpredictable.

 

Sales of the operating entities’ products are subject to changing customer preferences. If the operating entities do not correctly anticipate such changes, their sales and profitability may decline.

 

There are a number of trends in customer preferences which have an impact on the operating entities and the bakery industry as a whole. These include, among others, preferences for ready-to-eat, natural, and healthy products. Concerns as to the health impacts and nutritional value of certain bakery products may increasingly result in bakery product manufacturers being encouraged or required to produce products with reduced levels of salt, sugar, and fat and to eliminate trans-fatty acids and certain other ingredients. Customer preferences are also shaped by concern over the environmental impact of products. The success of the operating entities’ business depends on both the continued appeal of their products and, given the varied backgrounds and tastes of their customer base, their ability to offer a sufficient range of products to satisfy a broad spectrum of preferences. Any shift in customer preferences in the markets in which the operating entities operate could have a material adverse effect on their business. Customer tastes are also susceptible to change. The operating entities’ competitiveness therefore depends on their ability to predict and quickly adapt to customer trends, exploiting profitable opportunities for product development without alienating their existing customer base or focusing excessive resources or attention on unprofitable or short-lived trends. If the operating entities are unable to respond on a timely and appropriate basis to changes in demand or customer preferences, their sales volumes and margins could be adversely affected.

 

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The operating entities’ future results and competitive position depend on the successful development of new products and improvement of existing products, which are subject to a number of difficulties and uncertainties. 

 

The operating entities’ future results and ability to maintain or improve their competitive position depend on their capacity to anticipate changes in their key markets and to identify, develop, manufacture, market, and sell new or improved products in these changing markets successfully. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores aim to introduce new products and re-launch and extend existing product lines on a timely basis in order to counteract obsolescence and decreases in sales of existing products as well as to increase overall sales of their products. The launch and success of new or modified products are inherently uncertain, especially as to the products’ appeal to customers, and there can be no assurance as to the continuing ability of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores to develop and launch successful new products or variations of existing products. The failure to launch a product successfully can give rise to inventory write-offs and other costs and can affect customer perception of their other products. Market factors and the need to develop and provide modified or alternative products may also increase costs. In addition, launching new or modified products can result in cannibalization of sales of the existing products of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores if customers purchase the new product in place of their existing products. If the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores are unsuccessful in developing new products in response to changing customer demand or preferences in an efficient and economical manner, or if their competitors respond more effectively than they do, demand for their products may decrease, which could materially and adversely affect their business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

The operating entities’ inability to source raw materials or other inputs of an acceptable type or quality could adversely affect their results of operations.

 

The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores use significant quantities of food ingredients and packaging materials and are therefore vulnerable to fluctuations in the availability and prices of food ingredients, packaging materials, energy, and other supplies. In particular, raw materials such as milk, butter, eggs, flour, and sugar have historically represented a significant portion of their cost of revenue, and accordingly, adverse changes in raw material prices will impact their results of operations.

 

Specifically, the availability and the prices of milk, eggs, and other agricultural commodities can be volatile. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores are also affected by the availability of quality raw materials. General economic conditions, unanticipated demand, problems in manufacturing or distribution, natural disasters, weather conditions during the growing and harvesting seasons, plant and livestock diseases, and local, national, or international quarantines can also adversely affect availability and prices of commodities in the long and short term.

 

While the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores attempt to negotiate fixed prices for certain materials with their suppliers for periods up to a full year, most of their contracts with suppliers do not have fix prices, therefore they cannot guarantee that they will be successful in managing input costs if prices increase for extended periods of time. Moreover, there is no market for hedging against price volatility for certain raw materials and accordingly such materials are bought at the spot rate in the market.

 

The ability of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores to avoid the adverse effects of a pronounced and sustained price increase in raw materials is limited. Any increases in prices or scarcity of ingredients or packaging materials required for their products could increase their costs and disrupt their operations. If the availability of any of their inputs is constrained for any reason, they may not be able to obtain sufficient supplies or supplies of a suitable quality on favorable terms or at all. Such shortages could materially and adversely affect our market share, business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

The inability of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores to pass on price increases for materials or other inputs to their customers could adversely affect our results of operations.

 

The ability of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores to pass through increases in the prices of raw materials to their customers depends, among others, on prevailing competitive conditions and pricing methods in the markets in which they operate, and they may not be able to pass through such price increases to their customers. Even if they are able to pass through increases in prices, there is typically a time lag between cost increases impacting their business and implementation of product price increases, during which time their gross margin may be negatively impacted. During the adjustments of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores to increase their prices to recover cost increases, customers may take actions which exacerbate the impact of such cost increases, for example, by ceasing to purchase their products or deferring orders until adjustments have ended. The inability of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores to pass through price increases in raw materials and preserve their profit margins in the future could materially and adversely affect their business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

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The operating entities rely on their central factory and a limited number of third-party producers and suppliers. Any interruption in operations at the central factory or in such third-party producers or suppliers could prevent or limit their ability to meet demand for or fulfill orders of the operating entities’ products.

 

The PRC Stores operate a central factory located in Urumqi, which produces all of the packaged bakery products, and the semi-finished products for birthday cakes and made-in-store pastries for the PRC Stores. Any significant disruption at the central factory for any reason, including regulatory requirements, the loss of certifications or approvals, technical difficulties, labor disputes, power interruptions or other infrastructure failures, fires, earthquakes, or other force of nature, or terrorist attacks, could disrupt the supply of the products of the PRC Stores and significantly harm their results of operations and financial performance.

 

In addition, the Premises Use Agreement for the PRC Stores’ central factory expires in 2031, and the PRC Stores may be unable to renew this agreement or find a new facility on commercially reasonable terms. If the PRC Stores were unable or unwilling to renew at the proposed rates, relocating their manufacturing facility would involve significant expenses in connection with the movement and installation of key manufacturing equipment and any necessary recertification with regulatory bodies, and we cannot assure you that such a move would not delay or otherwise adversely affect the PRC Stores’ manufacturing activities or operating results. If the PRC Stores’ manufacturing capabilities were impaired by their move, the PRC Stores may not be able to manufacture and ship their products in a timely manner, which would adversely impact their business.

 

The PRC Stores also depend upon a limited number of third-party producers to produce all of the seasonal products. During the six months ended June 30, 2022 and the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the four largest third-party suppliers of the PRC Stores represented approximately 35%, 45%, and 59% of raw material purchases of the PRC Stores, respectively, and the three largest third-party suppliers of the U.S. Stores represented approximately 67%, 49%, and 62% of raw material purchases of the U.S. Stores, respectively. These third-party producers and suppliers are run by independent entities that are subject to their own unique operational and financial risks, which are out of the control of the PRC Stores or the U.S. Stores. Certain contracts of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores with key suppliers, such as for the raw materials they used in their products, can be terminated by the supplier upon giving notice within a certain period. If any of these producers or suppliers breach or terminate their contracts with the PRC Stores or the U.S. Stores or experience significant disruptions of their operations, the PRC Stores or the U.S. Stores will be required to find and enter into arrangements with one or more replacement producers or suppliers. Finding alternative producers could involve significant delays and other costs and these producers may not be available to the PRC Stores or the U.S. Stores on reasonable terms or at all. Any disruption of producing or packaging could delay delivery of their products, which could harm their business and financial results and result in lost or deferred revenue.

 

The operating entities’ geographic focus makes them particularly vulnerable to economic and other events and trends in Xinjiang and New York City.

 

The current operations of our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs are geographically limited to three cities in Xinjiang, and 30 of the 33 PRC Stores are located in Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang. We derived 95%, 90%, and 75% of our revenue from stores in Urumqi in the six months ended June 30, 2022 and the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. In addition, the U.S. Stores’ current operations are limited to New York City. The operating entities’ future growth will depend on the growth and stability of the economy of Xinjiang, especially in Urumqi, and New York City. An economic downturn of Xinjiang or New York City, governmental measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, or the implementation of provincial or local policies unfavorable to bakery industry may cause a decrease in the demand for the operating entities’ products and could have a negative impact on their profitability and business.

 

The complex ethnic composition of Xinjiang has given rise to ethnic and other tensions both in Urumqi and elsewhere in Xinjiang. Events such as terrorist and ethnic extremist attacks as well as riots and the resulting political instability, economy suspension, and concerns over safety in Xinjiang could have a significant adverse impact on the PRC Stores’ business, financial condition, and results of operation.

 

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The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores are currently operating in a period of economic uncertainty and capital markets disruption, which has been significantly impacted by geopolitical instability due to the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Their business, financial condition, and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected by any negative impact on the global economy and capital markets resulting from the conflict in Ukraine or any other geopolitical tensions.

 

The U.S. and global markets are experiencing volatility and disruption following the escalation of geopolitical tensions and the start of the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. On February 24, 2022, a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops was reported, which has since caused significant volatility in commodity prices, credit and capital markets, as well as supply chain interruptions.

 

The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores do not have any operations outside of mainland China and the U.S. nor any business relationships, connections to, or assets in, Russia, Belarus, or Ukraine. Although the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine has not had a material impact on the PRC Stores, the business, financial condition, and results of operations of the U.S. Stores have been, and could continue to be, indirectly and adversely affected. Such impact arises from: (i) volatility in the global supply of wheat, corn, barley, sunflower oil, and other agricultural commodities; (ii) higher food prices due to supply constraints and the general inflationary impact of the war; (iii) increases in energy prices globally, in particular for electricity and fossil fuels, such as crude oil and natural gas, and related transportation, freight, and warehousing costs; and (iv) disruptions to logistics and supply chains. If the price of the products and services of the U.S. Stores increases at a rate that is either unaffordable to their customers or insufficient to compensate for the rise in their costs and expenses, their business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, Russian military actions and the resulting sanctions could adversely affect the global economy and financial markets and lead to increased instability and lack of liquidity in capital markets, potentially making it more difficult for us to obtain additional funds.

 

The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions, and resulting market and supply chain disruptions are highly unpredictable but could be substantial. Any such disruptions may also magnify the impact of other risks described in this prospectus.

 

Failure to maintain or enhance the operating entities’ brands or image could have a material adverse effect on their business and results of operations.

 

We believe the operating entities’ “George●Chanson,” “Patisserie ChansonTM,” and “Chanson” brands are well-recognized among their customers and other food industry players such as other bakery product manufacturers and bakery chain stores in the local markets the operating entities operate in. The operating entities’ brands are integral to their sales and marketing efforts. The operating entities’ continued success in maintaining and enhancing their brands and image depends to a large extent on their ability to satisfy customer needs by further developing and maintaining the quality of their products, as well as their ability to respond to competitive pressures. If the operating entities are unable to satisfy customer needs or if their public image or reputation were otherwise diminished, their business transactions with their customers may decline, which could in turn adversely affect their results of operations.

 

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Health concerns or adverse developments with respect to the safety or quality of products of the food industry in general or the operating entities’ products specifically may damage their reputation, increase their costs of operations, and decrease demand for their products.

 

Food safety and the public’s perception that the operating entities’ products are safe and healthy are essential to their image and business. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores sell food products for human consumption, which subjects them to safety risks such as product contamination, spoilage, misbranding, or product tampering. Product contamination, including the presence of a foreign object, substance, chemical, or other agent or residue or the introduction of a genetically modified organism, could require product withdrawals or recalls or the destruction of inventory, and could result in negative publicity, temporary plant closures, and substantial costs of compliance or remediation. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores may also be impacted by publicity concerning any assertion that their products caused illness or injury. In addition, they could be subject to claims or lawsuits relating to an actual or alleged illness stemming from product contamination or any other incidents that compromise the safety and quality of their products. Any significant lawsuit or widespread product recall or other events leading to the loss of customer confidence in the safety and quality of the operating entities’ products could damage their brand, reputation, and image and negatively impact their sales, profitability, and prospects for growth. In addition, product recalls are difficult to foresee and prepare for and, in the event that the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores are required to recall one or more of their products, such recall may result in loss of sales due to unavailability of their products and may take up a significant amount of their management’s time and attention. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores maintain systems designed to monitor food safety risks and carefully select their third-party producers and suppliers. These efforts, however, might not be successful and such risks might materialize. In addition, although the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores attempt, through contractual relationships and regular inspections, to control the risk of contamination caused by third parties in relation to the manufacturing processes they outsource, their efforts might not be successful and contamination of their products by third parties might materialize.

 

The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores are also subject to further risks affecting the food industry generally, including risks posed by widespread contamination and evolving nutritional and health-related concerns. Regulatory authorities may limit the supply of certain types of food products in response to public health concerns and customers may perceive certain products to be unsafe or unhealthy. As a result, the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores or their suppliers would be required to find alternative supplies or ingredients that may or may not be available at commercially reasonable prices and within the required time. In addition, governmental regulations may require them to identify replacement products to offer to their customers or, alternatively, to discontinue certain offerings or limit the range of products they offer. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores may be unable to find substitutes that are as appealing to their customer base, or such substitutes may not be widely available or may be available only at increased costs. Such substitutions or limitations could also reduce demand for their products.

 

The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores could also be subject to claims or lawsuits relating to an actual or alleged illness or injury or death stemming from the consumption of a misbranded, altered, contaminated, or spoiled product, which could negatively affect their business. Awards of damages, settlement amounts, and fees and expenses resulting from such claims and the public relations implications of any such claims could have an adverse effect on their business. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores do not currently have insurance to cover claims for damages, and if they choose to purchase such insurance, the availability and price of insurance to cover claims for damages are subject to market forces that they do not control, and such insurance may not cover all the costs of such claims and would not cover damage to their reputation. Even if product liability claims against them are not successful or fully pursued, these claims could be costly and time consuming and divert our management’s time and resources towards defending them rather than operating our business. In addition, any adverse publicity concerning such claims, even if unfounded, could cause customers to lose confidence in the safety and quality of the operating entities’ products and damage their reputation and brand image.

 

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The operating entities could incur material costs to address violations of, or liabilities under, health, safety, and environmental regulations.

 

The operating entities’ facilities and operations in the PRC are subject to numerous health, safety, and environmental regulations, including local and national laws governing, among other things, water supply and use, water discharges, air emissions, chemical safety, clean-up of contamination, energy use, noise pollution, and workplace health and safety. Health, safety, and environmental legislation in the PRC have generally become more comprehensive and restrictive and more rigid over time and enforcement has become more stringent. Failure to comply with applicable requirements, or the terms of required permits, can result in penalties or fines, clean-up costs, third-party property damage, and personal injury claims, which could have a material adverse effect on the operating entities’ brand, business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, if health, safety, and environmental laws and regulations in the PRC and the other countries in which the operating entities operate or from which they source raw materials and ingredients become more stringent in the future, the extent and timing of investments required to maintain compliance may exceed their budgets or estimates and may limit the availability of funding for other investments.

 

Furthermore, under some environmental laws, the operating entities could be liable for costs incurred in investigating or remediating contamination at properties they own or occupy, even if the contamination was caused by a party unrelated to them or was not caused by them, and even if the activity which caused the contamination was legal at the time it occurred. The discovery of previously unknown contamination, or the imposition of new or more burdensome obligations to investigate or remediate contamination at the operating entities’ properties or at third-party sites, could result in substantial unanticipated costs which could have a material adverse effect on their business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

The U.S. Stores and any future stores we may open in the U.S. are subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations concerning waste disposal, pollution, protection of the environment, and the presence, discharge, storage, handling, release, and disposal of, and exposure to, hazardous or toxic substances. These environmental laws provide for significant fines and penalties for noncompliance and liabilities for remediation, sometimes without regard to whether the owner or operator of the property knew of, or was responsible for, the release or presence of hazardous toxic substances. Third parties may also make claims against owners or operators of properties for personal injuries and property damage associated with releases of, or actual or alleged exposure to, such hazardous or toxic substances at, on or from our stores. Environmental conditions relating to releases of hazardous substances at prior, existing, or future store sites could materially adversely affect the U.S. Stores’ business, financial condition, or results of operations. Further, environmental laws, and the administration, interpretation, and enforcement thereof, are subject to change and may become more stringent in the future, each of which could materially adversely affect the U.S. Stores’ business, financial condition, or results of operations.

 

Increased distribution costs or disruption of product transportation could adversely affect the operating entities’ business and financial results.

 

Distribution costs have historically fluctuated significantly over time, particularly in connection with oil prices, and increases in such costs could result in reduced profits. In addition, certain factors affecting distribution costs are controlled by third-party carriers. To the extent that the market price for fuel or freight or the number or availability of carriers fluctuates, the operating entities’ distribution costs could be affected. In addition, temporary or long-term disruption of product transportation due to weather-related problems, strikes, lockouts, or other events could impair the operating entities’ ability to supply products affordably and in a timely manner or at all. Failure to deliver the operating entities’ perishable food products promptly could also result in inventory spoilage and the inability to satisfy the demand of their customers at their stores. Any increases in the cost of transportation, and any disruption in transportation, could have a material adverse effect on the operating entities’ business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

Failure to obtain and maintain required licenses and permits or to comply with alcoholic beverage or food control regulations could lead to the loss of the U.S. Stores’ liquor and food service licenses and, thereby, harm their business, financial condition, or results of operations.

 

The food retail industry is subject to various federal, state, and local government regulations, including those relating to the sale of food and alcoholic beverages. Such regulations are subject to change from time to time. The failure to obtain and maintain licenses, permits, and approvals relating to such regulations could adversely affect the business, financial condition, or results of operations of the U.S. Stores. Typically, licenses must be renewed annually and may be revoked, suspended, or denied renewal for cause at any time if governmental authorities determine that the U.S. Stores’ conduct violates applicable regulations. Difficulties or failure to maintain or obtain the required licenses and approvals could adversely affect the U.S. Stores and delay or result in their decision to cancel the opening of new stores, which would adversely affect their business, financial condition, or results of operations.

 

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Alcoholic beverage control regulations generally require the U.S. Stores to apply to a state authority and, in certain locations, county, or municipal authorities for a license that must be renewed annually and may be revoked or suspended for cause at any time. Alcoholic beverage control regulations relate to numerous aspects of daily operations of the U.S. Stores, including minimum age of patrons and employees, hours of operation, advertising, trade practices, wholesale purchasing, other relationships with alcohol manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors, inventory control, and handling, storage, and dispensing of alcoholic beverages. Any future failure to comply with these regulations and obtain or retain liquor licenses could adversely affect the business, financial condition, or results of operations of the U.S. Stores.

 

Any disruption of our information technology system would harm the operating entities’ business and reduce their profitability.

 

The operating entities rely on their information technology systems, in particular the Enterprise Resource Planning management information system (the “ERP System”) in the PRC Stores, for various services related to inventory management, production, product transportation, point of sales, and accounting and financial management. The operating entities’ performance depends on the availability of accurate and timely data and other information from key software applications to aid day-to-day business and decision-making processes. The operating entities may be adversely affected if their controls designed to manage information technology operational risks fail to contain such risks. If the operating entities do not allocate and effectively manage the resources necessary to build and sustain the proper technology infrastructure and to maintain the related automated and manual control processes, they could be subject to adverse effects including billing and collection errors, business disruptions, in particular concerning their manufacturing and logistics functions, and security breaches. Any disruption caused by failings in their information technology infrastructure equipment or of communication networks, could delay or otherwise impact their day-to-day business and decision-making processes and negatively impact their performance. In addition, the operating entities are reliant on third parties to service parts of their IT infrastructure. Failure on their part to provide good and timely service may have an adverse impact on the operating entities’ information technology network. Furthermore, the operating entities do not control the facilities or operations of their suppliers. An interruption of operations at any of their facilities or any failure by them to deliver on their contractual commitments may have an adverse effect on the operating entities’ business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

Data security breaches and attempts thereof could negatively affect the operating entities’ reputation, credibility, and business.

 

The operating entities collect and store personal information relating to their customers and employees, including their personally identifiable information, and rely on third parties for the various social media tools and websites the operating entities use as part of their marketing strategy. Customers are increasingly concerned over the security of personal information transmitted over the Internet (or through other mechanisms), consumer identity theft, and user privacy. Any perceived, attempted, or actual unauthorized disclosure of personally identifiable information regarding the operating entities’ employees, customers, or website visitors could harm their reputation and credibility, reduce their e-commerce sales, impair their ability to attract website visitors, reduce their ability to attract and retain customers, and could result in litigation against the operating entities or the imposition of significant fines or penalties. We cannot assure you that any of the operating entities’ third-party service providers with access to such personally identifiable information will maintain policies and practices regarding data privacy and security in compliance with all applicable laws, or that they will not experience data security breaches or attempts thereof which could have a corresponding adverse effect on the operating entities’ business.

 

Recently, data security breaches suffered by well-known companies and institutions have attracted a substantial amount of media attention, prompting new foreign, national, provincial or state, and local laws and legislative proposals addressing data privacy and security, as well as increased data protection obligations imposed on merchants by credit card issuers. As a result, the operating entities may become subject to more extensive requirements to protect the customer information that they process in connection with the purchase of their products, resulting in increased compliance costs.

 

A breach of security of confidential customer information related to the U.S. Stores’ electronic processing of credit and debit card transactions could substantially affect its reputation, business, financial condition, and results of operations.

  

A significant portion of the sales in the U.S. Stores are by credit or debit cards. Other retailers have experienced security breaches in which credit and debit card information has been stolen. The U.S. Stores may in the future become subject to claims for purportedly fraudulent transactions arising out of the actual or alleged theft of credit or debit card information, and the U.S. Stores may also be subject to lawsuits or other proceedings relating to these types of incidents. The U.S. Stores may ultimately be held liable for the unauthorized use of a cardholder’s card number in an illegal activity and be required by card issuers to pay charge-back fees. In addition, most states have enacted legislation requiring notification of security breaches involving personal information, including credit and debit card information. Any such claim or proceeding could cause the U.S. Stores to incur significant unplanned expenses, which could have an adverse impact on its business, financial condition, or results of operations. Further, adverse publicity resulting from these allegations may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. Stores and could substantially affect its reputation and business, financial condition, or results of operations.

 

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Governmental regulation may adversely affect the operating entities’ ability to open new stores in the U.S. or otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

 

The U.S. Stores and any store or stores the operating entities may open in the U.S. are subject to state and local licensing and regulation by health, alcoholic beverage, sanitation, food and occupational safety, and other agencies. The operating entities may experience material difficulties or failures in obtaining the necessary licenses, approvals, or permits for each store, which could delay store openings in the future or affect the operations in the U.S. In addition, stringent and varied requirements of local regulators with respect to zoning, land use, and environmental factors could delay or prevent development of new stores in particular locations.

 

Our subsidiaries in the U.S. are subject to the U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act and similar state laws that give civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities in the context of employment, public accommodations and other areas, including the U.S. Stores. The operating entities may in the future have to modify their stores, for example, by adding access ramps or redesigning certain architectural fixtures, to provide service to or make reasonable accommodations for disabled persons. The expenses associated with these modifications could be material.

 

The operations of the U.S. Stores and any store or stores the operating entities may open in the U.S. are also subject to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Act, which governs worker health and safety, the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act, which governs such matters as minimum wages and overtime, and a variety of similar federal, state, and local laws that govern these and other employment law matters. In addition, federal, state, and local proposals related to paid sick leave or similar matters could, if implemented, materially adversely affect the operating entities’ business, financial condition, or results of operations.

 

Disclosure of the operating entities’ recipes and other proprietary information, or a failure to adequately protect these, could result in increased competition and have a material adverse effect on their business and financial results.

 

Our ability to compete effectively depends in part on the operating entities’ ability to obtain, maintain, and protect their proprietary information. Our operating entities rely on trade secret laws and practices, including physical security, limited dissemination and access, and confidentiality agreements with their employees, consultants, business partners, and others, to protect their recipes, proprietary processes, and other proprietary information. However, trade secrets are difficult to protect, and courts outside the jurisdictions in which the operating entities operate may be less willing to protect their trade secrets. The operating entities’ protective measures might not effectively prevent disclosure or unauthorized use of proprietary information or provide an adequate remedy in the event of misappropriation, infringement, or other violations of their proprietary information.

  

Existing laws afford only limited protection for the operating entities’ proprietary rights. Despite their efforts, the operating entities may not be able to protect some of their proprietary information, or the protection that they receive may not be sufficient. The operating entities face additional risks that their protective measures could prove to be inadequate, including:

 

  the steps they take to prevent circumvention, misappropriation, or infringement of our proprietary rights may not be successful;
     
  confidentiality agreements may be intentionally or unintentionally breached, be deemed unenforceable, or not provide adequate recourse against the disclosing party;
     
  intellectual property laws may not sufficiently support their proprietary rights or may change in the future in a manner adverse to them; and
     
  effective protection of intellectual property rights may be unavailable or limited in some countries in which they operate or plan to do business.

 

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From time to time, the operating entities may seek to enforce their proprietary rights against third parties. Policing unauthorized use of proprietary information can be difficult and expensive. The operating entities may not be successful in their attempts to enforce their proprietary rights against third parties. Any such litigation may result in substantial diversion of financial and management resources and, if decided unfavorably to the operating entities, could have a material adverse effect on their business and financial results.

 

The operating entities are subject to the risks associated with leasing a substantial amount of space and are required to make substantial lease payments under their operating leases. Any failure to make these lease payments when due would likely harm their business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

The operating entities do not own any real estate. Instead, our subsidiaries and the VIEs lease all of their store locations and their corporate office and central factory in Urumqi and New York City. Many of their lease agreements have defined escalating rent provisions over the initial term and any extensions. As the operating entities’ stores mature and as the operating entities expand their store base, their lease expenses and their cash outlays for rent under their lease agreements will increase. Their substantial operating lease obligations could have significant negative consequences, including:

 

  requiring that an increased portion of their cash from operations and available cash be applied to pay their lease obligations, thus reducing liquidity available for other purposes;
     
  increasing their vulnerability to adverse general economic and industry conditions;
     
  limiting their flexibility to plan for or react to changes in their business or in the industry in which they compete; and
     
  limiting their ability to obtain additional financing.

 

If an existing or future store is not profitable, and the operating entities decide to close it, they may nonetheless remain committed to perform their obligations under the applicable lease including, among other things, paying the base rent for the balance of the lease term. Moreover, even if a lease has an early cancellation clause, the operating entities may not satisfy the contractual requirements for early cancellation under that lease.

 

The operating entities depend on cash flow from operations to pay their lease expenses, finance their growth capital requirements, and fulfill their other cash needs. If the operating entities’ business does not generate sufficient cash flow from operating activities to fund these requirements, they may not be able to achieve their growth plans, fund their other liquidity and capital needs, or ultimately service their lease expenses, which would harm their business.

 

Unexpected termination of leases, failure to renew the leases of the operating entities’ existing premises, or failure to renew such leases at acceptable terms could materially and adversely affect their business.

 

Our subsidiaries and the VIEs lease the premises for all of their stores and their corporate office and central factory. As a result, the operating entities may be subject to compulsory acquisition, closure, or demolition of any of the properties on which their stores are situated. Although the operating entities may receive liquidated damages or compensation if their leases are terminated unexpectedly, they may be forced to suspend operations of the relevant store and divert management attention, time, and costs to find a new site and relocate their store, which will negatively affect their business and results of operations.

 

Our subsidiaries and the VIEs enter into leases of approximately one to 15 years with an option to renew for their stores. Rent for their leases is typically fixed amounts and subject to annual or biennially incremental increases as stipulated in the lease agreements. We cannot assure you that the operating entities would be able to renew the relevant lease agreements without substantial additional cost or increase in the rental cost payable by them. If a lease agreement is renewed at a rent substantially higher than the current rate, or currently existing favorable terms granted by the lessor are not extended, the operating entities’ business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. If the operating entities are unable to renew the leases for their store sites, they will have to close or relocate the store, which could subject them to decoration and other costs and risks, and loss of existing customers, and could have a material adverse effect on their business and results of operations. In addition, the relocated store may not perform as well as the existing store.

 

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If the operating entities cannot manage their growth effectively and efficiently, their results of operations or profitability could be adversely affected.

 

Our revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2022 increased by 26.7% to $8,543,803 from $6,742,121 for the six months ended June 30, 2021. Our revenue for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 increased by 42.4% to $14,690,295 from $10,313,512 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. We intend to continue to expand our business by opening new stores. This expansion has placed, and will continue to place, substantial demands on the operating entities’ managerial, operational, technological, and other types of resources. The operating entities’ planned expansion will also place significant demands on them to maintain the quality of their product and customer services to ensure that their brand does not suffer as a result of any deviations, whether actual or perceived, in the quality of their product and customer services. In order to manage and support their growth, the operating entities must continue to improve their existing operational, administrative, and technological systems and their financial and management controls, and recruit, train, and retain additional qualified bakery industry professionals as well as other administrative and sales and marketing personnel, particularly as they expand into new markets and launch new business initiatives. The operating entities may not be able to effectively and efficiently manage the growth of their operations, recruit and retain qualified personnel, and integrate new expansion into their operations. As a result, their quality of service may deteriorate and their results of operations or profitability could be adversely affected.

 

Any decrease in customer traffic in the shopping malls or other locations in which the operating entities’ stores are located could cause their sales to be less than expected.

 

The operating entities’ stores are located in shopping malls, other shopping centers, and busy street locations. Sales at these stores are derived, to a significant degree, from the volume of customer traffic in those locations and in the surrounding area. The operating entities’ stores benefit from the current popularity of shopping malls and centers as shopping destinations and their ability to generate customer traffic in the vicinity of these stores. The operating entities’ sales volume and customer traffic may be adversely affected by, among other things:

 

  economic downturns in Xinjiang or New York City;
     
  high fuel prices;
     
  changes in customer demographics;
     
  a decrease in popularity of shopping malls or centers in which a significant number of their stores are located;
     
  epidemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and measures imposed by governments or shopping malls in response to such epidemics, including limiting the number of customers in shopping malls;
     
  the closing of the “anchor” store of a shopping mall or center or the stores of other key tenants; or
     
  a deterioration in the financial condition of shopping mall and center operators or developers which could, for example, limit their ability to maintain and improve their facilities.

 

A reduction in customer traffic as a result of these or any other factors could have a material adverse effect on the operating entities.

 

In addition, severe weather conditions and other catastrophic occurrences in areas in which the operating entities have stores may have a material adverse effect on their results of operations. Such conditions may result in physical damage to the operating entities’ stores, loss of inventory, decreases in customer traffic, and closure of one or more of their stores. Any of these factors may disrupt the operating entities’ business and have a material adverse effect on their financial condition and results of operations.

 

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If the operating entities are unable to attract, train, assimilate, and retain employees that embody their culture, including store personnel, store and district managers, senior managers, and technicians, they may not be able to grow or successfully operate their business.

 

The operating entities’ success depends in part upon their ability to attract, train, assimilate, and retain a sufficient number of employees, including store personnel, store managers, and district managers, who understand and appreciate their culture and are able to represent their brand effectively and establish credibility with their customers. If the operating entities are unable to hire and retain store personnel capable of consistently providing a high level of customer service, as demonstrated by their enthusiasm for the operating entities’ culture, understanding of their customers, and knowledge of the bakery and other products the operating entities offer, the operating entities’ ability to open new stores may be impaired, the performance of their existing and new stores could be materially adversely affected, and their brand image may be negatively impacted. In addition, the rate of employee turnover in the bakery industry is typically high and finding qualified candidates to fill positions may be difficult. The operating entities’ planned growth will require them to attract, train, and assimilate even more personnel. Any failure to meet their staffing needs or any material increases in team member turnover rates could have a material adverse effect on their business or results of operations.

  

We place substantial reliance on the bakery industry experience and knowledge of our senior management team as well as their relationships with other industry participants. Mr. Gang Li, our Chairman, and Ms. Jihong Cai, our chief financial officer, are particularly important to our future success due to their substantial experience and reputation in the bakery markets. We do not carry, and do not intend to procure, key person insurance on any of our senior management team. The loss of the services of one or more members of our senior management team due to their departure, or otherwise, could hinder our ability to effectively manage our business and implement our growth strategies. Finding suitable replacements for our current senior management could be difficult, and competition for such personnel of similar experience is intense. If we fail to retain our senior management, our business and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

 

The market for technicians and other individuals with the required technical expertise to succeed in the operating entities’ business is highly competitive. There may be a limited supply of qualified individuals in some of the cities in the PRC where the operating entities have operations and other cities into which they intend to expand. The operating entities must hire and train qualified technicians and other employees on a timely basis to keep pace with their rapid growth while maintaining consistent quality of products across their operations in various geographic locations. The operating entities must also provide continuous training to their technicians and other employees so that these employees are equipped with up-to-date knowledge of various aspects of their operations and can meet their demand for high-quality products. If the operating entities fail to do so, the quality of their products may decrease in one or more of the markets where they operate, which in turn, may cause a negative perception of their brand and adversely affect their business.

 

Failure to maintain the quality of customer services could harm the operating entities’ reputation and their ability to retain existing customers and attract new customers, which may materially and adversely affect their business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

The operating entities’ business is significantly affected by the overall size of their customer base, which in turn is determined by, among other factors, these customers’ experience with their customer services. As such, the quality of customer services is critical to retaining their existing customers and attracting new customers. If the operating entities fail to provide quality customers services, their customers may be less inclined to visit the operating entities’ stores and purchase their products or recommend these stores to new customers, and may switch to the operating entities’ competitors. Failure to maintain the quality of customer services could harm the operating entities’ reputation and may materially and adversely affect their business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

The ongoing need for renovations and other capital improvements at the operating entities’ stores could have a material adverse effect on the operating entities, including their financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations.

 

To improve the in-store experience of our customers, the operating entities’ stores have an ongoing need for maintenance and renovations and other capital improvements, including replacements, from time to time, of furniture, fixtures, and equipment. These capital improvements may give rise to the following risks:

 

  possible environmental liabilities;
     
  construction cost overruns and delays;

 

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  the decline in revenue while stores are out of service due to capital improvement projects;
     
  a possible shortage of available cash to fund capital improvements and the related possibility that financing for these capital improvements may not be available to the operating entities on favorable terms, or at all;
     
  uncertainties as to market demand or a loss of market demand after capital improvements have begun; and
     
  bankruptcy or insolvency of a contracted party during a capital improvement project or other situation that renders them unable to complete their work.

 

The costs of all these capital improvements or any of the above noted factors could have a material adverse effect on the operating entities, including their financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations.

 

Future acquisitions may have an adverse effect on the operating entities’ ability to manage our business.

 

The operating entities may acquire businesses, technologies, services, or products which are complementary to their core bakery product manufacturing and retail business. Future acquisitions may expose the operating entities to potential risks, including risks associated with the integration of new operations, services, and personnel, unforeseen or hidden liabilities, the diversion of resources from the operating entities’ existing business and technology, their potential inability to generate sufficient revenue to offset new costs, the expenses of acquisitions, or the potential loss of or harm to relationships with both employees and customers resulting from their integration of new businesses.

 

Any of the potential risks listed above could have a material adverse effect on the operating entities’ ability to manage their business, their revenue, and net income. The operating entities may need to raise additional debt funding or sell additional equity securities to make such acquisitions. The raising of additional debt funding by the operating entities , if required, would result in increased debt service obligations and could result in additional operating and financing covenants, or liens on their assets, that would restrict their operations. The sale of additional equity securities could result in additional dilution to our shareholders.

 

Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure

 

Our corporate structure, in particular the VIE Agreements, are subject to significant risks, as set forth in the following risk factors.

 

The VIE Agreements with the UFG Entities and the UFG Operators may not be effective in providing control over the UFG Entities.

 

A substantial part of our current revenue and net income is derived from the UFG Entities. We do not have an ownership interest in any of the UFG Entities. For accounting purposes, our wholly owned subsidiary directs the activities and receives the economic benefits of the VIEs through the VIE Agreements, which enable us to consolidate the financial results of the VIEs in our consolidated financial statements under U.S. GAAP. The VIE Agreements, however, may not be as effective in providing us with the necessary control over each UFG Entity and its operations. Any deficiency in the VIE Agreements may result in our loss of control over the management and operations of the UFG Entities, which will result in a significant loss in the value of an investment in our Company. We rely on contractual rights through the VIE Agreements to effect management of the UFG Entities, which exposes us to the risk of potential breach of contract by the UFG Operators. In addition, since our Chairman, Mr. Gang Li, and Ms. Hui Wang, the Marketing Director of Xinjiang United Family, prior to the closing of this offering, own 100% of the equity interests in 28 and one UFG Entities, respectively, it may be difficult for us to change our corporate structure if such UFG Operators refuse to cooperate with us.

 

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The VIE Agreements with the UFG Entities are governed by the laws of the PRC and we may have difficulty in enforcing any rights we may have under the VIE Agreements.

 

As the VIE Agreements are governed by PRC laws and provide for the resolution of disputes through arbitration in the PRC, they would be interpreted in accordance with PRC law and any disputes would be resolved in accordance with PRC legal procedures. Disputes arising from the VIE Agreements will be resolved through arbitration in the PRC, although these disputes do not include claims arising under the U.S. federal securities law and thus do not prevent you from pursuing claims under the U.S. federal securities law. The legal environment in the PRC is not as developed as in the U.S. As a result, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could further limit our ability to enforce the VIE Agreements, through arbitration, litigation, and other legal proceedings remain in the PRC, which could limit our ability to enforce the VIE Agreements, and we may not be deemed to have a controlling financial interest in, or be the primary beneficiary of, the VIEs for accounting purposes. Furthermore, these contracts may not be enforceable in the PRC if PRC government authorities or courts take a view that such contracts contravene PRC laws and regulations or are otherwise not enforceable for public policy reasons. In the event we are unable to enforce the VIE Agreements, we may not be able to exert effective control over the UFG Entities for accounting purposes, and our ability to conduct our business may be materially and adversely affected.

 

If the PRC government determines that the contractual arrangements constituting part of the VIE structure do not comply with PRC regulations, or if these regulations change or are interpreted differently in the future, we may be unable to assert our contractual rights over the assets of the VIEs, and our Class A Ordinary Shares may decline in value or become worthless.

 

Recently, the PRC government adopted a series of regulatory actions and issued statements to regulate business operations in China, including those related to VIEs. There are currently no relevant laws or regulations in the PRC that prohibit companies whose entity interests are within the PRC from listing on overseas stock exchanges. The VIE Agreements have not been tested in a court of law in China as of the date of this prospectus. Although we believe that our corporate structure and contractual arrangements comply with current applicable PRC laws and regulations, in the event that PRC government determines that the contractual arrangements constituting part of the VIE structure do not comply with PRC regulations, or if these regulations change or are interpreted differently in the future, we may be unable to assert our contractual rights over the assets of the VIEs, and our Class A Ordinary Shares may decline in value or become worthless.

 

We may not be able to consolidate the financial results of some of our affiliated companies or such consolidation could materially adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

 

A substantial part of our business is conducted through the UFG Entities, which currently are considered for accounting purposes as VIEs, and we are considered the primary beneficiary, enabling us to consolidate our financial results in our consolidated financial statements. In the event that in the future a company we hold as a VIE would no longer meet the definition of a VIE, or we are deemed not to be the primary beneficiary, we would not be able to consolidate line by line that entity’s financial results in our consolidated financial statements for PRC purposes. Also, if in the future an affiliate company becomes a VIE and we become the primary beneficiary, we would be required to consolidate that entity’s financial results in our consolidated financial statements for PRC purposes. If such entity’s financial results were negative, this could have a corresponding negative impact on our operating results for PRC purposes. However, any material variations in the accounting principles, practices, and methods used in preparing financial statements for PRC purposes from the principles, practices, and methods generally accepted in the U.S. and in the SEC accounting regulations must be discussed, quantified, and reconciled in financial statements for the U.S. GAAP and SEC purposes.

 

The VIE Agreements between Xinjiang United Family and UFG may result in adverse tax consequences.

 

PRC laws and regulations emphasize the requirement of an arm’s length basis for transfer pricing arrangements between related parties. The laws and regulations also require enterprises with related party transactions to prepare transfer pricing documentation to demonstrate the basis for determining pricing, the computation methodology, and detailed explanations. Related party arrangements and transactions may be subject to challenge or tax inspection by the PRC tax authorizes.

 

Under a tax inspection, if our transfer pricing arrangements between Xinjiang United Family and UFG are judged as tax avoidance, or related documentation does not meet the requirements, Xinjiang United Family and UFG may be subject to material adverse tax consequences, such as transfer pricing adjustment. A transfer pricing adjustment could result in a reduction, for PRC tax purpose, of adjustments recorded by Xinjiang United Family, which could adversely affect us by (i) increasing UFG’s tax liabilities without reducing our subsidiaries’ tax liabilities, which could further result in interest being levied to us for unpaid taxes; or (ii) limiting the ability of our PRC companies to maintain preferential tax treatment and other financial incentives.

 

Our controlling shareholder has potential conflicts of interest with our Company which may adversely affect our business.

 

Mr. Gang Li is our controlling shareholder and Chairman. 28 of the UFG Entities are owned independently by Mr. Li. Given his significant interest in our Company, there is a risk that when conflicts of interest arise, Mr. Li will not act completely in the best interests of our shareholders (as opposed to his personal interest) or that conflicts of interests will be resolved in our favor. For example, he may determine that it is in UFG’s interests to sever the contractual arrangements with us, irrespective of the effect such action may have on us. Mr. Li has acted guarantor to certain loans of Xinjiang United Family, which may create conflicts of interest with our Company. In addition, he could violate his fiduciary duties by diverting business opportunities from us to others, thereby affecting the amount of payment UFG is obligated to remit to us under the consulting services agreements.

 

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Our board of directors will be comprised of a majority of independent directors. These independent directors may be in a position to deter and counteract the actions of our officers or non-independent directors (including, potentially, Mr. Li) that are against our interests. We cannot, however, give any assurance as to how the independent directors will act in any given circumstance. Further, if we or the independent directors cannot resolve any conflicts of interest between us and those of our officers and directors who are management members of our affiliated companies in the PRC, we would have to rely on legal proceedings, which could result in the disruption of our business.

 

In the event that you believe that your rights have been infringed under the securities laws or otherwise as a result of any one of the circumstances described above, it may be difficult or impossible for you to bring an action against us or our officers or directors who reside within the PRC. Even if you are successful in bringing an action, the PRC laws may render you unable to enforce a judgment against our assets and management, most of which are located in the PRC.

 

We rely on the approval certificates and business license held by UFG, and any deterioration of the relationship between Xinjiang United Family and UFG could materially and adversely affect our overall business operations.

  

Pursuant to the VIE Agreements, a substantial part of our business in the PRC will be undertaken on the basis of the approvals, certificates, business licenses, and other requisite licenses held by each UFG Entity. There is no assurance that each UFG Entity will be able to renew its licenses or certificates when their terms expire with substantially similar terms as the ones they currently hold.

 

Further, our relationship with each UFG Entity is governed by the VIE Agreements, which are intended to enable us, through our indirect ownership of Xinjiang United Family, to have a controlling financial interest in and be the primary beneficiary of each UFG Entity for accounting purposes. However, the VIE Agreements may not be effective in providing control over the applications for and maintenance of the licenses required for our business operations. Any UFG Entity could violate the VIE Agreements, go bankrupt, suffer from difficulties in its business, or otherwise become unable to perform its obligations under the VIE Agreements and, as a result, our operations, reputation, business and stock price could be severely harmed.

 

The exercise of our option to purchase part or all of the assets of any UFG Entity under the call option agreement might be subject to approval by the PRC government. Our failure to obtain this approval may impair our ability to substantially control the UFG Entities and could result in actions by the UFG Entities that conflict with our interests.

 

Our call option agreement with UFG gives Xinjiang United Family, the option to purchase all or part of the assets of UFG. However, the option may not be exercised if the exercise would violate any applicable laws and regulations in the PRC or cause any license or permit held by, and necessary for the operation of UFG, to be cancelled or invalidated. If we decide to exercise such a call option and PRC government approval is required and we do not, or cannot, obtain such approval, we may be unable to purchase the assets that are the subject of such call option.

  

Because we rely on the exclusive service agreement with each UFG Entity for our revenue, the termination of these agreements would severely and detrimentally affect our continuing business viability under our current corporate structure.

 

We are a holding company and during the six months ended June 30, 2022 and the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, approximately 44%, 86%, and 76% of our revenue was derived from the UFG Entities, respectively. As a result, we currently rely for our revenue on dividends payments from Xinjiang United Family after it receives payments from the UFG Entities pursuant to the exclusive service agreements. The term of the exclusive service agreement is 10 years, unless terminated earlier by Xinjiang United Family with a 30-day prior notice. UFG does not have the right to terminate that agreement unilaterally. The agreement would renew automatically by 10 years after expiration, with no limit on times of renewal. Because neither we nor our subsidiaries own equity interests of UFG, the termination of the exclusive service agreement would sever our ability to continue receiving payments from the UFG Entities under our current holding company structure. While we are currently not aware of any event or reason that may cause the exclusive service agreement to terminate, such an event or reason may occur in the future. In the event that the exclusive service agreements are terminated, this may have a severe and detrimental effect on our continuing business viability under our current corporate structure, which, in turn, may affect the value of your investment.

 

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Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC

 

Changes in China’s economic, political, or social conditions or government policies could have a material adverse effect on our business and operations.

 

Most of our assets are owned and most of our operations are conducted through our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs located in China. Accordingly, our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may be influenced to a significant degree by political, economic, and social conditions in China generally. The Chinese economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the level of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange, and allocation of resources. Although the Chinese government has implemented measures emphasizing the utilization of market forces for economic reform, including the reduction of state ownership of productive assets and the establishment of improved corporate governance in business enterprises, a substantial portion of productive assets in China is still owned by the government. In addition, the Chinese government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry development by imposing industrial policies. The Chinese government also exercises significant control over China’s economic growth by allocating resources, controlling payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy, and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies.

 

While the Chinese economy has experienced significant growth over the past decades, growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy. Any adverse changes in economic conditions in China, in the policies of the Chinese government, or in the laws and regulations in China could have a material adverse effect on the overall economic growth of China. Such developments could adversely affect our business and operating results, reduce demand for the products of our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs, and weaken our competitive position. The Chinese government has implemented various measures to encourage economic growth and guide the allocation of resources. Some of these measures may benefit the overall Chinese economy, but may have a negative effect on us. For example, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by government control over capital investments or changes in tax regulations. In addition, in the past the Chinese government has implemented certain measures, including interest rate adjustments, to control the pace of economic growth. These measures may cause decreased economic activities in China, which may adversely affect our business and operating results.

 

Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations and changes in policies, rules, and regulations in China, which may be quick with little advance notice, could limit the legal protection available to you and us.

 

The PRC legal system is based on written statutes. Unlike common law systems, it is a system in which legal cases have limited value as precedents. In the late 1970s, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic matters in general. The legislation over the past three decades has significantly increased the protection afforded to various forms of foreign or private-sector investment in China. Our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs are subject to various PRC laws and regulations generally applicable to companies in China. Since these laws and regulations are relatively new and the PRC legal system continues to rapidly evolve, however, the interpretations of many laws, regulations, and rules are not always uniform and enforcement of these laws, regulations, and rules involve uncertainties.

 

From time to time, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce our legal rights. Since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, however, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy in the PRC legal system than in more developed legal systems. Furthermore, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies, internal rules, and regulations that may have retroactive effect and may change quickly with little advance notice. As a result, we may not be aware of our violation of these policies and rules until sometime after the violation. Such uncertainties, including uncertainties over the scope and effect of our contractual, property (including intellectual property), and procedural rights, and any failure to respond to changes in the regulatory environment in China could materially and adversely affect our business and impede our ability to continue our operations. 

 

You may experience difficulties in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments, or bringing actions in China against us or our management named in the prospectus based on foreign laws. It may also be difficult for you or overseas regulators to conduct investigations or collect evidence within China.

 

We are a company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, and we conduct most of our operations in China and most of our assets are located in China. In addition, all of our directors and officers are nationals or residents of the PRC and all or a substantial portion of their assets are located outside the U.S. As a result, it may be difficult for you to effect service of process upon us or those persons inside mainland China. In addition, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands or the PRC would recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts against us or such persons predicated upon the civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws or those of any U.S. state.

 

The recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedures Law. PRC courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedures Law based either on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on principles of reciprocity between jurisdictions. China does not have any treaties or other forms of written arrangement with the U.S. that provide for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law, the PRC courts will not enforce a foreign judgment against us or our directors and officers if they decide that the judgment violates the basic principles of PRC laws or national sovereignty, security, or public interest. As a result, it is uncertain whether and on what basis a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in the U.S. See “Enforceability of Civil Liabilities.”

 

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It may also be difficult for you or overseas regulators to conduct investigations or collect evidence within China. For example, in China, there are significant legal and other obstacles to obtaining information needed for shareholder investigations or litigation outside China or otherwise with respect to foreign entities. Although the authorities in China may establish a regulatory cooperation mechanism with its counterparts of another country or region to monitor and oversee cross-border securities activities, such regulatory cooperation with the securities regulatory authorities in the U.S. may not be efficient in the absence of a practical cooperation mechanism. Furthermore, according to Article 177 of the PRC Securities Law, or “Article 177,” which became effective in March 2020, no overseas securities regulator is allowed to directly conduct investigations or evidence collection activities within the territory of the PRC. Article 177 further provides that Chinese entities and individuals are not allowed to provide documents or materials related to securities business activities to foreign agencies without prior consent from the securities regulatory authority of the PRC State Council and the competent departments of the PRC State Council. While detailed interpretation of or implementing rules under Article 177 have yet to be promulgated, the inability for an overseas securities regulator to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within China may further increase difficulties faced by you in protecting your interests.

 

Given the Chinese government’s significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of the business of our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs, the Chinese government may intervene or influence their operations at any time, which could result in a material change in the operations of our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs and/or the value of our Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

The Chinese government has significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs and may intervene or influence their operations at any time as the government deems appropriate to further regulatory, political, and societal goals, which could result in a material change in the operations of our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs and/or the value of our Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

The Chinese government has recently published new policies that significantly affected certain industries such as the education and Internet industries, and we cannot rule out the possibility that it will in the future release regulations or policies regarding our industry that could adversely affect the business, financial condition, and results of operations of our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs. Furthermore, if China adopts more stringent standards with respect to certain areas such as environmental protection or corporate social responsibilities, our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs may incur increased compliance costs or become subject to additional restrictions in their operations. Certain areas of the law in China, including intellectual property rights and confidentiality protections, may also not be as effective as in the United States or other countries. In addition, we cannot predict the effects of future developments in the PRC legal system on the business operations of our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs, including the promulgation of new laws, or changes to existing laws or the interpretation or enforcement thereof. These uncertainties could limit the legal protections available to us and our investors, including you.

 

Any actions by the Chinese government, including any decision to intervene or influence the operations of our PRC subsidiary or the VIEs or to exert control over any offering of securities conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers, may cause us to make material changes to the operations of our PRC subsidiary or the VIEs, may limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, and may cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless.

 

The Chinese government has exercised and continues to exercise substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through regulation and state ownership. The ability of our subsidiary and the VIEs to operate in China may be impaired by changes in its laws and regulations, including those relating to taxation, environmental regulations, land use rights, foreign investment limitations, and other matters. The central or local governments of China may impose new, stricter regulations or interpretations of existing regulations that would require additional expenditures and efforts on our part to ensure our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs’ compliance with such regulations or interpretations. As such, our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs may be subject to various government and regulatory interference in the provinces in which they operate. They could be subject to regulation by various political and regulatory entities, including various local and municipal agencies and government sub-divisions. They may incur increased costs necessary to comply with existing and newly adopted laws and regulations or penalties for any failure to comply.

 

Furthermore, it is uncertain when and whether we will be required to obtain permission from the PRC government to list on U.S. exchanges in the future, and even when such permission is obtained, whether it will be denied or rescinded. Although we believes our Company, our PRC subsidiary, and the VIEs, are currently not required to obtain permission from any Chinese authorities and have not received any notice of denial of permission to list on the U.S. exchange, our operations could be adversely affected, directly or indirectly, by existing or future laws and regulations relating to our business or industry, particularly in the event permission to list on U.S. exchanges may be later required, or withheld or rescinded once given.

 

Accordingly, government actions in the future, including any decision to intervene or influence the operations of our PRC subsidiary or the VIEs at any time or to exert control over an offering of securities conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers, may cause us to make material changes to the operations of our PRC subsidiary or the VIEs, may limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, and/or may cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless.

 

Recent greater oversight by the CAC over data security, particularly for companies seeking to list on a foreign exchange, could adversely impact our business and our offering.

 

On December 28, 2021, the CAC, together with 12 other governmental departments of the PRC, jointly promulgated the Cybersecurity Review Measures, which became effective on February 15, 2022. The Cybersecurity Review Measures provides that, in addition to critical information infrastructure operators (“CIIOs”) that intend to purchase Internet products and services, data processing operators engaging in data processing activities that affect or may affect national security must be subject to cybersecurity review by the Cybersecurity Review Office of the PRC. According to the Cybersecurity Review Measures, a cybersecurity review assesses potential national security risks that may be brought about by any procurement, data processing, or overseas listing. The Cybersecurity Review Measures further requires that CIIOs and data processing operators that possess personal data of at least one million users must apply for a review by the Cybersecurity Review Office of the PRC before conducting listings in foreign countries.

 

On November 14, 2021, the CAC published the Security Administration Draft, which provides that data processing operators engaging in data processing activities that affect or may affect national security must be subject to network data security review by the relevant Cyberspace Administration of the PRC. According to the Security Administration Draft, data processing operators who possess personal data of at least one million users or collect data that affects or may affect national security must be subject to network data security review by the relevant Cyberspace Administration of the PRC. The deadline for public comments on the Security Administration Draft was December 13, 2021.

 

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As of the date of this prospectus, we have not received any notice from any authorities identifying our PRC subsidiary or the VIEs as CIIOs or requiring us to go through cybersecurity review or network data security review by the CAC. As the Cybersecurity Review Measures became effective and if the Security Administration Draft is enacted as proposed, we believe that the operations of our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs and our listing will not be affected and that we are not subject to cybersecurity review and network data security review by the CAC, given that: (i) as companies that mainly manufacture and sell bakery products, our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs are unlikely to be classified as CIIOs by the PRC regulatory agencies; (ii) our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs make substantially all of their bakery product sales through physical stores and only a small amount through online stores, mostly on third-party online food ordering platforms, and they do not collect personal data of customers who use their membership cards, which function as reloadable prepaid cards, for purchase; as a result, we possess personal data of fewer than one million individual clients in our business operations as of the date of this prospectus; and (iii) since our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs are in the bakery industry, data processed in our business is unlikely to have a bearing on national security and therefore is unlikely to be classified as core or important data by the authorities. There remains uncertainty, however, as to how the Cybersecurity Review Measures and the Security Administration Draft will be interpreted or implemented and whether the PRC regulatory agencies, including the CAC, may adopt new laws, regulations, rules, or detailed implementation and interpretation related to the Cybersecurity Review Measures and the Security Administration Draft. If any such new laws, regulations, rules, or implementation and interpretation come into effect, we will take all reasonable measures and actions to comply and to minimize the adverse effect of such laws on us. We cannot guarantee, however, that we will not be subject to cybersecurity review and network data security review in the future. During such reviews, we may be required to suspend our operation or experience other disruptions to our operations. Cybersecurity review and network data security review could also result in negative publicity with respect to our Company and diversion of our managerial and financial resources, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial conditions, and results of operations.

 

The Opinions, the Trial Measures, and the revised Provisions recently issued by the PRC authorities may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future.

 

The General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the Opinions, which were made available to the public on July 6, 2021. The Opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision on overseas listings by China-based companies. The Opinions proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems, to deal with the risks and incidents facing China-based overseas-listed companies and the demand for cybersecurity and data privacy protection. The aforementioned policies and any related implementation rules to be enacted may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future. On February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated the Trial Measures and five supporting guidelines, which will come into effect on March 31, 2023. Pursuant to the Trial Measures, domestic companies that seek to offer or list securities overseas, both directly and indirectly, shall complete filing procedures with the CSRC pursuant to the requirements of the Trial Measures within three working days following its submission of initial public offerings or listing application. If a domestic company fails to complete required filing procedures or conceals any material fact or falsifies any major content in its filing documents, such domestic company may be subject to administrative penalties, such as an order to rectify, warnings, fines, and its controlling shareholders, actual controllers, the person directly in charge and other directly liable persons may also be subject to administrative penalties, such as warnings and fines. See “Regulations—Regulations on Mergers & Acquisitions and Overseas Listings.”

 

According to the CSRC Notice, the domestic companies that have already been listed overseas before the effective date of the Trial Measures (namely, March 31, 2023) shall be deemed as Existing Issuers. Existing Issuers are not required to complete the filing procedures immediately, and they shall be required to file with the CSRC for any subsequent offerings. Further, according to the CSRC Notice, domestic companies that have obtained approval from overseas regulatory authorities or securities exchanges (for example, the effectiveness of a registration statement for offering and listing in the U.S. has been obtained) for their indirect overseas offering and listing prior to March 31, 2023 but have not yet completed their indirect overseas issuance and listing, are granted a six-month transition period from March 31, 2023 to September 30, 2023. Those that complete their indirect overseas offering and listing within such six-month period are deemed as Existing Issuers and are not required to file with the CSRC for their indirect overseas offerings and listings. Within such six-month transition period, however, if such domestic companies fail to complete their indirect overseas issuance and listing, they shall complete the filing procedures with the CSRC.

 

Based on the foregoing, if our registration statement on Form F-1 cannot be declared effective on or before March 31, 2023, or if our registration statement on Form F-1 is declared effective on or before March 31, 2023 but we fail to complete this offering and listing on or before September 30, 2023, we will be required to complete necessary filing procedures pursuant to the Trial Measures.

 

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On February 24, 2023, the CSRC, together with the MOF, National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China, revised the Provisions issued by the CSRC and National Administration of State Secrets Protection and National Archives Administration of China in 2009. The revised Provisions were issued under the title the “Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies,” and will come into effect on March 31, 2023 together with the Trial Measures. One of the major revisions to the revised Provisions is expanding their application to cover indirect overseas offering and listing, as is consistent with the Trial Measures. The revised Provisions require that, among other things, (a) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals or entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any documents and materials that contain state secrets or working secrets of government agencies, shall first obtain approval from competent authorities according to law, and file with the secrecy administrative department at the same level; and (b) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or indirectly through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to relevant individuals and entities, including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, any other documents and materials that, if leaked, will be detrimental to national security or public interest, shall strictly fulfill relevant procedures stipulated by applicable national regulations. As of the date of this prospectus, the revised Provisions have not come into effect. On or after March 31, 2023, any failure or perceived failure by our Company, our subsidiaries, or the VIEs to comply with the above confidentiality and archives administration requirements under the revised Provisions and other PRC laws and regulations may result in the relevant entities being held legally liable by competent authorities, and referred to the judicial organ to be investigated for criminal liability if suspected of committing a crime.

 

The Opinions, the Trial Measures, the revised Provisions and any related implementing rules to be enacted may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future. As there are still uncertainties regarding the interpretation and implementation of such regulatory guidance, we cannot assure you that we will be able to comply with all new regulatory requirements of the Opinions, the Trial Measures, the revised Provisions, or any future implementing rules on a timely basis, or at all.

  

Recent joint statement by the SEC and the PCAOB, rule changes by Nasdaq, and the HFCA Act all call for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to emerging market companies upon assessing the qualification of their auditors, especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments could add uncertainties to our offering.

 

On April 21, 2020, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton and PCAOB Chairman William D. Duhnke III, along with other senior SEC staff, released a joint statement highlighting the risks associated with investing in companies based in or have substantial operations in emerging markets including China. The joint statement emphasized the risks associated with lack of access for the PCAOB to inspect auditors and audit work papers in China and higher risks of fraud in emerging markets.

 

On May 18, 2020, Nasdaq filed three proposals with the SEC to (i) apply a minimum offering size requirement for companies primarily operating in a “Restrictive Market,” (ii) adopt a new requirement relating to the qualification of management or the board of directors for Restrictive Market companies, and (iii) apply additional and more stringent criteria to an applicant or listed company based on the qualifications of the company’s auditor. On October 4, 2021, the SEC approved Nasdaq’s revised proposal for the rule changes.

 

On May 20, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed the HFCA Act requiring a foreign company to certify it is not owned or controlled by a foreign government if the PCAOB is unable to audit specified reports because the company uses a foreign auditor not subject to PCAOB inspection. If the PCAOB is unable to inspect the company’s auditors for three consecutive years, the issuer’s securities are prohibited to trade on a national exchange. On December 2, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the HFCA Act. On December 18, 2020, the HFCA Act was signed into law.

 

On March 24, 2021, the SEC announced the adoption of interim final amendments to implement the submission and disclosure requirements of the HFCA Act. In the announcement, the SEC clarifies that before any issuer will have to comply with the interim final amendments, the SEC must implement a process for identifying covered issuers. The announcement also states that the SEC staff is actively assessing how best to implement the other requirements of the HFCA Act, including the identification process and the trading prohibition requirements.

 

On September 22, 2021, the PCAOB adopted a final rule implementing the HFCA Act, which provides a framework for the PCAOB to use when determining, as contemplated under the HFCA Act, whether the board of directors of a company is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms located in a foreign jurisdiction because of a position taken by one or more authorities in that jurisdiction.

 

On December 2, 2021, the SEC adopted amendments to finalize rules implementing the submission and disclosure requirements in the HFCA Act.

 

On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a report on its determinations that it is unable to inspect or investigate completely PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and in Hong Kong because of positions taken by PRC and Hong Kong authorities in those jurisdictions.

 

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The lack of access to the PCAOB inspection in China prevents the PCAOB from fully evaluating audits and quality control procedures of the auditors based in China. As a result, investors may be deprived of the benefits of such PCAOB inspections. The inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of auditors in China makes it more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of these accounting firm’s audit procedures or quality control procedures as compared to auditors outside of China that are subject to the PCAOB inspections, which could cause investors and potential investors in our Class A Ordinary Shares to lose confidence in our audit procedures and reported financial information and the quality of our financial statements.

 

Our auditor prior to September 29, 2022, Friedman, the independent registered public accounting firm that issues the audit report included elsewhere in this prospectus, was registered with the PCAOB and had been inspected by the PCAOB on a regular basis in the audit period. Our new auditor, Marcum Asia, as an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the U.S. and a firm registered with the PCAOB, is subject to laws in the U.S., pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. Marcum Asia is headquartered in Manhattan, New York, and has been inspected by the PCAOB on a regular basis, with the last inspection in 2020. Neither Friedman nor Marcum Asia is subject to the determinations announced by the PCAOB on December 16, 2021. However, the recent developments would add uncertainties to our offering and we cannot assure you whether the national securities exchange we apply to for listing or regulatory authorities would apply additional and more stringent criteria to us after considering the effectiveness of our auditors’ audit procedures and quality control procedures, adequacy of personnel and training, or sufficiency of resources, geographic reach, or experience as it relates to our audit. In addition, the HFCA Act, which requires that the PCAOB be permitted to inspect an issuer’s public accounting firm within three years, may result in the delisting of our Company or prohibition of trading in our Class A Ordinary Shares in the future if the PCAOB is unable to inspect our accounting firm at such future time. On June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, and on December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act was signed into law by President Biden, which contained, among other things, an identical provision to the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act and amended the HFCA Act by requiring the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three, thus reducing the time period for triggering the prohibition on trading.

 

On August 26, 2022, the CSRC, the MOF, and the PCAOB signed the Protocol governing inspections and investigations of audit firms based in mainland China and Hong Kong, taking the first step toward opening access for the PCAOB to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong. Pursuant to the fact sheet with respect to the Protocol disclosed by the SEC, the PCAOB shall have independent discretion to select any issuer audits for inspection or investigation and has the unfettered ability to transfer information to the SEC. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB Board determined that the PCAOB was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong and voted to vacate its previous determinations to the contrary. However, should PRC authorities obstruct or otherwise fail to facilitate the PCAOB’s access in the future, the PCAOB Board will consider the need to issue a new determination.

 

To the extent cash in the business is in the PRC or a PRC entity, the funds may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of our Company, our subsidiaries, or the VIEs by the PRC government to transfer cash.

 

Relevant PRC laws and regulations permit the companies in the PRC to pay dividends only out of their retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Additionally, each of the companies in the PRC are required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund a statutory reserve until such reserve reaches 50% of its registered capital. The companies in the PRC are also required to further set aside a portion of their after-tax profits to fund the employee welfare fund, although the amount to be set aside, if any, is determined at their discretion. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. Furthermore, in order for us to pay dividends to our shareholders, we will rely on payments made from the VIEs to Xinjiang United Family, pursuant to the VIE Agreements, and the distribution of such payments to Jenyd as dividends from Xinjiang United Family, and then to our Company. If Xinjiang United Family and the VIEs incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other payments to us.

 

Our cash dividends, if any, will be paid in U.S. dollars. If we are considered a tax resident enterprise of the PRC for tax purposes, any dividends we pay to our overseas shareholders may be regarded as China-sourced income and as a result may be subject to PRC withholding tax. See “—Under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law (the ‘EIT Law’), we may be classified as a PRC ‘resident enterprise’ for PRC enterprise income tax purposes. Such classification would likely result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment.”

 

The PRC government also imposes controls on the convertibility of RMB into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of currency out of the PRC. The majority of our, Xinjiang United Family’s, and the VIEs’ income is received in RMB and shortages in foreign currencies may restrict our ability to pay dividends or other payments, or otherwise satisfy our foreign currency denominated obligations, if any. Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, including profit distributions, interest payments and expenditures from trade-related transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior approval from SAFE as long as certain procedural requirements are met. Approval from appropriate government authorities is required if RMB is converted into foreign currency and remitted out of the PRC to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of loans denominated in foreign currencies. The PRC government may, at its discretion, impose restrictions on access to foreign currencies for current account transactions and if this occurs in the future, we may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders.

 

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As a result of the above, to the extent cash in the business is in the PRC or a PRC entity, such funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC, due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us, our subsidiaries, or the VIEs by the PRC government to transfer cash.

 

Failure to obtain requisite approvals, licenses, or permits or failure to comply with any requirements of PRC laws, regulations, and policies may materially and adversely affect our daily operations and hinder our growth.

 

The operations of the PRC Stores are subject to extensive legal and regulatory requirements. They are required to hold a number of licenses and permits in connection with their operations, principally including food production permits and food business permits, before commencement of operations. Failure to obtain such permits or loss of or failure to renew them would be in violation of applicable laws and regulations. If the PRC Stores are found to be in violation of applicable laws and regulations, they could be subject to administrative punishment, including fines, injunctions, asset seizures as well as compulsory suspension of business, any of which could have a material adverse effect on their business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects. As of the date of this prospectus, one UFG Entity is applying for its food business permit and six UFG Entities are applying for the renewal of their food business permits; all the remaining UFG Entities have obtained the food business permit, though some of them did not have the food business permits at the time of opening. The failure of these entities to have the food business permit at the time of opening may subject us to fines or other penalties such as income confiscation, although we have not received any notice of warning or been subject to penalties or other penalties from the relevant governmental authorities regarding conducting our business without the above mentioned permits. The UFG Entities will file renewal requests 30 business days prior to the expiration date of those permits. In general, as long as a business entity operates legally and is in good standing, its renewal request will be approved. The UFG Entities will make their best effort to renew the permits described above but we cannot assure you that they will be able to renew such permits or they will not be subject to any penalties in the future. See “Regulations—PRC Regulations—Regulations on Food Production and Food Business Operation—Food Production Permit and Food Business Permit.”

 

Article 45 of the Environmental Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China stipulates that enterprises, institutions, and other producers and operators that implement pollution discharge permit management in China shall discharge pollutants in accordance with the requirements of the pollution discharge license. Based on the situation of the central factory of the PRC Stores, as well as their production equipment and production process, at least a sewage registration is required. As of the date of this prospectus, Xinjiang United Family has completed the sewage registration and obtained the sewage registration receipt. See “Regulations—PRC Regulations—Regulations on Food Production and Food Business Operation—Pollutant Discharge Permit.”

 

Increases in labor costs in the PRC may adversely affect our business and our profitability.

 

China’s economy has experienced increases in labor costs in recent years. China’s overall economy and the average wage in China are expected to continue to grow. The average wage level for the employees of the PRC Stores has also increased in recent years. We expect that the labor costs of the PRC Stores, including wages and employee benefits, will continue to increase. Unless they are able to pass on these increased labor costs to their customers by increasing prices for their products, our profitability and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

  

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In addition, the PRC Stores have been subject to stricter regulatory requirements in terms of entering into labor contracts with their employees and paying various statutory employee benefits, including pensions, housing fund, medical insurance, work-related injury insurance, unemployment insurance, and maternity insurance to designated government agencies for the benefit of their employees. Pursuant to the PRC Labor Contract Law, or the “Labor Contract Law,” that became effective in January 2008 and was amended on December 28, 2012, and its implementing rules that became effective in September 2008, employers are subject to stricter requirements in terms of signing labor contracts, minimum wages, paying remuneration, determining the term of employees’ probation, and unilaterally terminating labor contracts. In the event that the PRC Stores decide to terminate some of their employees or otherwise change their employment or labor practices, the Labor Contract Law and its implementation rules may limit their ability to effect those changes in a desirable or cost-effective manner, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

 

As the interpretation and implementation of labor-related laws and regulations are still evolving, we cannot assure you that the employment practice of the PRC Stores does not and will not violate labor-related laws and regulations in China, which may subject them to labor disputes or government investigations. If the PRC Stores are deemed to have violated relevant labor laws and regulations, they could be required to provide additional compensation to their employees and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

 

Our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs have not made adequate social insurance and housing fund contributions for all employees as required by PRC regulations, which may subject us to penalties.

 

According to the PRC Social Insurance Law and the Administrative Regulations on the Housing Funds, companies operating in China are required to participate in pension insurance, work-related injury insurance, medical insurance, unemployment insurance, maternity insurance (collectively known as “social insurance”), and housing funds plans, and the employers must pay all or a portion of the social insurance premiums and housing funds for their employees. For more details, please see “Regulations—PRC Regulations—Regulations on Employment and Social Welfare—Social Insurance and Housing Fund.” Our PRC subsidiary, Xinjiang United Family, and the VIEs have not made adequate social insurance and housing fund contributions for all employees. Xinjiang United Family and the VIEs may be required to make up the social insurance contributions as well as to pay late fees at the rate of 0.05% per day of the outstanding amount from the due date. As of December 2022, we estimate that the amount of outstanding social insurance premiums was approximately $24,898 and the amount of late fees was approximately $2,510. If Xinjiang United Family and the VIEs fail to make up for the shortfalls within the prescribed time limit, the relevant administrative authorities will impose a fine of one to three times the outstanding amount upon them, which potential fine was in the range of $24,898 and $74,695 as of December 2022. With respect to housing fund plans, Xinjiang United Family may be required to pay and deposit housing funds in full and on time within the prescribed time limit. As of December 2022, we estimate that the amount of outstanding housing funds was approximately $34,446 and the amount of late fees was approximately $7,192. If Xinjiang United Family fails to do so, relevant authorities could file applications to competent courts for compulsory enforcement of payment and deposit.

 

According to our PRC counsel, however, it is unlikely that Xinjiang United Family and the VIEs would be ordered to pay the overdue social insurance premiums or housing funds, considering that (i) some of the employees of Xinjiang United Family and the VIEs are over the age limit to be paid social insurance premiums and housing funds; (ii) some employees chose to not receive social insurance premiums deposited by Xinjiang United Family and the VIEs and decided to participate in their own voluntary social insurance plans instead, and promised not to ask Xinjiang United Family or the VIEs to make up the payment; (iii) the requirement of social insurance and housing fund has not been implemented consistently by the local governments in China given the different levels of economic development in different locations; (iv) pursuant to the Emergency Notice on Practicing Principles of the State Council Executive Meeting and Stabilizing Work on Collecting Social Insurance Premiums promulgated by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on September 21, 2018, local authorities are prohibited from recovering unpaid social insurance premiums from enterprises; (v) as of the date of this prospectus, Xinjiang United Family and the VIEs have not received any notice or order from the relevant government authorities requesting them to pay social insurance premiums or housing funds in full; (vi) as of the date of this prospectus, Xinjiang United Family and the VIEs have not received any complaint or report on outstanding social insurance premiums or housing funds, nor have them had any labor dispute or lawsuit with their employees on payments of social insurance premiums or housing funds; and (vii) the relevant local authorities certified in writing that there were no acts of violating human resources regulations or labor management regulations by Xinjiang United Family. As a result, we did not accrue or record the amounts of outstanding social insurance premiums or housing funds before December 31, 2020, and the amount was deemed not material. Starting from January 1, 2021, we have adequately accrued the social premiums and housing funds and the estimated late fees, if applicable, and have not received any notice or order for payment as of the date of this prospectus.

 

PRC regulations relating to offshore investment activities by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiary to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into our PRC subsidiary, limit our PRC subsidiary’s ability to increase its registered capital or distribute profits to us, or may otherwise adversely affect us.

 

On July 4, 2014, SAFE issued the Circular on Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Control over the Overseas Investment and Financing and Round-trip Investment by Domestic Residents via Special Purpose Vehicles, or “SAFE Circular 37.” According to SAFE Circular 37, prior registration with the local SAFE branch is required for PRC residents, (including PRC individuals and PRC corporate entities as well as foreign individuals that are deemed as PRC residents for foreign exchange administration purpose), in connection with their direct or indirect contribution of domestic assets or interests to offshore special purpose vehicles, or “SPVs.” SAFE Circular 37 further requires amendments to the SAFE registrations in the event of any changes with respect to the basic information of the offshore SPV, such as change of a PRC individual shareholder, name and operation term, or any significant changes with respect to the offshore SPV, such as an increase or decrease of capital contribution, share transfer or exchange, or mergers or divisions. SAFE Circular 37 is applicable to our shareholders who are PRC residents and may be applicable to any offshore acquisitions that we make in the future. In February 2015, SAFE promulgated a Notice on Further Simplifying and Improving Foreign Exchange Administration Policy on Direct Investment, or “SAFE Notice 13,” effective in June 2015. Under SAFE Notice 13, applications for foreign exchange registration of inbound foreign direct investments and outbound overseas direct investments, including those required under SAFE Circular 37, will be filed with qualified banks instead of SAFE. The qualified banks will directly examine the applications and accept registrations under the supervision of SAFE.

 

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In addition to SAFE Circular 37 and SAFE Notice 13, our ability to conduct foreign exchange activities in China may be subject to the interpretation and enforcement of the Implementation Rules of the Administrative Measures for Individual Foreign Exchange promulgated by SAFE in January 2007 (as amended and supplemented, the “Individual Foreign Exchange Rules”). Under the Individual Foreign Exchange Rules, any PRC individual seeking to make a direct investment overseas or engage in the issuance or trading of negotiable securities or derivatives overseas must make the appropriate registrations in accordance with SAFE provisions, the failure of which may subject such PRC individual to warnings, fines, or other liabilities.

 

As of the date of this prospectus, all of our current shareholders who are subject to the SAFE Circular 37 and Individual Foreign Exchange Rules have completed the initial registrations with the qualified banks as required by the regulations. We cannot provide any assurance that our future PRC resident beneficial owners will comply with our request to make or obtain any applicable registrations or continuously comply with all registration procedures set forth in these SAFE regulations, and it remains unclear how these SAFE regulations will be interpreted and implemented in the future. Failure or inability of our PRC resident beneficial owners to comply with these SAFE regulations may subject our PRC resident beneficial owners to fines and legal sanctions, restrict our cross-border investment activities, or limit our PRC subsidiary’s ability to distribute dividends to, or obtain foreign-exchange-dominated loans from, our Company, or prevent us from being able to make distributions or pay dividends, as a result of which our business operations and our ability to distribute profits to you could be materially and adversely affected.

 

PRC regulation of parent/subsidiary loans and direct investment by offshore holding companies to PRC entities may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds of this offering to make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC operating subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.

 

Under PRC laws and regulations, we are permitted to utilize the proceeds from this offering to fund our PRC subsidiary by making loans to or additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiary, subject to applicable government registration, statutory limitations on amount, and approval requirements. The amount of capital contributions that we may make to Xinjiang United Family is RMB6,000,000 (approximately $857,143), without obtaining approvals from SAFE or other government authorities. Additionally, Xinjiang United Family may increase its registered capital to receive additional capital contributions from us and currently there is no statutory limit to increasing its registered capital, subject to satisfaction of applicable government and filing requirements. Pursuant to relevant PRC regulations, we may provide loans to Xinjiang United Family up to the larger amount of (i) the balance between the registered total investment amount and registered capital of Xinjiang United Family, or (ii) twice the amount of the net assets of Xinjiang United Family calculated in accordance with the People’s Bank of China Circular 9, subject to satisfaction of applicable government registration or approval requirements. For any amount of loans that we may extend to Xinjiang United Family, such loans must be registered with the local counterpart of SAFE. For more details, see “Regulations—PRC Regulations—Regulations on Foreign Exchange.” These PRC laws and regulations may significantly limit our ability to use RMB converted from the net proceeds of this offering to fund the establishment of new entities in China by our PRC subsidiary or to invest in or acquire any other PRC companies through our PRC subsidiary. Moreover, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the necessary registrations or obtain the necessary government approvals on a timely basis, if at all, with respect to future loans to our PRC subsidiary or future capital contributions by us to our PRC subsidiary. If we fail to complete such registrations or obtain such approvals, our ability to use the proceeds we received or expect to receive from our offshore offerings and to capitalize or otherwise fund our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could materially and adversely affect our business, including our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.

 

Fluctuations in exchange rates could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment.

 

The value of RMB against the U.S. dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions in China and by China’s foreign exchange policies. On July 21, 2005, the PRC government changed its decade-old policy of pegging the value of RMB to the U.S. dollar, and RMB appreciated more than 20% against the U.S. dollar over the following three years. Between July 2008 and June 2010, this appreciation halted and the exchange rate between RMB and the U.S. dollar remained within a narrow band. Since June 2010, RMB has fluctuated against the U.S. dollar, at times significantly and unpredictably. On November 30, 2015, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund completed the regular five-year review of the basket of currencies that make up the Special Drawing Right, or the “SDR,” and decided that with effect from October 1, 2016, RMB was determined to be a freely usable currency and would be included in the SDR basket as a fifth currency, along with the U.S. dollar, the Euro, the Japanese yen, and the British pound. In the fourth quarter of 2016, RMB depreciated significantly in the backdrop of a surging U.S. dollar and persistent capital outflows of China. This depreciation halted in 2017, and RMB appreciated approximately 7% against the U.S. dollar during this one-year period. In 2020, RMB appreciated approximately 6.9% against the U.S. dollar. In 2021, RMB depreciated approximately 2.6% against the U.S. dollar. With the development of the foreign exchange market and progress towards interest rate liberalization and RMB internationalization, the PRC government may in the future announce further changes to the exchange rate system, and we cannot assure you that RMB will not appreciate or depreciate significantly in value against the U.S. dollar in the future. It is difficult to predict how market forces or PRC or U.S. government policy may impact the exchange rate between RMB and the U.S. dollar in the future. Since we own and operate stores both in the PRC and the U.S., the fluctuations in exchange rates would have a negative effect on our business and results of operations and financial condition.

 

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Most of our business is conducted in the PRC, and most of our books and records are maintained in RMB, which is the currency of the PRC, and the financial statements that we file with the SEC and provide to our shareholders are presented in U.S. dollars. Changes in the exchange rates between RMB and U.S. dollar affect the value of our assets and the results of our operations, when presented in U.S. dollars. The value of RMB against the U.S. dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in the PRC’s political and economic conditions and perceived changes in the economy of the PRC and the U.S. Any significant revaluation of RMB may materially and adversely affect our cash flows, revenue, and financial condition. Further, our Class A Ordinary Shares offered by this prospectus are offered in U.S. dollars, we will need to convert part of the net proceeds we receive into RMB in order to use the funds for our business in the PRC. Changes in the conversion rate between the U.S. dollar and RMB will affect the amount of proceeds we will have available for our business.

 

Very limited hedging options are available in China to reduce our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. To date, we have not entered into any hedging transactions in an effort to reduce our exposure to foreign currency exchange risk. While we may decide to enter into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of these hedges may be limited and we may not be able to adequately hedge our exposure or at all. In addition, our currency exchange losses may be magnified by PRC exchange control regulations that restrict our ability to convert RMB into foreign currency. As a result, fluctuations in exchange rates may have a material adverse effect on your investment.

 

Under the EIT Law, we may be classified as a PRC “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes. Such classification would likely result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment.

 

Under the EIT Law that became effective in January 2008, an enterprise established outside the PRC with “de facto management bodies” within the PRC is considered a “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes and is generally subject to a uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate on its worldwide income. Under the implementation rules to the EIT Law, a “de facto management body” is defined as a body that has material and overall management and control over the manufacturing and business operations, personnel and human resources, finances, and properties of an enterprise. In addition, a circular, known as “SAT Circular 82,” issued in April 2009 by the State Administration of Taxation, or the “SAT,” and partially amended by People’s Bank of China Circular 9 promulgated in January 2014, specifies that certain offshore incorporated enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups will be classified as PRC resident enterprises if the following are located or resident in the PRC: senior management personnel and departments that are responsible for daily production, operation and management; financial and personnel decision making bodies; key properties, accounting books, company seal, and minutes of board meetings and shareholders’ meetings; and half or more of the senior management or directors having voting rights. Further to SAT Circular 82, SAT issued a bulletin, known as “SAT Bulletin 45,” which took effect in September 2011 and amended on June 1, 2015 and October 1, 2016 to provide more guidance on the implementation of SAT Circular 82 and clarify the reporting and filing obligations of Chinese controlled offshore incorporated resident enterprises, to provide more guidance on the implementation of SAT Circular 82 and clarify the reporting and filing obligations of such “Chinese-controlled offshore incorporated resident enterprises.” SAT Bulletin 45 provides procedures and administrative details for the determination of resident status and administration on post-determination matters. Although both SAT Circular 82 and SAT Bulletin 45 only apply to offshore enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups, not those controlled by PRC individuals or foreign individuals, the determining criteria set forth in SAT Circular 82 and SAT Bulletin 45 may reflect SAT’s general position on how the “de facto management body” test should be applied in determining the tax resident status of offshore enterprises, regardless of whether they are controlled by PRC enterprises, PRC enterprise groups, or by PRC or foreign individuals.

 

If the PRC tax authorities determine that the actual management organ of Chanson International is within the territory of China, Chanson International may be deemed to be a PRC resident enterprise for PRC enterprise income tax purposes and a number of unfavorable PRC tax consequences could follow. First, we will be subject to the uniform 25% enterprise income tax on our world-wide income, which could materially reduce our net income. In addition, we will also be subject to PRC enterprise income tax reporting obligations. Finally, dividends payable by us to our investors and gains on the sale of our shares may become subject to PRC withholding tax, at a rate of 10% in the case of non-PRC enterprises or 20% in the case of non-PRC individuals (in each case, subject to the provisions of any applicable tax treaty), if such gains are deemed to be from PRC sources. It is unclear whether non-PRC shareholders of our Company would be able to claim the benefits of any tax treaties between their country of tax residence and the PRC in the event that we are treated as a PRC resident enterprise. Any such tax may reduce the returns on your investment in our shares. Although up to the date of this prospectus, Chanson International has not been notified or informed by the PRC tax authorities that it has been deemed to be a resident enterprise for the purpose of the EIT Law, we cannot assure you that it will not be deemed to be a resident enterprise in the future.

 

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We face uncertainty with respect to indirect transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises by their non-PRC holding companies.

 

In February 2015, SAT issued a Public Notice Regarding Certain Corporate Income Tax Matters on Indirect Transfer of Properties by Non-Tax Resident Enterprises, or “SAT Circular 7.” SAT Circular 7 provides comprehensive guidelines relating to indirect transfers of PRC taxable assets (including equity interests and real properties of a PRC resident enterprise) by a non-resident enterprise. In addition, in October 2017, SAT issued an Announcement on Issues Relating to Withholding at Source of Income Tax of Non-resident Enterprises, or “SAT Circular 37,” effective in December 2017, which, among others, amended certain provisions in SAT Circular 7 and further clarify the tax payable declaration obligation by non-resident enterprise. Indirect transfer of equity interest and/or real properties in a PRC resident enterprise by their non-PRC holding companies are subject to SAT Circular 7 and SAT Circular 37.

 

SAT Circular 7 provides clear criteria for an assessment of reasonable commercial purposes and has introduced safe harbors for internal group restructurings and the purchase and sale of equity through a public securities market. As stipulated in SAT Circular 7, indirect transfers of PRC taxable assets are considered as reasonable commercial purposes if the shareholding structure of both transaction parties falls within the following situations: i) the transferor directly or indirectly owns 80% or above equity interest of the transferee, or vice versa; ii) the transferor and the transferee are both 80% or above directly or indirectly owned by the same party; iii) the percentages in bullet points i) and ii) shall be 100% if over 50% the share value of a foreign enterprise is directly or indirectly derived from PRC real properties. Furthermore, SAT Circular 7 also brings challenges to both foreign transferor and transferee (or other person who is obligated to pay for the transfer) of taxable assets. Where a non-resident enterprise transfers PRC taxable assets indirectly by disposing of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, which is an indirect transfer, the non-resident enterprise as either transferor or transferee, or the PRC entity that directly owns the taxable assets, may report such indirect transfer to the relevant tax authority and the PRC tax authority may disregard the existence of the overseas holding company if it lacks a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of reducing, avoiding, or deferring PRC tax. As a result, gains derived from such indirect transfer may be subject to PRC enterprise income tax, and the transferee or other person who is obligated to pay for the transfer is obligated to withhold the applicable taxes, currently at a rate of 10% for the transfer of equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise.

 

According to SAT Circular 37, where the non-resident enterprise fails to declare the tax payable pursuant to Article 39 of the EIT Law, the tax authority may order it to pay the tax due within required time limits, and the non-resident enterprise shall declare and pay the tax payable within such time limits specified by the tax authority. If the non-resident enterprise, however, voluntarily declares and pays the tax payable before the tax authority orders it to do so within required time limits, it shall be deemed that such enterprise has paid the tax in time.

 

We face uncertainties as to the reporting and assessment of reasonable commercial purposes and future transactions where PRC taxable assets are involved, such as offshore restructuring, sale of the shares in our offshore subsidiaries, and investments. In the event of being assessed as having no reasonable commercial purposes in an indirect transfer transaction, we may be subject to filing obligations or taxed if we are a transferor in such transactions, and may be subject to withholding obligations (to be specific, a 10% withholding tax for the transfer of equity interests) if we are a transferee in such transactions, under SAT Circular 7 and SAT Circular 37. For transfer of shares by investors who are non-PRC resident enterprises, our PRC subsidiary may be requested to assist in the filing under the SAT circulars. As a result, we may be required to expend valuable resources to comply with the SAT circulars or to request the relevant transferors from whom we purchase taxable assets to comply with these circulars, or to establish that we should not be taxed under these circulars, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

 

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Our PRC subsidiary is subject to restrictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us, which may have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business.

 

We are a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands. We may need dividends and other distributions on equity from our PRC subsidiary, Xinjiang United Family, to satisfy our liquidity requirements. Current PRC regulations permit our PRC subsidiary to pay dividends to us only out of its accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, our PRC subsidiary is required to set aside at least 10% of its respective accumulated profits each year, if any, to fund certain reserve funds until the total amount set aside reaches 50% of its respective registered capital. Our PRC subsidiary may also allocate a portion of its respective after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to employee welfare and bonus funds at their discretion. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. These limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiary to pay dividends or make other distributions to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments, or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends, or otherwise fund and conduct our business.

 

Governmental control of currency conversion may affect the value of your investment and our payment of dividends.

 

The PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of RMB into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of currency out of China. We receive substantially all of our revenue in RMB. Under our current corporate structure, Chanson International may rely on dividend payments from our PRC subsidiary to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have. Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, such as profit distributions and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior approval from SAFE by complying with certain procedural requirements. Therefore, our PRC subsidiary is able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to us without prior approval from SAFE, subject to the condition that the remittance of such dividends outside of the PRC complies with certain procedures under PRC foreign exchange regulation, such as the overseas investment registrations by our shareholders or the ultimate shareholders of our corporate shareholders who are PRC residents. Approval from or registration with appropriate government authorities is, however, required where RMB is to be converted into foreign currency and remitted out of China to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of loans denominated in foreign currencies. The PRC government may also at its discretion restrict access in the future to foreign currencies for current account transactions. If the foreign exchange control system prevents us from obtaining sufficient foreign currencies to satisfy our foreign currency demand, we may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders.

 

There are significant uncertainties under the EIT Law relating to the withholding tax liabilities of our PRC subsidiary, and dividends payable by our PRC subsidiary to our offshore subsidiaries may not qualify to enjoy certain treaty benefits.

 

Under the EIT Law and its implementation rules, the profits of a foreign invested enterprise generated through operations, which are distributed to its immediate holding company outside the PRC, will be subject to a withholding tax rate of 10%. Pursuant to the Double Tax Avoidance Arrangement, a withholding tax rate of 10% may be lowered to 5% if the PRC enterprise is at least 25% held by a Hong Kong enterprise for at least 12 consecutive months prior to distribution of the dividends and is determined by the relevant PRC tax authority to have satisfied other conditions and requirements under the Double Tax Avoidance Arrangement and other applicable PRC laws.

 

However, based on the Circular on Certain Issues with Respect to the Enforcement of Dividend Provisions in Tax Treaties, or the “SAT Circular 81,” which became effective on February 20, 2009, if the relevant PRC tax authorities determine, in their discretion, that a company benefits from such reduced income tax rate due to a structure or arrangement that is primarily tax-driven, such PRC tax authorities may adjust the preferential tax treatment. According to Circular on Several Issues regarding the “Beneficial Owner” in Tax Treaties, which became effective as of April 1, 2018, when determining an applicant’s status as the “beneficial owner” regarding tax treatments in connection with dividends, interests, or royalties in the tax treaties, several factors will be taken into account. Such factors include whether the business operated by the applicant constitutes actual business activities, and whether the counterparty country or region to the tax treaties does not levy any tax, grant tax exemption on relevant incomes, or levy tax at an extremely low rate. This circular further requires any applicant who intends to be proved of being the “beneficial owner” to file relevant documents with the relevant tax authorities. Our PRC subsidiary is wholly owned by our Hong Kong subsidiary. However, we cannot assure you that our determination regarding our qualification to enjoy the preferential tax treatment will not be challenged by the relevant PRC tax authority or we will be able to complete the necessary filings with the relevant PRC tax authority and enjoy the preferential withholding tax rate of 5% under the Double Tax Avoidance Arrangement with respect to dividends to be paid by our PRC subsidiary to our Hong Kong subsidiary, in which case, we would be subject to the higher withdrawing tax rate of 10% on dividends received.

 

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If we become directly subject to the scrutiny, criticism, and negative publicity involving U.S.-listed Chinese companies, we may have to expend significant resources to investigate and resolve the matter which could harm our business operations, stock price, and reputation.

 

U.S. public companies that have substantially all of their operations in China have been the subject of intense scrutiny, criticism, and negative publicity by investors, financial commentators, and regulatory agencies, such as the SEC. Much of the scrutiny, criticism, and negative publicity has centered on financial and accounting irregularities and mistakes, a lack of effective internal controls over financial accounting, inadequate corporate governance policies or a lack of adherence thereto and, in many cases, allegations of fraud. As a result of the scrutiny, criticism, and negative publicity, the publicly traded stock of many U.S. listed Chinese companies sharply decreased in value and, in some cases, has become virtually worthless. Many of these companies are now subject to shareholder lawsuits and SEC enforcement actions and are conducting internal and external investigations into the allegations. It is not clear what effect this sector-wide scrutiny, criticism, and negative publicity will have on us, our business, and the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares. If we become the subject of any unfavorable allegations, whether such allegations are proven to be true or untrue, we will have to expend significant resources to investigate such allegations and/or defend our Company. This situation will be costly and time consuming and distract our management from developing our business. If such allegations are not proven to be groundless, we and our business operations will be severely affected and you could sustain a significant decline in the value of our Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

The disclosures in our reports and other filings with the SEC and our other public pronouncements are not subject to the scrutiny of any regulatory bodies in the PRC.

 

We are regulated by the SEC, and our reports and other filings with the SEC are subject to SEC review in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act. Our SEC reports and other disclosure and public pronouncements are not subject to the review or scrutiny of any PRC regulatory authority. For example, the disclosure in our SEC reports and other filings are not subject to the review by CSRC, a PRC regulator that is responsible for oversight of the capital markets in China. Accordingly, you should review our SEC reports, filings, and our other public pronouncements with the understanding that no local regulator has done any review of us, our SEC reports, other filings, or any of our other public pronouncements.

 

The M&A Rules and certain other PRC regulations establish complex procedures for some acquisitions of Chinese companies by foreign investors, which could make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions in China.

 

The Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Companies by Foreign Investors, or the “M&A Rules,” and recently adopted regulations and rules concerning mergers and acquisitions established additional procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time consuming and complex. For example, the M&A Rules require that the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC (“MOFCOM”) be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise, if (i) any important industry is concerned, (ii) such transaction involves factors that have or may have impact on the national economic security, or (iii) such transaction will lead to a change in control of a domestic enterprise which holds a famous trademark or PRC time-honored brand. Mergers or acquisitions that allow one market player to take control of or to exert decisive impact on another market player must also be notified in advance to MOFCOM when the threshold under the Provisions on Thresholds for Prior Notification of Concentrations of Undertakings, or the “Prior Notification Rules,” issued by the State Council in August 2008 is triggered. In addition, the security review rules issued by MOFCOM that became effective in September 2011 specify that mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors that raise “national defense and security” concerns and mergers and acquisitions through which foreign investors may acquire de facto control over domestic enterprises that raise “national security” concerns are subject to strict review by MOFCOM, and the rules prohibit any activities attempting to bypass a security review, including by structuring the transaction through a proxy or contractual control arrangement. In the future, we may grow our business by acquiring complementary businesses. Complying with the requirements of the above-mentioned regulations and other relevant rules to complete such transactions could be time consuming, and any required approval processes, including obtaining approval from MOFCOM or its local counterparts may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions. It is clear that our business would not be deemed to be in an industry that raises “national defense and security” or “national security” concerns. MOFCOM or other government agencies, however, may publish explanations in the future determining that our business is in an industry subject to the security review, in which case our future acquisitions in the PRC, including those by way of entering into contractual control arrangements with target entities, may be closely scrutinized or prohibited. Our ability to expand our business or maintain or expand our market share through future acquisitions would as such be materially and adversely affected.

 

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Risks Relating to this Offering and the Trading Market

 

There has been no public market for our Class A Ordinary Shares prior to this offering, and you may not be able to resell our Class A Ordinary Shares at or above the price you pay for them, or at all.

 

Prior to this offering, there has not been a public market for our Class A Ordinary Shares. We have applied for the listing of our Class A Ordinary Shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market. An active public market for our Class A Ordinary Shares, however, may not develop or be sustained after the offering, in which case the market price and liquidity of our Class A Ordinary Shares will be materially and adversely affected.

 

You will experience immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of Class A Ordinary Shares purchased.

 

The initial public offering price of our Class A Ordinary Shares is substantially higher than the (pro forma) net tangible book value per Class A Ordinary Share. Consequently, when you purchase our Class A Ordinary Shares in the offering, upon completion of the offering you will incur immediate dilution of $3.52 per share if the Underwriter does not exercise the over-allotment option and $3.39 if the Underwriter exercises the over-allotment option in full, assuming an initial public offering price of $5.00, which is the midpoint of the estimated initial public offering price range set forth on the front cover of this prospectus. See “Dilution.” In addition, you may experience further dilution to the extent that additional Class A Ordinary Shares are issued upon conversion of Class B Ordinary Shares or exercise of options we may grant from time to time.

 

If we fail to implement and maintain an effective system of internal controls or fail to remediate the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting that have been identified, we may fail to meet our reporting obligations or be unable to accurately report our results of operations or prevent fraud, and investor confidence and the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares may be materially and adversely affected.

 

Prior to this offering, we have been a private company with limited accounting personnel and other resources with which to address our internal controls and procedures. Our independent registered public accounting firm has not conducted an audit of our internal control over financial reporting. However, in preparing our consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, we have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, as defined in the standards established by the PCAOB and other control deficiencies. The material weaknesses identified included a lack of accounting staff and resources with appropriate knowledge of U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting and compliance requirements. Following the identification of the material weaknesses and control deficiencies, we plan to continue to take remedial measures including (i) hiring more qualified accounting personnel with relevant U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting experience and qualifications to strengthen the financial reporting function and to set up a financial and system control framework; (ii) implementing regular and continuous U.S. GAAP accounting and financial reporting training programs for our accounting and financial reporting personnel; (iii) engaging an external consulting firm to assist us with assessment of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance requirements and improvement of overall internal control; and (iv) appointing independent directors, establishing an audit committee, and strengthening corporate governance. However, the implementation of these measures may not fully address the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. Our failure to correct the material weaknesses or our failure to discover and address any other material weaknesses or control deficiencies could result in inaccuracies in our financial statements and could also impair our ability to comply with applicable financial reporting requirements and related regulatory filings on a timely basis. As a result, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, as well as the trading price of our Class A Ordinary Shares, may be materially and adversely affected. Moreover, ineffective internal control over financial reporting significantly hinders our ability to prevent fraud.

 

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Upon completion of this offering, we will become a public company in the U.S. subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 will require that we include a report of management on our internal control over financial reporting in our annual report on Form 20-F beginning with our annual report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. In addition, once we cease to be an “emerging growth company,” as such term is defined in the JOBS Act, our independent registered public accounting firm must attest to and report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. Our management may conclude that our internal control over financial reporting is not effective. Moreover, even if our management concludes that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, our independent registered public accounting firm, after conducting its own independent testing, may issue a report that is qualified if it is not satisfied with our internal controls or the level at which our controls are documented, designed, operated, or reviewed, or if it interprets the relevant requirements differently from us. In addition, after we become a public company, our reporting obligations may place a significant strain on our management, operational, and financial resources and systems for the foreseeable future. We may be unable to complete our evaluation testing and any required remediation in a timely manner.

 

We will incur substantial increased costs as a result of being a public company.

 

Upon consummation of this offering, we will incur significant legal, accounting, and other expenses as a public company that we did not incur as a private company. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as rules subsequently implemented by the SEC and Nasdaq, impose various requirements on the corporate governance practices of public companies.

 

Compliance with these rules and regulations increases our legal and financial compliance costs and makes some corporate activities more time-consuming and costlier. We have incurred additional costs in obtaining director and officer liability insurance. In addition, we incur additional costs associated with our public company reporting requirements. It may also be more difficult for us to find qualified persons to serve on our board of directors or as executive officers.

 

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act and will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A Ordinary Shares that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period. An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include exemption from the auditor attestation requirement under Section 404 in the assessment of the emerging growth company’s internal control over financial reporting and permission to delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies.

 

After we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” or until five years following the completion of our initial public offering, whichever is earlier, we expect to incur significant additional expenses and devote substantial management effort toward ensuring compliance with the requirements of Section 404 and the other rules and regulations of the SEC. For example, as a public company, we have been required to increase the number of independent directors and adopt policies regarding internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures.

 

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We are currently evaluating and monitoring developments with respect to these rules and regulations, and we cannot predict or estimate with any degree of certainty the amount of additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs.

 

The dual class structure of our ordinary shares has the effect of concentrating voting control with our Chairman, and his interest may not be aligned with the interests of our other shareholders.

 

We have a dual-class voting structure consisting of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares. Under this structure, holders of Class A Ordinary Shares are entitled to one vote per one Class A Ordinary Share, and holders of Class B Ordinary Shares are entitled to 10 votes per one Class B Ordinary Share, which may cause the holders of Class B Ordinary Shares to have an unbalanced, higher concentration of voting power. Immediately prior to completion of this offering, Mr. Gang Li, our Chairman, beneficially owns 2,700,000, or 88.24% of our issued Class A Ordinary Shares, and 5,670,000, or 95.45%, of our issued Class B Ordinary Shares, representing approximately 95.1% of the voting rights in our Company. After this offering, Mr. Gang Li will hold 2,700,000 Class A Ordinary Shares and 5,670,000 Class B Ordinary Shares, representing approximately 89.7% of the voting rights in our Company, assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option by the Underwriter, or approximately 89.0% assuming full exercise of the over-allotment option by the Underwriter. As a result, until such time as Mr. Gang Li’s voting power is below 50%, Mr. Gang Li as the controlling shareholder has substantial influence over our business, including decisions regarding mergers, consolidations and the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, election of directors, and other significant corporate actions. He may take actions that are not in the best interests of us or our other shareholders. These corporate actions may be taken even if they are opposed by our other shareholders. Further, such concentration of voting power may discourage, prevent, or delay the consummation of change of control transactions that shareholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which shareholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. Future issuances of Class B Ordinary Shares may also be dilutive to the holders of Class A Ordinary Shares. As a result, the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares could be adversely affected.

 

The dual-class structure of our ordinary shares may adversely affect the trading market for our Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

Several shareholder advisory firms have announced their opposition to the use of multiple class structures. As a result, the dual class structure of our ordinary shares may cause shareholder advisory firms to publish negative commentary about our corporate governance practices or otherwise seek to cause us to change our capital structure. Any actions or publications by shareholder advisory firms critical of our corporate governance practices or capital structure could also adversely affect the value of our Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

Since we are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq listing rules, we may follow certain exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that could adversely affect our public shareholders.

 

Following this offering, our largest shareholder will continue to own more than a majority of the voting power of our outstanding ordinary shares. Under the Nasdaq listing rules, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group, or another company is a “controlled company” and is permitted to phase in its compliance with the independent committee requirements. Although we do not intend to rely on the “controlled company” exemptions under the Nasdaq listing rules even if we are deemed a “controlled company,” we could elect to rely on these exemptions in the future. If we were to elect to rely on the “controlled company” exemptions, a majority of the members of our board of directors might not be independent directors and our nominating and corporate governance and compensation committees might not consist entirely of independent directors. Accordingly, if we rely on the exemptions, during the period we remain a controlled company and during any transition period following a time when we are no longer a controlled company, you would not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq.

 

Substantial future sales of our Class A Ordinary Shares or the anticipation of future sales of our Class A Ordinary Shares in the public market could cause the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares to decline.

 

Sales of substantial amounts of our Class A Ordinary Shares in the public market after this offering, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares to decline. An aggregate of 3,060,000 Class A Ordinary Shares are outstanding before the consummation of this offering and 6,810,000 Class A Ordinary Shares will be outstanding immediately after the consummation of this offering if the Underwriter’s over-allotment option is not exercised, and 7,372,500 Class A Ordinary Shares will be outstanding immediately after the consummation of this offering if the Underwriter’s over-allotment option is fully exercised. Sales of these shares into the market could cause the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares to decline.

 

We do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.

 

We currently intend to retain any future earnings to finance the operation and expansion of our business, and we do not expect to declare or pay any dividends in the foreseeable future. As a result, you may only receive a return on your investment in our Class A Ordinary Shares if the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares increases.

 

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If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if the publish a negative report regarding our Class A Ordinary Shares, the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares and trading volume could decline.

 

Any trading market for our Class A Ordinary Shares may depend in part on the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us or our business. We do not have any control over these analysts. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade us, the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our Company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares and the trading volume to decline.

 

The market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares may be volatile or may decline regardless of our operating performance, and you may not be able to resell your shares at or above the initial public offering price.

 

The initial public offering price for our Class A Ordinary Shares will be determined through negotiations between the Underwriter and us. It may not bear a direct relationship to our earnings, book value, or any other indicia of value and may vary from the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares following our initial public offering. The market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares may decline significantly below the initial public offering price. The financial markets in the U.S. and other countries have experienced significant price and volume fluctuations in the last few years. Volatility in the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares may be caused by factors outside of our control and may be unrelated or disproportionate to changes in our results of operations.

 

If you purchase our Class A Ordinary Shares in our initial public offering, you may not be able to resell those shares at or above the initial public offering price. We cannot assure you that the initial public offering price of our Class A Ordinary Shares, or the market price following our initial public offering, will equal or exceed prices in privately negotiated transactions of our shares that have occurred from time to time prior to our initial public offering. The market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares may fluctuate significantly in response to numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control, including:

 

  actual or anticipated fluctuations in our revenue and other operating results;
     
  the financial projections we may provide to the public, any changes in these projections or our failure to meet these projections;
     
  actions of securities analysts who initiate or maintain coverage of us, changes in financial estimates by any securities analysts who follow our Company, or our failure to meet these estimates or the expectations of investors;
     
  announcements by us or our competitors of significant products or features, technical innovations, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, or capital commitments;

 

  price and volume fluctuations in the overall stock market, including as a result of trends in the economy as a whole;
     
  lawsuits threatened or filed against us; and
     
  other events or factors, including those resulting from war or incidents of terrorism, or responses to these events.

 

In addition, the stock markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity securities of many companies. Stock prices of many companies have fluctuated in a manner unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. In the past, stockholders have filed securities class action litigation following periods of market volatility. If we were to become involved in securities litigation, it could subject us to substantial costs, divert resources and the attention of management from our business, and adversely affect our business.

 

The price of our Class A Ordinary Shares could be subject to rapid and substantial volatility. Such volatility, including any stock run-ups, may be unrelated to our actual or expected operating performance and financial condition or prospects, making it difficult for prospective investors to assess the rapidly changing value of our Class A Ordinary Shares

 

There have been instances of extreme stock price run-ups followed by rapid price declines and strong stock price volatility with recent initial public offerings, especially among those with relatively smaller public floats. As a relatively small-capitalization company with a relatively small public float, we may experience greater share price volatility, extreme price run-ups, lower trading volume, and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In particular, our Class A Ordinary Shares may be subject to rapid and substantial price volatility, low volumes of trades, and large spreads in bid and ask prices. Such volatility, including any stock run-ups, may be unrelated to our actual or expected operating performance and financial condition or prospects, making it difficult for prospective investors to assess the rapidly changing value of our Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

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In addition, if the trading volumes of our Class A Ordinary Shares are low, persons buying or selling in relatively small quantities may easily influence the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares. This low volume of trades could also cause the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares to fluctuate greatly, with large percentage changes in price occurring in any trading day session. Holders of our Class A Ordinary Shares may also not be able to readily liquidate their investment or may be forced to sell at depressed prices due to low volume trading. Broad market fluctuations and general economic and political conditions may also adversely affect the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares. As a result of this volatility, investors may experience losses on their investment in our Class A Ordinary Shares. A decline in the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares also could adversely affect our ability to issue additional Class A Ordinary Shares or other securities and our ability to obtain additional financing in the future. No assurance can be given that an active market in our Class A Ordinary Shares will develop or be sustained. If an active market does not develop, holders of our Class A Ordinary Shares may be unable to readily sell the shares they hold or may not be able to sell their shares at all. 

 

Our management has broad discretion to determine how to use the funds raised in the offering and may use them in ways that may not enhance our results of operations or the price of our Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

We anticipate that we will use the net proceeds from this offering to open new stores in the U.S. Our management will have significant discretion as to the use of the net proceeds to us from this offering and could spend the proceeds in ways that do not improve our results of operations or enhance the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

If we cease to qualify as a foreign private issuer, we would be required to comply fully with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, and we would incur significant additional legal, accounting and other expenses that we would not incur as a foreign private issuer.

 

We expect to qualify as a foreign private issuer upon the completion of this offering. As a foreign private issuer, we will be exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our officers, directors and principal shareholders will be exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will not be required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. domestic issuers, and we will not be required to disclose in our periodic reports all of the information that U.S. domestic issuers are required to disclose. While we currently expect to qualify as a foreign private issuer immediately following the completion of this offering, we may cease to qualify as a foreign private issuer in the future, in which case we would incur significant additional expenses that could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

 

Because we are a foreign private issuer and are exempt from certain Nasdaq corporate governance standards applicable to U.S. issuers, you will have less protection than you would have if we were a domestic issuer.

 

Nasdaq listing rules require listed companies to have, among other things, a majority of its board members be independent. As a foreign private issuer, however, we are permitted to, and we may follow home country practice in lieu of the above requirements, or we may choose to comply with the above requirement within one year of listing. The corporate governance practice in our home country, the Cayman Islands, does not require a majority of our board to consist of independent directors. Thus, although a director must act in the best interests of the Company, it is possible that fewer board members will be exercising independent judgment and the level of board oversight on the management of our Company may decrease as a result. In addition, Nasdaq listing rules also require U.S. domestic issuers to have a compensation committee, a nominating/corporate governance committee composed entirely of independent directors, and an audit committee with a minimum of three members. We, as a foreign private issuer, are not subject to these requirements. Nasdaq listing rules may require shareholder approval for certain corporate matters, such as requiring that shareholders be given the opportunity to vote on all equity compensation plans and material revisions to those plans, certain ordinary share issuances. We intend to comply with the requirements of Nasdaq listing rules in determining whether shareholder approval is required on such matters and to appoint a nominating and corporate governance committee. We may, however, consider following home country practice in lieu of the requirements under Nasdaq listing rules with respect to certain corporate governance standards which may afford less protection to investors.

 

If we cannot satisfy, or continue to satisfy, the initial listing requirements and other rules of the Nasdaq Capital Market, our securities may not be listed or may be delisted, which could negatively impact the price of our securities and your ability to sell them.

  

We will seek to have our securities approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market upon consummation of this offering. We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time. Even if our securities are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, we cannot assure you that our securities will continue to be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

In addition, following this offering, in order to maintain our listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, we will be required to comply with certain rules of the Nasdaq Capital Market, including those regarding minimum stockholders’ equity, minimum share price, minimum market value of publicly held shares, and various additional requirements. Even if we initially meet the listing requirements and other applicable rules of the Nasdaq Capital Market, we may not be able to continue to satisfy these requirements and applicable rules. If we are unable to satisfy the Nasdaq Capital Market criteria for maintaining our listing, our securities could be subject to delisting.

 

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If the Nasdaq Capital Market does not list our securities, or subsequently delists our securities from trading, we could face significant consequences, including:

 

  a limited availability for market quotations for our securities;
     
  reduced liquidity with respect to our securities;
     
  a determination that our Class A Ordinary Share is a “penny stock,” which will require brokers trading in our Class A Ordinary Share to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our Class A Ordinary Share;
     
  limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and
     
  a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.

 

Anti-takeover provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay, or prevent a change in control.

 

Some provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our Company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including, among other things, the following:

 

  provisions that authorize our board of directors to issue shares with preferred, deferred or other special rights or restrictions without any further vote or action by our shareholders; and
     
  provisions that restrict the ability of our shareholders to call meetings and to propose special matters for consideration at shareholder meetings.

 

Because we are an “emerging growth company,” we may not be subject to requirements that other public companies are subject to, which could affect investor confidence in us and our Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

For as long as we remain an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, we will elect to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies,” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. Because of these lessened regulatory requirements, our shareholders would be left without information or rights available to shareholders of more mature companies. If some investors find our Class A Ordinary Shares less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our Class A Ordinary Shares and our share price may be more volatile. See “Implications of Our Being an Emerging Growth Company.”

 

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The laws of the Cayman Islands may not provide our shareholders with benefits comparable to those provided to shareholders of corporations incorporated in the U.S.

 

We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands with limited liability. Our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, by the Companies Act (2021 Revision) of the Cayman Islands and by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against our directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law in the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands and from English common law. Decisions of the Privy Council (which is the final Court of Appeal for British overseas territories such as the Cayman Islands) are binding on a court in the Cayman Islands. Decisions of the English courts, and particularly the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal are generally of persuasive authority but are not binding in the courts of the Cayman Islands. Decisions of courts in other Commonwealth jurisdictions are similarly of persuasive but not binding authority. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedents in the U.S. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws relative to the U.S. Therefore, our public shareholders may have more difficulty protecting their interests in the face of actions by our management, directors or controlling shareholders than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a jurisdiction in the U.S.

 

Shareholders of Cayman Islands exempted companies like us have no general rights under Cayman Islands law to inspect corporate records or to obtain copies of the register of members of these companies. Our directors have discretion under our articles of association to determine whether or not, and under what conditions, our corporate records may be inspected by our shareholders, but are not obliged to make them available to our shareholders. This may make it more difficult for you to obtain the information needed to establish any facts necessary for a shareholder motion or to solicit proxies from other shareholders in connection with a proxy contest.

 

As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by our management, members of the board of directors, or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a company incorporated in the U.S. For a discussion of significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders, see “Description of Share Capital—Differences in Corporate Law.”

  

You may be unable to present proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings not called by shareholders.

 

Cayman Islands law provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide shareholders with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. These rights, however, may be provided in a company’s articles of association. Our articles of association allow our shareholders holding shares representing in aggregate not less than 10% of our voting share capital in issue, to requisition a general meeting of our shareholders, in which case our directors are obliged to call such meeting. Advance notice of at least 21 clear days is required for the convening of our annual general shareholders’ meeting and at least 14 clear days’ notice any other general meeting of our shareholders. A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of at least one shareholder present or by proxy, representing not less than one-third of the total issued shares carrying the right to vote at a general meeting of the Company. For these purposes, “clear days” means that period excluding (a) the day when the notice is given or deemed to be given and (b) the day for which it is given or on which it is to take effect.

 

If we are classified as a PFIC, U.S. taxpayers who own our Class A Ordinary Shares may have adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences.

 

A non-U.S. corporation such as ourselves will be classified as a PFIC, for any taxable year if, for such year, either:

 

  At least 75% of our gross income for the year is passive income; or
     
  The average percentage of our assets (determined at the end of each quarter) during the taxable year which produce passive income or which are held for the production of passive income is at least 50%.

 

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Passive income generally includes dividends, interest, rents and royalties (other than rents or royalties derived from the active conduct of a trade or business) and gains from the disposition of passive assets.

 

If we are determined to be a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. taxpayer who holds our Class A Ordinary Shares, the U.S. taxpayer may be subject to increased U.S. federal income tax liability and may be subject to additional reporting requirements.

 

Depending on the amount of cash we raise in this offering, together with any other assets held for the production of passive income, it is possible that, for our 2023 taxable year or for any subsequent year, more than 50% of our assets may be assets which produce passive income, in which case we would be deemed a PFIC, which could have adverse US federal income tax consequences for US taxpayers who are shareholders. We will make this determination following the end of any particular tax year.

 

Although the law in this regard is unclear, we treat the VIEs as being owned by us for U.S. federal income tax purposes, not only because we exercise effective control over the operations of such entities but also because we are entitled to substantially all of their economic benefits for accounting purposes, and, as a result, we consolidate their operating results in our consolidated financial statements. For purposes of the PFIC analysis, in general, a non-U.S. corporation is deemed to own its pro rata share of the gross income and assets of any entity in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the equity by value.

 

For a more detailed discussion of the application of the PFIC rules to us and the consequences to U.S. taxpayers if we were or are determined to be a PFIC, see “Material Income Tax Consideration—U.S. Federal Income Taxation—Passive Foreign Investment Company.”

 

Our pre-IPO shareholders will be able to sell their shares upon completion of this offering subject to restrictions under Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

 

3,060,000 of our Class A Ordinary Shares are issued and outstanding before this offering. Our pre-IPO shareholders may be able to sell their Class A Ordinary Shares under Rule 144 after the completion of this offering. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” below. Because these shareholders have paid a lower price per Class A Ordinary Share than participants in this offering, when they are able to sell their pre-IPO shares under Rule 144, they may be more willing to accept a lower sales price than the initial public offering price. This fact could impact the trading price of the Class A Ordinary Shares following the completion of the offering, to the detriment of participants in this offering. Under Rule 144, before our pre-IPO shareholders can sell their shares, in addition to meeting other requirements, they must meet the required holding period. We do not expect any of the Class A Ordinary Shares to be sold pursuant to Rule 144 during the pendency of this offering.

 

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DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current expectations and views of future events, all of which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations or forecasts of future events. You can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. You can find many (but not all) of these statements by the use of words such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or other similar expressions in this prospectus. These statements are likely to address our growth strategy, financial results and product and development programs. You must carefully consider any such statements and should understand that many factors could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements. These factors may include inaccurate assumptions and a broad variety of other risks and uncertainties, including some that are known and some that are not. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

 

  assumptions about our future financial and operating results, including revenue, income, expenditures, cash balances, and other financial items;
     
  our ability to execute our growth and expansion plan, including our ability to meet our goals;
     
  current and future economic and political conditions;
     
  our ability to compete in an industry with low barriers to entry;
     
  our ability to continue to operate through the VIE structure;
     
  our capital requirements and our ability to raise any additional financing which we may require;
     
  our ability to attract customers and further enhance our brand awareness;
     
  our ability to hire and retain qualified management personnel and key employees in order to enable us to develop our business;
     
  trends and competition in the bakery industry;
     
  future developments of the COVID-19 pandemic; and
     
  other assumptions described in this prospectus underlying or relating to any forward-looking statements.

 

We describe certain material risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could affect our business, including our financial condition and results of operations, under “Risk Factors.” We base our forward-looking statements on our management’s beliefs and assumptions based on information available to our management at the time the statements are made. We caution you that actual outcomes and results may, and are likely to, differ materially from what is expressed, implied, or forecast by our forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should be careful about relying on any forward-looking statements. Except as required under the federal securities laws, we do not have any intention or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements after the distribution of this prospectus, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, or otherwise.

 

Industry Data and Forecasts

 

This prospectus contains data related to the bakery industry in the PRC and the U.S. These industry data include projections that are based on a number of assumptions which have been derived from industry and government sources which we believe to be reasonable. The bakery industry may not grow at the rate projected by industry data, or at all. The failure of the industry to grow as anticipated is likely to have a material adverse effect on our business and the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares. In addition, the rapidly changing nature of the bakery industry subjects any projections or estimates relating to the growth prospects or future condition of our industry to significant uncertainties. Furthermore, if any one or more of the assumptions underlying the industry data turns out to be incorrect, actual results may, and are likely to, differ from the projections based on these assumptions.

 

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ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

 

We are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company with limited liability. We incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands because of certain benefits associated with being a Cayman Islands company, such as political and economic stability, an effective judicial system, a favorable tax system, the absence of foreign exchange control or currency restrictions, and the availability of professional and support services. The Cayman Islands, however, has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the U.S. and provides significantly less protection for investors than the U.S. Additionally, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to sue in the federal courts of the U.S.

  

Most of our operations are conducted in the PRC and most of our assets are located in the PRC. In addition, all of our directors and officers are nationals or residents of the PRC and all or a substantial portion of their assets are located outside the U.S. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the U.S. upon us or these persons, or to enforce against us or them judgments obtained in U.S. courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws or securities laws of any U.S. state.

 

We have appointed George Chanson (NY) Corp. as our agent to receive service of process with respect to any action brought against us in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York under the U.S. federal securities laws or securities laws of any U.S. state or any action brought against us in the Supreme Court of the State of New York in the County of New York under the securities laws of the State of New York.

 

Ogier (Cayman) LLP (“Ogier”), our counsel with respect to the laws of the Cayman Islands, and Dentons, our counsel with respect to PRC law, have advised us that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands or the PRC would (i) recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws or securities laws of any U.S. state or (ii) entertain original actions brought in the Cayman Islands or the PRC against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the U.S. federal securities laws or securities laws of any U.S. state.

 

Ogier has further advised us that there is currently no statutory enforcement or treaty between the U.S. and the Cayman Islands providing for enforcement of judgments. A judgment obtained in the U.S., however, may be recognized and enforced in the courts of the Cayman Islands at common law, without any re-examination on the merits of the underlying dispute, by an action commenced on the foreign judgment debt in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, provided such judgment: (i) is given by a foreign court of competent jurisdiction; (ii) is final; (iii) is not in respect of taxes, a fine or a penalty; and (iv) was not obtained in a manner and is not of a kind the enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or public policy of the Cayman Islands. Furthermore, it is uncertain that Cayman Islands courts would enforce: (i) judgments of U.S. courts obtained in actions against us or other persons that are predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws; or (ii) original actions brought against us or other persons predicated upon the Securities Act. Ogier has informed us that there is uncertainty with regard to Cayman Islands law relating to whether a judgment obtained from the U.S. courts under civil liability provisions of the securities laws will be determined by the courts of the Cayman Islands as penal or punitive in nature.

 

Dentons has further advised us that the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedure Law. PRC courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedure Law based either on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on reciprocity between jurisdictions. There are no treaties or other forms of reciprocity between the PRC and the U.S. for the mutual recognition and enforcement of court judgments. Dentons has further advised us that under PRC law, PRC courts will not enforce a foreign judgment against us or our officers and directors if the court decides that such judgment violates the basic principles of PRC law or national sovereignty, security or public interest, thus making the recognition and enforcement of a U.S. court judgment in the PRC difficult.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Based upon an assumed initial public offering price of $5.00 per Class A Ordinary Share, which is the midpoint of the estimated initial public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, we estimate that we will receive net proceeds from this offering, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts, non-accountable expense allowance, and the estimated offering expenses payable by us, of approximately $16,027,057 if the Underwriter does not exercise its over-allotment option, and $18,600,495 if the Underwriter exercises its over-allotment option in full. 

 

We plan to use all of the net proceeds we receive from this offering to open new stores in the U.S.

 

The foregoing represents our current intentions based upon our present plans and business conditions to use and allocate the net proceeds of this offering. Our management, however, will have significant flexibility and discretion to apply the net proceeds of this offering. If an unforeseen event occurs or business conditions change, we may use the proceeds of this offering differently than as described in this prospectus. To the extent that the net proceeds we receive from this offering are not immediately used for the above purposes, we intend to invest our net proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing bank deposits or debt instruments.

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

 

As of the date of this prospectus, none of our subsidiaries or VIEs have made any dividends or distributions to our Company and our Company has not made any dividends or distributions to our shareholders. We intend to keep any future earnings to finance the expansion of our business, and we do not anticipate that any cash dividends will be paid in the foreseeable future. Subject to the PFIC rules, the gross amount of distributions we make to investors with respect to our Class A Ordinary Shares (including the amount of any taxes withheld therefrom) will be taxable as a dividend, to the extent that the distribution is paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles.

 

Under the Cayman Islands law, a Cayman Islands company may pay a dividend on its shares out of either profit or share premium amount, provided that in no circumstances may a dividend be paid if this would result in the company being unable to pay its debts due in the ordinary course of business.

 

If we determine to pay dividends on any of our Class A Ordinary Shares or Class B Ordinary Shares in the future, as a holding company, we will depend on receipt of funds from our PRC subsidiary and from the VIEs to our PRC subsidiary in accordance with the VIE Agreements. Pursuant to the EIT Law and its implementation rules, any dividends paid by Xinjiang United Family to Jenyd will be subject to a withholding tax rate of 10%. However, if Jenyd is determined by the relevant PRC tax authority to have satisfied the relevant conditions and requirements under Double Tax Avoidance Arrangement and other applicable laws, the 10% withholding tax on the dividends Jenyd receives from Xinjiang United Family may be reduced to 5%. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC—There are significant uncertainties under the EIT Law relating to the withholding tax liabilities of our PRC subsidiary, and dividends payable by our PRC subsidiary to our offshore subsidiaries may not qualify to enjoy certain treaty benefits.”

  

Current PRC regulations permit our indirect PRC subsidiary to pay dividends to Jenyd only out of its accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations. In addition, our PRC subsidiary is required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund a statutory reserve until such reserve reaches 50% of its registered capital. Each of such entity in the PRC is also required to further set aside a portion of its after-tax profits to fund the employee welfare fund, although the amount to be set aside, if any, is determined at the discretion of its board of directors. Although the statutory reserves can be used, among other ways, to increase the registered capital and eliminate future losses in excess of retained earnings of the respective companies, the reserve funds are not distributable as cash dividends except in the event of liquidation. Furthermore, if our subsidiaries and affiliates in the PRC incur debt on their own in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other payments. If we or our subsidiaries are unable to receive all of the revenue from our operations, we may be unable to pay dividends on our Class A Ordinary Shares or Class B Ordinary Shares.

 

Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, including profit distributions, interest payments, and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies, without prior approval of SAFE, by complying with certain procedural requirements. Specifically, without prior approval of SAFE, cash generated from the operations in PRC may be used to pay dividends to our Company.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

 

The following table sets forth our capitalization as of June 30, 2022:

 

  on an actual basis; and
     
 

on an as adjusted basis to reflect the issuance and sale of the Class A Ordinary Shares by us in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price of $5.00 per Class A Ordinary Share, which is the midpoint of the estimated initial public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts, non-accountable expense allowance, and the estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

In addition, we currently have 5,940,000 Class B Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding. Holders of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. In respect of matters requiring a vote of all shareholders, each holder of Class A Ordinary Shares will be entitled to one vote per one Class A Ordinary Share and each holder of Class B Ordinary Shares will be entitled to 10 votes per one Class B Ordinary Share. The Class A Ordinary Shares are not convertible into shares of any other class. The Class B Ordinary Shares are convertible into Class A Ordinary Shares at any time after issuance at the option of the holder on a one-to-one basis. The Class B Ordinary Shares are not being converted as part of this offering.

  

You should read this capitalization table in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the consolidated financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

    June 30, 2022  
    Actual     As adjusted(1)  
    $     $  
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 393,384     $ 16,420,441  
Shareholders’ Equity:                
Class A Ordinary Shares, $0.001 par value, 44,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares authorized, 3,060,000 Class A Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding; 6,810,000 Class A Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted     3,060       6,810  
Class B Ordinary Shares, $0.001 par value, 6,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares authorized, 5,940,000 Class B Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding; 5,940,000 Class B Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted     5,940       5,940  
Additional paid-in capital     869,400       16,892,707  
Statutory reserve     447,231       447,231  
Retained earnings     1,325,156       1,325,156  
Accumulated other comprehensive income     145,727       145,727  
Total Shareholders’ Equity     2,796,514       18,823,571  
Total Capitalization   $ 2,796,514     $ 18,823,571  

 

(1) Reflects the sale of Class A Ordinary Shares in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $5.00 per share, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts, non-accountable expense allowance, and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The as adjusted information is illustrative only, and we will adjust this information based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. Additional paid-in capital reflects the net proceeds we expect to receive, after deducting the underwriting discounts, non-accountable expense allowance, and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We estimate that such net proceeds will be approximately $16,027,057.

 

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $5.00 per Class A Ordinary Share, which is the midpoint of the estimated range of the initial public offering price set forth on the front cover of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) each of additional paid-in capital, total shareholders’ equity and total capitalization by $3,431,250 if the Underwriter’s over-allotment option is not exercised or $3,945,938 if the Underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full, assuming the number of Class A Ordinary Shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts, non-accountable expense allowance, and estimated expenses payable by us.

 

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DILUTION

 

If you invest in our Class A Ordinary Shares, your interest will be diluted for each Class A Ordinary Share you purchase to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per Class A Ordinary Share and our net tangible book value per Class A Ordinary Share after this offering. Dilution results from the fact that the initial public offering price per Class A Ordinary Share is substantially in excess of the net tangible book value per Class A Ordinary Share attributable to the existing shareholders for our presently outstanding Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

Holders of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. In respect of matters requiring a vote of all shareholders, each holder of Class A Ordinary Shares will be entitled to one vote per one Class A Ordinary Share and each holder of Class B Ordinary Shares will be entitled to 10 votes per one Class B Ordinary Share. The Class A Ordinary Shares are not convertible into shares of any other class. The Class B Ordinary Shares are convertible into Class A Ordinary Shares at any time after issuance at the option of the holder on a one-to-one basis. The Class B Ordinary Shares are not being converted as part of this offering.

  

Our net tangible book value as of June 30, 2022, was $2,062,145, or $0.23 per ordinary share (both Class A and Class B Ordinary Share). Net tangible book value represents the amount of our total consolidated tangible assets, less the amount of our total consolidated liabilities. Dilution is determined by subtracting the net tangible book value per ordinary share (as adjusted for the offering) from the initial public offering price per Class A Ordinary Share and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts, non-accountable expense allowance, and the estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

After giving effect to our sale of 3,750,000 Class A Ordinary Shares offered in this offering based on the assumed initial public offering price of $5.00 per Class A Ordinary Share, which is the midpoint of the estimated range of the initial public offering price shown on the front cover of this prospectus, after deduction of the estimated underwriting discounts, non-accountable expense allowance, and the estimated offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of June 30, 2022, would have been $18,823,571, or $1.48 per outstanding ordinary share (both Class A and Class B Ordinary Share). This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $1.25 per ordinary share (both Class A and Class B Ordinary Share) to the existing shareholders, and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $3.52 per Class A Ordinary Share to investors purchasing Class A Ordinary Shares in this offering. The as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only.

 

A $1.00 change in the assumed public offering price of $5.00 per Class A Ordinary Share would, in the case of an increase, increase and, in the case of a decrease, decrease our pro forma net tangible book value after giving effect to the offering by $3,431,250, the pro forma net tangible book value per ordinary share (both Class A and Class B Ordinary Share) after giving effect to this offering by $0.27 and the dilution in pro forma net tangible book value per Class A Ordinary Share to new investors in this offering by $0.73 assuming no change to the number of Class A Ordinary Shares offered by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting underwriting discounts, non-accountable expense allowance, and estimated offering expenses. The pro forma information discussed above is illustrative only. Our net tangible book value following the completion of this offering is subject to adjustment based on the actual initial public offering price of our Class A Ordinary Shares and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.

  

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The following table illustrates such dilution:

 

    Per Ordinary Share  
Assumed Initial public offering price per Class A Ordinary Share   $ 5.00  
Net tangible book value per ordinary share (both Class A and Class B Ordinary Share) as of June 30, 2022     0.23  
Increase in net tangible book value per ordinary share (both Class A and Class B Ordinary Share) attributable to payments by new investors     1.25  
Pro forma net tangible book value per ordinary share (both Class A and Class B Ordinary Share) immediately after this offering     1.48  
Amount of dilution in net tangible book value per Class A Ordinary Share to new investors in the offering   $ 3.52  

 

The following tables summarize, on a pro forma as adjusted basis as of June 30, 2022, the differences between existing shareholders and the new investors with respect to the number of Ordinary Shares purchased from us, the total consideration paid and the average price per Ordinary Share before deducting the estimated underwriting discounts, non-accountable expense allowance, and the estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

    Class A and Class B
Ordinary Shares
purchased
    Total consideration     Average
price per
Ordinary
 
    Number     Percent     Amount     Percent     Share  
    ($ in thousands)  
Existing shareholders     9,000,000       70.59 %   $ 878       4.47 %   $ 0.10  
New investors     3,750,000       29.41 %     18,750       95.53 %     5.00  
Total     12,750,000       100.00 %   $ 19,628       100.00 %   $ 1.54  

 

The pro forma as adjusted information as discussed above is illustrative only. Our net tangible book value following the completion of this offering is subject to adjustment based on the actual initial public offering price of our Class A Ordinary Shares and other terms of this offering determined at the pricing.

 

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CORPORATE HISTORY AND STRUCTURE

 

Our Corporate History

 

Xinjiang United Family was established on August 7, 2009, as a limited company pursuant to PRC laws. On April 17, 2015, Xinjiang United Family incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary, Chanson NY, a New York corporation, which in turn incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary, Chanson 23rd Street, a New York limited liability company, on December 17, 2015. On February 20, 2020, our Chairman, Mr. Gang Li, formed Chanson Greenwich, a New York limited liability company, and subsequently assigned his 100% membership interests in Chanson Greenwich to Chanson NY for a consideration of $10 on September 28, 2020. After the transfer, Chanson Greenwich became a wholly owned subsidiary of Chanson NY. On April 21, 2021, Chanson NY formed a wholly owned subsidiary, Chanson Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. On August 5, 2021, Chanson NY formed a wholly owned subsidiary, Chanson 3rd Ave, a New York limited liability company. On March 21, 2022, Chanson NY formed a wholly owned subsidiary, Chanson Broadway, a New York limited liability company.

 

In connection with this offering, we have undertaken a reorganization of our corporate structure (the “Reorganization”) in the following steps:

 

  on July 26, 2019, we incorporated RON Holding Limited, an exempted company with limited liability, under the laws of the Cayman Islands. Effective on December 18, 2020, RON Holding Limited changed its name to Chanson International Holding;
     
  on August 13, 2019, we incorporated Deen Global in the British Virgin Islands as a wholly owned subsidiary of Chanson International;
     
 

on September 13, 2019, we incorporated Jenyd in Hong Kong as a wholly owned subsidiary of Deen Global;

      
 

on September 27, 2020, the original shareholders of Xinjiang United Family entered into a Share Transfer Agreement with Jenyd to transfer 100% of the equity interests of Xinjiang United Family to Jenyd; and

     
 

in March 2021, we undertook a series of corporate actions, including a forward split of our ordinary shares, the creation of Class A Ordinary Shares and Class B Ordinary Shares, re-designation of our ordinary shares into Class A and Class B Ordinary Shares, and additional share issuances to our existing shareholders. See “Description of Share Capital—History of Share Issuances.”

 

Our Corporate Structure

 

We currently conduct our business through:

 

  (i) an association with 29 individually-owned businesses comprising the VIEs known as the “United Family Group” or “UFG”: 28 of the UFG Entities are owned independently by our Chairman, Mr. Gang Li, and one of the UFG Entities is owned independently by Ms. Hui Wang, the Marketing Director of Xinjiang United Family. Our affiliation with UFG is managed through several exclusive agreements among Xinjiang United Family, each UFG Entity, and the sole owner of such UFG Entity. For accounting purposes, we control and receive the economic benefits of the UFG Entities through the VIE Agreements, which enable us to consolidate the financial results of the VIEs in our consolidated financial statements under U.S. GAAP, and the structure involves unique risks to investors;
     
  (ii) Xinjiang United Family and its three branch offices; and
     
  (iii) Chanson 23rd Street, Chanson Greenwich, Chanson 3rd Ave, and Chanson Broadway.

 

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The following is a complete list of the stores of Xinjiang United Family as of the date of this prospectus, together with their recognized commercial name and relationship to Xinjiang United Family.

 

    Legal Name of Entity   Commercial Name   Nature of Entity
1   Urumqi Midong District George Chanson Bakery   Midong   Part of UFG – owned 100% by Mr. Li and operated under VIE Agreements between this entity and Xinjiang United Family
             
2   Shayibake District Yining Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Dehui Wanda   Same as above
             
3   Changji George Chanson Youhao Supermarket Bakery   Changji Youhao   Same as above
             
4   Changji George Chanson Bakery   Changji Huijia   Same as above
             
5   Tianshan District Xinhua North Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Hongshan   Same as above
             
6   Tianshan District Xinmin Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Beimen   Same as above
             
7   Tianshan District Minzhu Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Minzhu   Same as above
             
8   Tianshan District Jianquan No.3 Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Riyue Xingguang   Same as above
             
9   Tianshan District Jiefang North Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Wanyancheng   Same as above
             
10   Urumqi Economics and Technology Development District George Chanson Bakery on Kashi West Rd.   Huarun Wanjia   Same as above
             
11   Xinshi District Liyushan South Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Medical College   Same as above
             
12   Xinshi District Changchun South Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Changchun   Same as above
             
13   Xinshi District Beijing Middle Rd. United Family Chanson Bakery   Huijia Third Floor   Same as above
             
14   Xinshi District Suzhou East Rd. Chanson Bakery   Baishang   Same as above
             
15   Xinshi District Suzhou Rd. Xiaoxigou Chanson Bakery   Xiaoxigou   Same as above

 

 

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16   Xinshi District South No.3 Rd. Chanson Bakery   Railway Bureau   Same as above
             
17   Urumqi Economics and Technology Development District George Chanson Bakery on Xuanwuhu Rd.   Economics Development Wanda   Same as above
             
18   Shayibake District Youhao South Rd. Chanson Bakery   Hongshan Lifestyle Store   Same as above
             
19   Shuimogou District South Nanhu Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Nanhu   Same as above
             
20   Xinshi District Hebei East Rd. George Chanson Bakery   Hebei Road Huarun   Same as above
             
21   Urumqi Toutunhe District George Chanson Bakery on Zhongya South Rd.   Degang Wanda   Same as above
             
22   Shayibake District Karamay West Rd. Chanson Bakery   Xinbei Yuanchun   Same as above.
             
23   Shayibake District Qitai Rd. Hemeijia Chanson Bakery   Dehui Wangda Fourth Floor   Same as above
             
24   Tianshan District Qingnian Rd. Chanson Bakery   Qingnian Road Haojiaxiang   Same as above
             
25   Xinshi District Liyushan North Rd. Hemeijia Bakery   Vanke Jincheng Huafu   Same as above
             
26   Xinshi District Changchun North Rd. Chanson Bakery   Gaoxin Wanda   Same as above
             
27   Tianshan District Guangming Rd. Chanson Coffee Bakery   Shidai Guangchang   Same as above
             
28   Shayibake District Youhao North Rd. Chanson Coffee Bakery   Meimei No. 2   Same as above
             
29   Shihezi Hemeijia Bakery No.1   Shihezi   Part of UFG – owned 100% by Ms. Hui Wang and operated under agreements between this entity and Xinjiang United Family
             
30   Xinjiang United Family Trading Co., Ltd. Tianshan District Chanson Bakery   Tianbai   A branch office of Xinjiang United Family
             
31   Xinjiang United Family Trading Co., Ltd. Chanson Bakery Urumqi Branch   Wenhua   A branch office of Xinjiang United Family
             
32   Xinjiang United Family Trading Co., Ltd. Urumqi Meimei Chanson Bakery   Meimei   A branch office of Xinjiang United Family
             
33   Xinjiang United Family Trading Co., Ltd. Ruitai Chanson Bakery   Ruitai   A store operated by Xinjiang United Family, not a separate legal entity
             
34   Chanson 23rd Street LLC   Chanson 23rd Street   A wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Xinjiang United Family
             
35   Chanson 355 Greenwich LLC   Chanson Greenwich   Same as above
             
36   Chanson 1293 3rd Ave LLC   Chanson 3rd Ave  

Same as above. We expect Chanson 3rd Ave to open in late March 2023.

             
37   Chanson 2040 Broadway LLC   Chanson Broadway  

Same as above. We expect Chanson Broadway to open in April 2023.

 

For ease of reference, unless it is necessary to the understanding of the context to differentiate, throughout this prospectus we will refer to all of the above entities collectively as our “stores” and, to the extent we refer to a specific entity listed in the table above, we refer to such entity by its commercial name.

 

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The following diagram illustrates our corporate structure after the Reorganization and upon completion of this offering based on 3,750,000 Class A Ordinary Shares being offered, assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option:

 

 

Notes: All percentages reflect the voting ownership interests instead of the equity interests held by each of our shareholders given that each holder of Class B Ordinary Shares will be entitled to 10 votes per one Class B Ordinary Share and each holder of Class A Ordinary Shares will be entitled to one vote per one Class A Ordinary Share.

 

  (1) Represents 2,700,000 Class A Ordinary Shares and 5,670,000 Class B Ordinary Shares held by Gang Li, the 100% owner of Danton Global Limited, as of the date of this prospectus.
     
  (2) Represents 270,000 Class B Ordinary Shares held by Jihong Cai, the 100% owner of Haily Global Limited, as of the date of this prospectus.
     
  (3) Represents an aggregate of 360,000 Class A Ordinary Shares held equally by two corporate shareholders, each one of which holds less than 5% of our voting ownership interests, as of the date of this prospectus.

 

The United Family Group

 

Each UFG Entity was established as an individually-owned business and, for accounting purposes, Xinjiang United Family controlled the UFG Entities through the VIE Agreements. UFG’s revenue accounted for 44%, 86%, and 76% of our total revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2022, and the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. UFG consists of 29 VIEs. Our Chairman, Mr. Gang Li, is the sole owner of 28 UFG Entities, and Ms. Hui Wang, the Marketing Director of Xinjiang United Family, is the sole owner of one UFG Entity.

 

Our affiliation with UFG is managed through the VIE Agreements among Xinjiang United Family, each UFG Entity, and the UFG Operators. For accounting purposes, we control and receive the economic benefits of the UFG Entities through the VIE Agreements, which enable us to consolidate the financial results of the VIEs in our consolidated financial statements under U.S. GAAP, and the structure involves unique risks to investors.

 

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Each of the VIE Agreements is described below:

 

Exclusive Service Agreement

 

Pursuant to the Exclusive Service Agreement between Xinjiang United Family and the applicable UFG Operator, who is the sole operator of the UFG Entity, Xinjiang United Family is in charge of all aspects of the UFG Entity’s operation, manages all matters and funds of UFG Entity, and enjoys all the other responsibilities and rights enjoyed by the UFG Operator in accordance with the applicable law, on an exclusive basis. For services rendered to the UFG Entity by Xinjiang United Family under the Exclusive Service Agreement, Xinjiang United Family is entitled to collect a service fee equal to the net profit after tax of the UFG Entity.

 

The term of the Exclusive Service Agreement is 10 years, unless terminated earlier by Xinjiang United Family with a 30-day prior notice. The UFG Entity does not have the right to terminate that agreement unilaterally. The agreement would renew automatically by 10 years after expiration, with no limit on times of renewal.

 

Xinjiang United Family has absolute authority over the management of the UFG Entity, including but not limited to decisions with regard to expenses, salary raises and bonuses, hiring, firing, and other operational functions. The Exclusive Service Agreement does not prohibit related party transactions. Upon the establishment of the audit committee at the consummation of this offering, the audit committee of Chanson International will be required to review and approve in advance any related party transactions, including transactions involving the UFG Entity.

 

Pledge Agreement

 

Under the Pledge Agreement between Xinjiang United Family and the UFG Operator, the UFG Operator pledged all of his or her assets for the business of the UFG Entity to Xinjiang United Family to guarantee the performance of the UFG Operator’s obligations under the Transaction Agreements. Under the terms of the Pledge Agreement, in the event that the UFG Entity or the UFG Operator breaches their respective contractual obligations under the Transaction Agreements, Xinjiang United Family, as pledgee, will be entitled to certain rights, including, but not limited to, the right to dispose of the pledged assets in accordance with applicable PRC laws. The UFG Operator further agreed not to dispose of the pledged assets or take any actions that would prejudice Xinjiang United Family’s interest.

 

The Pledge Agreement is effective until the latest date of the following: (1) the secured debt in the scope of pledge is cleared off; (2) Xinjiang United Family, as pledgee, exercise its pledge rights pursuant to provisions and conditions of the Pledge Agreement; and (3) the UFG Operator, as pledger, transfer all the pledged assets to Xinjiang United Family according to the Call Option Agreement, or other entity or individual designated by it.

 

The purposes of the Pledge Agreement are to (1) guarantee the performance of the UFG Operator’s obligations under the Exclusive Service Agreement, (2) make sure the UFG Operator does not transfer or assign the pledged assets, or create or allow any encumbrance that would prejudice Xinjiang United Family’s interests without Xinjiang United Family’s prior written consent, and (3) provide Xinjiang United Family control over the UFG Entity for accounting purposes. In the event the UFG Entity or UFG Operator breaches its contractual obligations under the Transaction Agreements, Xinjiang United Family will be entitled to foreclose on the UFG Operator’s assets in the UFG Entity and may (1) exercise its option to purchase or designate third parties to purchase part or all of the UFG Operator’s assets in the UFG Entity and in this situation, Xinjiang United Family may terminate the Pledge Agreement and the other VIE Agreements after acquisition of all assets in the UFG Entity or form a new VIE structure with any third party designated by Xinjiang United Family, or (2) dispose of the pledged assets and be paid in priority out of proceeds from the disposal in which case the existing VIE structure will be terminated.

 

Call Option Agreement

 

Under the Call Option Agreement, the UFG Operator irrevocably granted Xinjiang United Family an exclusive option to require the UFG Operator to transfer, to the extent permitted under PRC law, once or at multiple times, at any time, part or all of his or her assets in the UFG Entity to Xinjiang United Family (or its designee). The option price is the minimum amount to the extent permitted under PRC law.

  

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Under the Call Option Agreement, Xinjiang United Family may at any time under any circumstances, require the UFG Operator to transfer, at its discretion, to the extent permitted under PRC law, all or part of the UFG Operator’s assets in the UFG Entity to Xinjiang United Family (or its designee).

 

The Call Option Agreement remains effective until all the equity or assets of the UFG Entity is legally transferred under the name of Xinjiang United Family and/or other entity or individual designated by it.

 

Operating Rights Proxy Agreement and Powers of Attorney

 

Under the Operating Rights Proxy Agreement and the Powers of Attorney, the UFG Operator entrusted Xinjiang United Family or the personnel designated by it then to act as his or her proxy and exercise his or her rights as the sole operator of the UFG Entity, including but not limited to: (a) exercising operating rights; (b) getting access to financial information of the UFG Entity; (c) making resolutions about the disposition of the assets of the UFG Entity; (d) approving annual budgets of the UFG Entity or announcing dividends; (e) making resolutions about dissolution or liquidation of the UFG Entity, forming the liquidating committee, and exercising the authorities in the course of liquidation; (f) filing any required document to the company registration agency or any other relevant agency; and (g) signing any resolution.

 

The Operating Rights Proxy Agreement and the Powers of Attorney shall be retrospectively effective from their date of execution and maintain the effectiveness so long as the UFG Operator holds the operating rights of the UFG Entity.

 

Spousal Consents

 

The spouses of the UFG Operators, agreed, via spousal consents, to the execution of the “Transaction Documents” including: (a) Exclusive Service Agreement entered into with Xinjiang United Family; (b) Call Option Agreement entered into with Xinjiang United Family; (c) Operating Rights Proxy Agreement entered into with Xinjiang United Family; (d) Pledge Agreement entered into with Xinjiang United Family; and (e) Powers of Attorney executed by the UFG Operators, and the disposal of the operating rights or the assets for the business of the UFG Entity held by the UFG Operators and registered in their names.

 

The spouses of the UFG Operators further undertake not to make any assertions in connection with the operating rights and assets of the UFG Entity which are held by the UFG Operators. The spouses of the UFG Operators confirm that the UFG Operators can perform their obligations under the Transaction Documents and further amend or terminate the Transaction Documents without their authorization or consent. The spouses of the UFG Operators undertake to execute all necessary documents and take all necessary actions to ensure appropriate performance of the Transaction Documents.

 

The spouses of the UFG Operators also undertake that if they obtain any operating rights and assets of the UFG Entity which are held by the UFG Operators for any reasons, they shall be bound by the Transaction Documents entered into between the UFG Operators and Xinjiang United Family (as amended time to time) and comply with the obligations thereunder as an operator of the UFG Entity. For this purpose, upon Xinjiang United Family’s request, they shall sign a series of written documents in substantially the same format and content as the Transaction Documents (as amended from time to time).

 

Although each UFG Entity has its own set of agreements with Xinjiang United Family, the terms and conditions of their agreements with Xinjiang United Family are identical. As a result of the understandings and agreements, for accounting purposes, we control and receive the economic benefits of the UFG Entities through the VIE Agreements, which enable us to consolidate the financial results of the VIEs in our consolidated financial statements under U.S. GAAP. Except as set forth in these agreements, the UFG Operators are not entitled to any other compensation in connection with their ownership of all the UFG Entities.

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. This discussion contains forward-looking statements reflecting our current expectations that involve risks and uncertainties. See “Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” for a discussion of the uncertainties, risks, and assumptions associated with these statements. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those discussed in our forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including those set forth under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all share amounts and per share amounts in this prospectus have been presented giving effect to a forward split of our ordinary shares at a ratio of 1,000-for-1 share and additional share issuances to our existing shareholders approved by our shareholders and board of directors on March 27, 2021.

 

Overview

 

The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores manufacture and sell a wide selection of bakery products, seasonal products (i.e. products sold during particular holiday seasons), and beverage products; some of these stores also offer eat-in services. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores aim to make healthy, nutritious, and ready-to-eat food through advanced facilities and industry research and to create a comfortable, yet distinguishable store environment in which customers can enjoy their products.

  

The PRC Stores are a bakery chain consisting of 33 stores operated by Xinjiang United Family and the VIEs, under the “George●Chanson” brand in Xinjian, and the U.S. Stores sell their products in New York City. Selling through directly-operated stores, instead of franchise stores, allows the operating entities to run their entire operation more efficiently and to exercise greater control over the quality of products and the presentation of their brand, and to better manage customer experience in the stores. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores also sell their products on their digital platforms and through third-party online food ordering platforms. The current customer base of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores consists of both individual and corporate customers. To expand their customer base, the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores have developed a variety of marketing and sale strategies, such as increasing their presence on social media platforms, devising pricing and discounting programs, and improving customer in-store experience.

 

The Company plans to continue its expansions in China and the U.S. In particular, the Company plans to open three to five new stores in China annually during the next five years, which is expected to cost approximately RMB1.5 million to RMB 2.5 million (approximately $0.2 million to $0.4 million) each year. The Company plans to support the expansion plan with its cash on hand and cash flows from operations in PRC. In addition, Chanson 3rd Ave is currently preparing for the opening of a store in late March 2023. The renovation of Chanson Broadway was delayed and the store is expected to be open in April 2023. The total budget for the two new stores is $1 million. The Company also plans to open eight new stores in the U.S. in the next five years, which is expected to cost approximately $3.5 million in total. The Company plans to use its cash on hand, cash flows from operations, and the proceeds it receives from this offering, if successful, to open the new stores in the U.S.

 

The PRC Stores manufacture the majority of bakery products in their central factory located in Urumqi, Xinjiang, prepare beverage products within the stores, and contract third-party manufacturers to produce seasonal products. The U.S. Stores bake bakery products, prepare breakfast, lunch and all-day brunch, bar food, and other light meals for eat in, and make beverage products all within the kitchen in the store. To ensure the quality and safety of their products, the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores procure raw materials, including flour, eggs, and milk, from renowned suppliers with a record of consistently supplying high-quality raw materials over decades in the food industry. In addition, the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores have implemented a rigorous quality control system covering their entire operation process and mandated internal training to improve their employees’ awareness and knowledge of food safety.

 

The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores have dedicated and highly-experienced product development teams that constantly create new products that reflect market trends and are designed to meet customer demand. As of December 2022, the PRC Stores had more than 707 types of bakery products and seasonal products on sale, including over 145 types of new products introduced to the market since 2021, and the U.S. Stores had 131 types of eat-in menu items and bakery products on sale, including 36 types of new products introduced to the market since 2021. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores also offer a large number of beverage products and update their drink menus seasonally and in response to ever changing customer demand. By continuously offering new products and refining their product formulas to enhance existing products, we believe that the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores are able to steadily bring in new customers and increase the frequency of their existing customers’ visits to their stores, digital platforms, and store page on third-party platforms.

 

For the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, we had total revenue of $8,543,803 and $6,742,121, and net income of $220,793 and $422,685, respectively. The PRC Stores accounted for 78.6% and 89.2% of our total revenue for those periods, respectively, and the U.S. Stores accounted for 21.4% and 10.8%, respectively. For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, we had total revenue of $14,690,295 and $10,313,512, and net income of $506,769 and a net loss of $164,029, respectively. The PRC Stores accounted for 87.1% and 87.0% of our total revenue for those fiscal years, respectively, and the U.S. Stores accounted for 12.9% and 13.0%, respectively.

 

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The PRC Stores primarily generate revenue through sale of bakery products, seasonal products, and beverage products. For the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, revenue derived from sale of bakery products accounted for 93.8% and 93.4% of the PRC Stores’ revenue, revenue derived from sale of seasonal products accounted for 5.4% and 5.4%, and revenue derived from sale of beverage products accounted for 0.8% and 1.2%, respectively. For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, revenue derived from sale of bakery products accounted for 91.4% and 91.8% of the PRC Stores’ revenue, revenue derived from sale of seasonal products accounted for 7.6% and 6.6%, and revenue derived from sale of beverage products accounted for 1.0% and 1.6%, respectively.  

 

The U.S. Stores primarily generate revenue through offering eat-in services and sale of bakery products and beverage products. For the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, revenue derived from offering eat-in services accounted for 27.6% and 25.9% of the U.S. Stores’ revenue, revenue derived from sale of bakery products accounted for 18.2% and 31.3%, and revenue derived from sale of beverage products accounted for 54.2% and 42.8%, respectively. For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, revenue derived from offering eat-in services accounted for 22.2% and 37.9% of the U.S. Stores’ revenue, revenue derived from sale of bakery products accounted for 25.0% and 44.6%, and revenue derived from sale of beverage products accounted for 52.8% and 17.5%, respectively.

 

Key Factors that Affect Our Results of Operations

 

We believe the following key factors may affect our financial condition and results of operations:

 

The operating entities’ business is affected by changes in consumer preferences and discretionary spending.

 

The operating entities’ success depends, in part, upon the popularity of their bakery products and their ability to develop new bakery products that appeal to consumers. Shifts in consumer preferences away from their bakery stores or their product offerings and mix, their inability to develop new products that appeal to consumers could harm the operating entities’ business. The operating entities’ success depends in large part on their customers’ continued belief that food made with high-quality ingredients, including selected proteins raised without antibiotics, their artisan breads, cakes, pastries, and other bakery treats made without artificial preservatives, flavors, sweeteners, or colors from artificial sources are worth the prices charged at the operating entities’ bakery stores relative to the lower prices offered by some of their competitors. The operating entities’ inability to successfully educate customers about the quality of their bakery products or their customers’ rejection of the operating entities’ pricing approach could result in decreased demand for their products or require the operating entities to change their pricing, marketing, or promotional strategies, which could materially and adversely affect our consolidated financial results or the brand identity that the operating entities have created. In addition, the operating entities’ success depends to a significant extent on discretionary consumer spending, which is influenced by general economic conditions and the availability of discretionary income. Accordingly, the operating entities may experience declines in sales during economic downturns or during periods of uncertainty. Any material decline in the amount of discretionary spending could have a material adverse effect on the operating entities’ sales, results of operations, business, and financial condition.

 

The operating entities’ revenue and growth could be adversely affected if their comparable store sales are less than expected.

 

The operating entities’ success depends on increasing comparable store sales. To increase sales and profits, and therefore comparable store sales growth, the operating entities must focus on delivering value and generating customer excitement by strengthening opportunistic purchasing, optimizing inventory management, maintaining strong store conditions, and effectively marketing current products and new product offerings. The operating entities may not be able to maintain or improve the levels of comparable store sales that they have experienced in the past, and the operating entities’ comparable store sales growth is a significant driver of their profitability and overall business results. In addition, competition and pricing pressures from competitors may materially adversely impact the operating entities’ operating margins. The operating entities’ comparable store sales growth could be lower than their historical average or their future target for many reasons, including general economic conditions, operational performance, price inflation or deflation, new competitive entrants near their stores, price changes in response to competitive factors, the impact of new stores entering the comparable store base, possible supply shortages or other operational disruptions, the number and dollar amount of customer transactions in their stores, and their ability to provide product or service offerings that generate new and repeat visits to their stores. Opening new stores in the operating entities’ established markets may result in inadvertent oversaturation, temporarily or permanently diverting customers and sales from their existing stores to new stores and reduce comparable store sales, thus adversely affecting their overall financial performance. These factors may cause the operating entities’ comparable store sales results to be materially lower than in recent periods, which could harm their profitability and business. Changes in their average store sales or their inability to increase their average store sales could cause their operating results to vary adversely from expectations, which could adversely affect their results of operations.

 

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Fluctuations in various food and supply costs, including dairy, could adversely affect the operating entities’ operating results.

 

Supplies and prices of the various ingredient materials that are used to prepare the operating entities’ bakery products (including flour, milk, sugar, and eggs) can be affected by a variety of factors, such as weather, seasonal fluctuations, demand, politics, and economics factors, and such prices may fluctuate. An increase in pricing of any ingredient that is used in the operating entities’ bakery products could result in an increase in costs from their suppliers, and the operating entities may not be able to increase prices to cover increased costs which would have an adverse effect on their operating results and profitability.

 

The geographic concentration of the operating entities’ stores primarily in Xinjiang and New York City subjects the operating entities to an increased risk of loss of revenue from events beyond their control or conditions affecting that region.

 

Currently, our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs operate 33 bakery stores exclusively located in Xinjiang. In addition, the U.S. Stores’ current operations are limited to New York City. As a result, they are particularly susceptible to adverse trends, severe weather, competition, and economic conditions in these areas. Any unforeseen events or circumstances that negatively affect these areas could materially adversely affect the operating entities’ sales and profitability. These factors include, among other things, epidemics, changes in demographics, population and employee bases, wage increases, changes in economic conditions, severe weather conditions, and climate change. Such conditions may result in reduced customer traffic and spending in the operating entities’ stores, physical damage to their stores, loss of inventory, closure of one or more of their stores, inadequate workforce in their markets, temporary disruption in the supply of products, delays in the delivery of goods to their stores, increased expenses, and a reduction in the availability of products in their stores. Any of these factors may disrupt the operating entities’ business and materially adversely affect their financial condition and results of operations.

 

If the operating entities are unable to compete successfully, their financial condition and results of operations may be harmed.

 

The industry in which the operating entities conduct their business is intensely competitive. The operating entities’ bakery stores compete with well-established national, regional, and locally-owned traditional bakeries, cafés, and other companies providing bakery products. Additionally, the operating entities also compete with certain quick-service restaurants, specialty food stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores. The principal factors on which they compete are taste, quality, prices of products offered, customer service, atmosphere, location, convenience, and overall customer experience. The operating entities also compete for retail space in desirable locations. Many competitors or potential competitors have substantially greater financial and other resources, which may allow them to react more quickly to changes in pricing, marketing, and other changing tastes of consumers. In the event that the operating entities cannot effectively compete on a continuing basis or competitive pressures arise, such inability to compete or competitive pressures could have a material adverse effect on their business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

Key financial performance indicators

 

We consider a variety of financial and operating measures in assessing the performance of our business. The key financial performance measures we use are revenue, comparable store sales, gross profit and gross margin, selling, general, and administrative expenses (“SG&A expenses”), and operating income.

 

Revenue

 

Our revenue is derived primarily from sales of bakery and other products under the operating entities’ “George●Chanson,” “Patisserie Chanson,” and “Chanson” brand names. The PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores experienced stable growth prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting from their focus on supporting their best-selling items and the introduction of new products. Our revenue is periodically influenced by the efficiency of sales promotions and the introduction and discontinuance of sales and promotion incentives. Growth of our revenue is primarily driven by expansion of the operating entities’ store base in existing and new markets as well as comparable store sales growth, described below under “Comparable Store Sales.” Revenue is impacted by competition, current economic conditions, pricing, inflation, product mix and availability, promotion, and spending habits of the operating entities’ customers. The product offerings of the PRC Stores and the U.S. Stores across diverse product categories support growth in revenue by attracting new customers and encouraging repeat visits from their existing customers.

  

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Comparable Store Sales

 

Comparable store sales measure the performance of a store during the current reporting period against the performance of the same store in the corresponding period of the previous year. Comparable store sales are important points of analysis for the operating entities, as comparable store sales can be helpful to them in making future decisions regarding existing stores and new locations. Comparable store sales are impacted by the same factors that impact revenue. The operating entities often drill down into comparable store sales figures to determine the exact cause of changes in revenue. The operating entities also use comparable store sales to evaluate current and likely future performance and as a measure of revenue growth to evaluate how established stores have performed over time compared to new stores.

 

For simplicity, our comparable store sales consist of revenue from the operating entities’ stores only after they have had two full years of operations, which is when we believe comparability is achieved. Our comparable store definition includes stores that have been remodeled, expanded, or relocated in their existing location or respective geographic areas, but excludes stores that have been closed for an extended period or are planned to be closed or disposed of. Comparable store sales figures are presented as a percentage that indicates the relative amount of revenue increase or decrease, excluding the impact of foreign currency translation.

 

Opening new stores is a primary component of our growth strategy and, as the operating entities continue to execute on their growth strategy, we expect a significant portion of their revenue growth will be attributable to revenue from new stores. Accordingly, comparable store sales are one of the measures the operating entities use to assess the success of their growth strategy.

 

Gross Profit and Gross Margin

 

Gross profit is the difference between revenue and cost of revenue. Our cost of revenue consists of labor costs, costs of ingredients used to prepare the operating entities’ bakery products, inventory write-off due to discarded bakery products, packaging costs, freight charges, utility costs, rent expenses of manufacturing space, depreciation of production equipment, and other overhead costs. Ingredients costs account for the largest portion of our cost of revenue. Supplies and prices of the operating entities’ various ingredients can be affected by a variety of factors, such as weather, seasonal fluctuations, demand, political environment, and economic conditions. An increase in the price of any ingredients used in the operating entities’ bakery products could result in an increase in costs from their suppliers, and the operating entities may not be able to increase prices to cover increased costs, which would have an adverse effect on their operating results and profitability. In order to negotiate more favorable prices on ingredients, the operating entities have been and will continue to be directly involved in sourcing ingredients from qualified suppliers and try to lock in ingredient prices for typically six to 12 months through non-cancelable purchase commitments, when they expect the price to increase. Over the past years, the operating entities have invested significant time and energy to achieve cost reduction and productivity improvement in their supply chain. The operating entities have focused on reducing ingredient and packaging costs through increased volume buying, direct purchasing, and price negotiations, as well as strengthening inventory management from raw materials to finished goods to reduce the spoilage and wastage. On the other hand, labor is a primary component in the cost of operating the operating entities’ business. Increased labor costs due to competition, increased minimum wage or employee benefits costs, or otherwise, would adversely impact the operating entities’ operating expenses. In addition, the operating entities’ success depends on their ability to attract, motivate, and retain qualified employees, including store managers and staff, to keep pace with their growth strategy.

 

Gross margin is gross profit divided by revenue. Gross margin is a measure used by management to indicate whether the operating entities are selling their products at an appropriate gross profit. Our gross margin is impacted by the operating entities’ product mix and availability, as some products provide higher gross margins, and by their merchandise costs, which may vary. Gross margin is also impacted by prices of the operating entities’ products. The operating entities typically evaluate the profitability of their products annually or semi-annually. The operating entities consider many factors such as cost of revenue fluctuations and competitive pricing strategies. The operating entities have historically been able to replace less profitable products with similar new products, and refine their product formulas to enhance existing products with higher prices to cover higher ingredient costs. In addition, the operating entities have a dedicated and highly-experienced product development team that constantly creates brand new products that reflect market trends and are attractive to customers.

 

SG&A Expenses

 

Our SG&A expenses are comprised of both store-related expenses and corporate expenses. Store-related expenses include payroll and employee benefit expenses and sales commissions paid to sales personnel, store rent, occupancy and maintenance costs, the cost of opening new stores, and marketing and advertising expenses. Corporate expenses include payroll and benefits for corporate and field support, legal, professional, and other consulting fees, travel expenses, and other facility related costs, such as rent and depreciation.

 

SG&A expenses generally increase as the operating entities grow their store base and invest in corporate infrastructure. The operating entities have made significant investments in talent retention and storefront upgrades over the past years which have resulted in higher SG&A expenses. Our SG&A expenses are expected to continue increasing in the future as the operating entities invest to open new stores, launch new products, increase brand awareness, attract new customers, and increase their market penetration. To support their growth, the operating entities will continue to increase headcount, particularly in the sales and marketing departments. This increase in headcount will drive higher payroll and employee-related expenses. Our operating entities also continue to invest in product innovation and fuel sales growth. We expect our SG&A expenses to continue to increase in absolute dollars as we incur increased costs related to the growth of our business and our operation as a public company.

 

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Operating Income

 

Operating income is the difference between gross profit and SG&A expenses. Operating income excludes interest expenses, other income (expenses), and income tax expenses. We use operating income as an indicator of the productivity of our business and our ability to manage expenses.

 

Comparable Store Sales

 

A variety of factors affect our comparable store sales, including, among others, consumer trends, competition, current economic conditions, pricing, inflation, changes in the operating entities’ product mix, the success of their marketing programs, and the COVID-19 pandemic. During the six months ended June 30, 2022, the comparable store sales in China (excluding the impact of foreign currency translation) increased by 4.1%, which was attributable to the stable growth from the existing PRC Stores. For the six months ended June 30, 2022, the comparable store sales in the U.S. increased by 53.8%, as the U.S. Stores’ cocktail bar launched several new types of cocktail products, and Chanson 23rd Street has been allowed to provide indoor dining services at full capacity starting from May 19, 2021. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the comparable store sales in China (excluding the impact of foreign currency translation) increased by 20.7%, as the PRC Stores’ business operation gradually recovered from the pandemic in 2021. For fiscal year 2021, the comparable store sales in the U.S. increased by 37.0%, as the U.S. Stores’ cocktail bar launched several new types of cocktail products, and Chanson 23rd Street has been allowed to provide indoor dining services at full capacity starting from May 19, 2021.

  

COVID-19 Affecting Our Results of Operations

 

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread throughout the world, especially in China and the U.S. The outbreak resulted in the implementation of significant governmental measures, including lockdowns, closures, quarantines, and travel bans, intended to control the spread of the virus. After the store closure between late January and early March of 2020, all of the PRC Stores were closed again on July 17, 2020 due to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Xinjiang. The PRC Stores resumed their normal activities in September 2020. As a result of the store closure, the PRC Stores generated no revenue and the estimated loss of revenue was approximately RMB12 million (approximately $1.7 million) during the period of closure. Although the PRC Stores resumed their normal activities in September 2020, the business of the PRC Stores located at shopping centers, school areas, and other commercial districts were still affected by reduced customer traffic due to tightened safety control. In the U.S., Chanson 23rd Street in New York City provided only delivery and pickup services between the end of February 2020 and the end of June 2020, and resumed outdoor dining services at the end of June 2020 and limited indoor dining services at the end of September 2020. Chanson 23rd Street suspended its indoor dining services again between December 14, 2020 and February 11, 2021 according to an indoor dining ban issued by the Governor of New York State. In addition, the renovation of Chanson Greenwich was delayed and the store opened in December 2021. Chanson 23rd Street resumed its indoor dining services on February 12, 2021 at 25 percent capacity, which was increased to 35 percent on February 26, 2021 and further increased to 50 percent and 75 percent on March 19, 2021 and May 7, 2021, respectively. Starting from May 19, 2021, Chanson 23rd Street has been allowed to provide indoor dining services at full capacity, provided that either diners are seated at least six feet apart or tables are separated by physical barriers. The six-feet rule was later lifted for fully vaccinated people and eventually for all people. As of the date of this prospectus, the U.S. Stores are providing indoor dining services at their full capacity. Consequently, the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected our business operations and operating results for fiscal years 2021 and 2020. Our revenue generated in China increased by approximately $0.7 million, or 11.6%, during the six months ended June 30, 2022 as compared to the same period of last year, primarily due to the increased revenue from newly opened stores as well as a new source of revenue generated from community group purchases during the six months ended June 30, 2022. Our revenue generated in United States increased by approximately $1.1 million, or 152.4%, during the six months ended June 30, 2022 as compared to the same period of last year, because starting from May 19, 2021, Chanson 23rd Street has been allowed to provide indoor dining services at full capacity with certain restrictions, and Chanson Greenwich opened in December 2021 as mentioned above. Overall, our total revenue increased by approximately $1.8 million, or 26.7%, during the six months ended June 30, 2022 as compared to the same period of last year. See “—Results of Operations.”

 

Subsequent to June 30, 2022, due to the 2022 Outbreak, which resulted in the implementation of significant governmental measures, including lockdowns, closures, quarantines, and travel bans, the operations of the PRC Stores and the production of the PRC Stores’ central factory were affected starting from August 10, 2022 and all of the PRC Stores and the central factory were closed between October 5, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The PRC Stores and the central factory stared to reopen in early December 2022 and resumed their normal business activities on December 10, 2022. The PRC Stores only managed to generate limited online sales and group sales, and the estimated loss of revenue was approximately RMB18 million (approximately $2.8 million) during the period of closure. Therefore, our business operations and financial results for the second half of the year ending December 31, 2022 are expected to be negatively affected by the 2022 Outbreak. For the three-month period from July 2022 to September 2022, our revenue generated in China decreased by approximately $1.8 million, or 48.7%, as compared to the same period in 2021, as all of the PRC Stores were closed on August 10, 2022 due to the 2022 Outbreak. Our revenue generated in the U.S. increased by approximately $0.5 million, or 98.3%, as compared to the same period in 2021, because Chanson Greenwich opened in December 2021. As a result, our total revenue decreased by approximately $1.3 million, or 32.2%, as compared to the same period in 2021.

 

In early December 2022, China announced a nationwide loosening of its zero-COVID policy, and the country may face a wave in infections after the lifting of these restrictions. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic still depends on the future developments of the pandemic, including new information concerning the global severity of and actions taken to contain the pandemic, or the appearance of new or more severe strains of the virus, which are highly uncertain and unpredictable. Therefore, while we expect the COVID-19 pandemic to continue negatively impacting our business, results of operations, and financial position, the related financial impact cannot be reasonably estimated at this time.

 

During the time the stores were closed, the operating entities paid all their employees base salaries in order to satisfy their basic living expenditure needs. After the reopening, the operating entities have taken various preventative and quarantine measures across their stores, including conducting regular nucleic acid tests in accordance with the government requirement, monitoring their employees’ health conditions daily, and distributing face masks to all their employees. The operating entities also limit the customer flows in their stores and customers who visit their stores are required to measure temperature and wear masks. In the U.S., Chanson 23rd Street kept its store in New York City open and provided takeout and delivery services. To fulfill its social responsibility, Chanson 23rd Street has offered special discounts on its products to all hospital workers and free pastries to all frontline workers, drivers, and delivery people as a gesture to show its appreciation for what they contributed to the society during the pandemic.

 

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The operating entities have taken actions to preserve their liquidity during the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 7, 2020, Xinjiang United Family entered into a loan agreement with Huaxia Bank, which provided it funding of RMB15 million (approximately $2.3 million) through May 2021 with a favorable fixed interest rate of 4.98%. The loan was subsequently repaid in full upon maturity. On May 31, 2021, Xinjiang United Family entered into a new loan agreement with Huaxia Bank to borrow RMB10 million (approximately $1.6 million) as working capital for one year, with a maturity date of May 31, 2022. The loan bore a fixed interest rate of 5.54%. The loan was subsequently repaid in full upon maturity. In addition, on September 22, 2020, as an effort to support high-quality tax payers, the local government of Xinjiang, through China Construction Bank, granted Xinjiang United Family, and our controlling shareholder and his wife, a maximum line of credit of approximately RMB2.3 million (approximately $0.4 million), with a credit period of one year. On March 12, 2021, Xinjiang United Family borrowed RMB2.3 million (approximately $0.4 million) under this line of credit, with a maturity date on September 22, 2021. The loan bore a fixed interest rate of 4.2525%. The loan was repaid in full upon maturity. On April 29, 2020, our subsidiary Chanson 23rd Street received funding for a loan totaling $209,291 from Cathay Bank under the U.S. Small Business Administration (the “SBA”) Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), which is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), enacted on March 27, 2020. Under the terms of the SBA PPP loan, up to 100% of the principal and accrued interest may be forgiven if certain criteria are met and the loan proceeds are used for qualifying expenses such as payroll costs, benefits, rent, and utilities as described in the CARES Act. The loan accrues interest at a rate of 1% and any portion of the principal and accrued interest that is not forgiven is required to be repaid by April 29, 2022. Chanson 23rd Street filed an application for forgiveness of the loan’s principal and interests in February 2021, and the application was approved by the bank and the SBA in May 2021. On February 11, 2021, Chanson 23rd Street received funding for a Second Draw PPP loan totaling $293,007 from Cathay Bank. Under the terms of the Second Draw PPP loan, up to 100% of the principal and accrued interest may be forgiven if certain criteria are met and the loan proceeds are used for qualifying expenses such as payroll costs, benefits, rent, and utilities as described in the CARES Act. The loan accrues interest at a rate of 1% and any portion of the principal and accrued interest that is not forgiven is required to be repaid by February 10, 2026. Chanson 23rd Street filed an application for forgiveness of the loan’s principal and interests, and the application was approved by the bank and the SBA in November 2021. On May 24, 2021, Chanson 23rd Street received funding of $531,992 under the SBA Restaurant Revitalization Fund program. In addition, we have increased efforts to collect our accounts receivable. As of December 31, 2022, approximately 74.6%, or $1.5 million, of our accounts receivable balance as of June 30, 2022 had been collected. The remaining balance is expected to be collected before June 30, 2023. As of June 30, 2022, we had a negative working capital of approximately $5.8 million, including deferred revenue of approximately $6.8 million, which was reported as current liability, but will not require cash payment in the future. In assessing our liquidity, we monitor and analyze our cash on-hand, our ability to generate sufficient revenue sources and ability to obtain additional financial support in the future, and our operating and capital expenditure commitments. As of June 30, 2022, we only had cash of approximately $0.4 million. The future capital expenditure on the central factory construction is expected to be approximately $0.6 million and $0.4 million in the remainder of fiscal year 2022 and in fiscal year 2023, respectively. However, on December 23, 2022, Xinjiang United Family entered into a new loan agreement with Huaxia Bank for a loan of approximately $0.4 million (RMB3.0 million) with one-year maturity. We believe that we would be able to make additional borrowings from banks based on past experience and our good credit history when necessary. Due to the impact from the resurgence of the 2022 Outbreak cases in Xinjiang, our revenue was negatively impacted and is expected to decrease slightly in fiscal year 2022 as compared to fiscal year 2021. We expect to incur a net loss in fiscal year 2022. However, all of the PRC Stores resumed their normal business activities on December 10, 2022 and are expected to gradually recover from the 2022 Outbreak, and we expect to open three stores in PRC in fiscal year 2023 and two stores in U.S. in late March 2023 and April 2023. In addition, we will further implement initiatives to control costs and improve our operating efficiency in fiscal year 2023. Therefore, revenue and net income are expected to increase significantly in fiscal year 2023 as compared to fiscal year 2022. Furthermore, our controlling shareholder, Mr. Gang Li, has made pledges to provide continuous financial support to us for at least 12 months from the issuance of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2022. We believe our cash and cash equivalents on hand, our operating cash flows, debt financing, and financial support from our principal shareholder will be sufficient to meet our working capital needs over the next 12 months.

 

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Results of Operations

 

Comparison of Results of Operations for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2022 and 2021

 

The following table summarizes the results of our operations during the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and provides information regarding the dollar and percentage increase or decrease during such periods.

 

    For the Six Months Ended June 30,     Variance  
    2022     2021     Amount     %  
Revenue   $ 8,543,803     $ 6,742,121     $ 1,801,682       26.7 %
Cost of revenue     4,396,715       3,604,286       792,429       22.0 %
Gross profit     4,147,088       3,137,835       1,009,253       32.2 %
                                 
OPERATING EXPENSES                                
Selling expenses     2,195,394       1,923,124       272,270       14.2 %
General and administrative expenses     1,887,285       1,481,445       405,840       27.4 %
Total operating expenses     4,082,679       3,404,569       678,110       19.9 %
                                 
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS     64,409       (266,734 )     331,143       124.1 %
                                 
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSES)                                
Interest expense, net     (37,186 )     (48,594 )     (11,408 )     (23.5 )%
Other income, net     197,268       745,330       (548,062 )     (73.5 )%
Total other income, net     160,082       696,736       (536,654 )     (77.0 )%
                                 
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX PROVISION     224,491       430,002       (205,511 )     (47.8 )%
                                 
INCOME TAX PROVISION     3,698       7,317       (3,619 )     (49.5 )%
                                 
NET INCOME   $ 220,793     $ 422,685     $ (201,892 )     (47.8 )%

 

Revenue

 

We generate revenue primarily from bakery products and other products sold in China and the U.S. In the PRC Stores, bakery products consist of packaged bakery products (cakes, bread, and snacks), birthday cakes, and made-in-store pastries, and other products consist of seasonal products (mooncakes and zongzi) and beverage products. In the U.S. Stores, bakery products consist of cakes, bread, sweets, birthday cakes, and pastries, and other products consist of eat-in menu items (sandwiches, salads, toasts, croissants, soups, and desserts) and beverage products.

 

Our total revenue increased by $1,801,682, or 26.7%, from $6,742,121 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $8,543,803 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase in our revenue was due to increased revenue from the stores in China and the U.S., as discussed in greater details below.

 

The following table sets forth the breakdown of our revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively:

 

    For the Six Months Ended June 30,     Variance  
    2022     %     2021     %     Amount     %  
China                                    
Bakery products   $ 6,295,104       73.7 %   $ 5,624,404       83.4 %   $ 670,700       11.9 %
Other products     416,405       4.9 %     391,869       5.8 %     24,536       6.3 %
Subtotal: revenue from China     6,711,509       78.6 %     6,016,273       89.2 %     695,236       11.6 %
                                                 
United States                                                
Bakery products     332,870       3.9 %     227,159       3.4 %     105,711       46.5 %
Beverage products     993,504       11.6       310,828       4.6 %     682,676       219.6 %
Eat-in services     505,920       5.9 %     187,861       2.8 %     318,059       169.3 %
Subtotal: revenue from the United States     1,832,294       21.4 %     725,848       10.8 %     1,106,446       152.4 %
                                                 
Total Revenue   $ 8,543,803       100.0 %   $ 6,742,121       100.0 %   $ 1,801,682       26.7 %

 

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China

 

The PRC Stores accounted for 78.6% and 89.2% of our total revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Revenue from China increased by $695,236, or 11.6%, from $6,016,273 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $6,711,509 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase in our revenue was mainly due to increased revenue from bakery products, as discussed below.

 

Revenue from bakery products increased by $670,700, or 11.9%, from $5,624,404 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $6,295,104 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was mainly due to the increased revenue of approximately $0.6 million from new PRC stores that were opened since the last quarter of 2020. The increase in bakery products was also due to an increase by approximately $0.2 million, or 4.6%, in comparable store sales in the existing stores as compared to the same period of last year. As the PRC Stores’ brand awareness and product popularity grew year by year among their customers, they developed a new source of revenue since the start of fiscal year 2022 by launching community group purchases, which allow a group of residents within the same apartment compound to purchase the PRC Stores’ products together in bulk. As a result, the PRC Stores’ revenue from bakery products increased during the six months ended June 30, 2022 as compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021.

 

Revenue from other products increased by $24,536, or 6.3%, from $391,869 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $416,405 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was due to increased revenue from seasonal products, which was partially offset by decreased revenue from beverage products. Revenue from seasonal products increased by $42,151, or 13.1%, from $322,520 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $364,671 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was mainly due to increased group purchases from corporate customers of the PRC Stores; as the business of these corporate customers gradually recovered from the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, they made more group purchases of seasonal products during holidays from the PRC Stores during the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was also due to the increased purchases from our existing and new customers as we upgraded the packaging for our seasonal products, which are more appealing to the customers. Revenue from beverage products decreased by $17,615, or 25.4%, from $69,349 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $51,734 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The PRC Stores made and sold beverage products in each individual store, and due to the low sales volume, higher inventory spoilage of fresh ingredients, such as fruits, led to lower profitability. During the six months ended June 30, 2022, the PRC Stores strategically terminated the beverage sales in those bakery stores with low profitability, which resulted in the decrease in revenue from beverage products during the six months ended June 30, 2022 as compared to the same period of 2021. The decrease in revenue from beverage products was partially offset by the increased revenue from freshly brewed coffee products, as the PRC Stores launched new business of coffee beverages during the six months ended June 30, 2022.

  

United States

 

Revenue from the U.S. increased by $1,106,446, or 152.4%, from $725,848 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $1,832,294 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was due to increased revenue from bakery products, beverage products, and eat-in services as discussed below.

  

Revenue from bakery products increased by $105,711, or 46.5%, from $227,159 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $332,870 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was primarily due to the increased revenue from bakery products of $0.15 million, which was generated by Chanson Greenwich, the new store opened in December 2021. The increase in revenue from bakery products was partially offset by the decreased revenue of Chanson 23rd Street as a result of increased competition from rivals operating the same area. Some famous bakery brands opened new stores in New York City, and customers now have more choices and sales of Chanson 23rd Street’s bakery products were negatively affected during the six months ended June 30, 2022.

 

Revenue from beverage products increased by $682,676, or 219.6%, from $310,828 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $993,504 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was mainly due to the increased revenue from Chanson 23rd Street. During the six months ended June 30, 2021, Chanson 23rd Street only sold bottled cocktails at its outdoor booth since its indoor dining services were suspended. After Chanson 23rd Street resumed its indoor dining services in February 2021, its cocktail bar launched several new types of cocktail products with a variety of new flavors and styles. As Chanson 23rd Street’s products became popular among its customers and its cocktail bar was often fully booked by reservation during weekends, Chanson 23rd Street managed to increase the prices of its cocktail products. Meanwhile, the increase was also due to the increased revenue from beverage products of $0.25 million generated by Chanson Greenwich, the new store opened in December 2021. As a result, revenue from beverage products increased significantly during the six months ended June 30, 2022 as compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021.

 

Revenue from eat-in services increased by $318,059, or 169.3%, from $187,861 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $505,920 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was mainly due to the increased revenue from eat-in services of $0.3 million, which was generated by Chanson Greenwich, the new store opened in December 2021.

 

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Cost of Revenue

 

Our cost of revenue consists of food ingredient costs, packing costs, workforce related costs, overhead costs such as store rental and utilities for food production and processing, depreciation, and amortization. Our overall cost of revenue increased by $792,429, or 22.0%, from $3,604,286 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $4,396,715 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was attributable to the increase in the cost of revenue from both the stores in China and the U.S., as discussed below.

 

The following table sets forth the breakdown of our cost of revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively:

 

    For the Six Months Ended June 30,     Variance  
    2022     %     2021     %     Amount     %  
China                                    
Bakery products   $ 3,243,658       73.9 %   $ 2,993,571       83.0 %   $ 250,087       8.4 %
Other products     150,656       3.4 %     137,223       3.8 %     13,433       9.8 %
Subtotal: cost of revenue from China     3,394,314       77.3 %     3,130,794       86.8 %     263,520       8.4 %
                                                 
United States                                                
Bakery products     204,208       4.6 %     136,476       3.8 %     67,732       49.6 %
Beverage products     568,430       12.9 %     212,301       5.9 %     356,129       167.7 %
Eat-in services     229,763       5.2 %     124,715       3.5 %     105,048       84.2 %
Subtotal: cost of revenue from the United States     1,002,401       22.7 %     473,492       13.2 %     528,909       111.7 %
                                                 
Total Cost of Revenue   $ 4,396,715       100.0 %   $ 3,604,286       100.0 %   $ 792,429       22.0 %

 

China

 

Cost of revenue from China increased by $263,520, or 8.4%, from $3,130,794 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $3,394,314 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was due to increased cost of revenue of bakery products and other products, as discussed below.

 

Cost of revenue from sales of bakery products increased by $250,087, or 8.4%, from $2,993,571 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $3,243,658 for the six months ended June 30, 2022 due to the increase in sales of bakery products. The percentage of increase in cost of revenue was less than that in revenue during the same period, due to less wastage of raw materials and bakery products resulted from the implementation of more stringent and accurate inventory management during the six months ended June 30, 2022.

 

Cost of revenue from other products increased by $13,433, or 9.8%, from $137,223 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $150,656 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The cost of revenue from seasonal products increased by $12,337, or 11.5%, from $107,362 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $119,699 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase in cost of revenue of seasonal products was in line with the increase in revenue during the same period. The cost of revenue from beverage products increased by $1,096, or 3.7%, from $29,861 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $30,957 for the six months ended June 30, 2022, due to the higher spoilage and wastage of inventory and increased price of raw materials, as discussed in “—Gross Profit and Gross Margin” below in more details.

 

United States

 

Cost of revenue from the U.S. increased by $528,909, or 111.7%, from $473,492 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $1,002,401 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was due to the increased cost of revenue from beverage products, eat-in services, and bakery products as discussed below.

 

Cost of revenue from sales of bakery products increased by $67,732, or 49.6%, from $136,476 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $204,208 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase in cost of revenue from bakery products was in line with the increase in revenue from bakery products in the U.S. Stores.

 

Cost of revenue from sales of beverage products increased by $356,129, or 167.7%, from $212,301 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $568,430 for the six months ended June 30, 2022, primarily due to the increase in the sales of new cocktail products by Chanson 23rd Street and the increase in revenue from the newly opened store, Chanson Greenwich. The percentage of increase in cost of revenue was less than that in revenue during the same period, which was attributable to the increased sale of new cocktail products that have higher gross margin and the decreased inventory damage, as discussed in “—Gross Profit and Gross Margin” below in more details.

 

The cost of revenue from eat-in services increased by $105,048, or 84.2%, from $124,715 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $229,763 for the six months ended June 30, 2022 due to the increase in sales of eat-in services. The percentage of increase in cost of revenue was less than that in revenue during the same period, due to the decreased inventory spoilage as a result of the stricter inventory management as discussed in “—Gross Profit and Gross Margin” below in more details.

 

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Gross Profit and Gross Margin

 

Our gross profit increased by $1,009,253, or 32.2%, from $3,137,835 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $4,147,088 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was mainly attributable to the overall increase in revenue. Our gross margin increased by 2.0 percentage points from 46.5% for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to 48.5% for the six months ended June 30, 2022.

 

The following table sets forth the breakdown of our gross profit for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively:

 

    For the Six Months Ended June 30,     Variance  
    2022     Margin %     2021     Margin %     Amount     %  
China                                    
Bakery products   $ 3,051,446       48.5 %   $ 2,630,833       46.8 %   $ 420,613       16.0 %
Other products     265,749       63.8 %     254,646       65.0 %     11,103       4.4 %
Subtotal: gross margin and margin % from China     3,317,195       49.4 %     2,885,479       48.0 %     431,716       15.0 %
                                                 
United States                                                
Bakery products     128,662       38.7 %     90,683       39.9 %     37,979       41.9 %
Beverage products     425,074       42.8 %     98,527       31.7 %     326,547       331.4 %
Eat-in services     276,157       54.6 %     63,146       33.6 %     213,011       337.3 %
Subtotal: gross margin and margin % from the United States     829,893       45.3 %     252,356       34.8 %     577,537       228.9 %
                                                 
Total Gross Margin and Margin %   $ 4,147,088       48.5 %   $ 3,137,835       46.5 %   $ 1,009,253       32.2 %

 

China

 

Gross profit from China increased by $431,716, or 15.0%, from $2,885,479 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $3,317,195 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was mainly attributable to the overall increase in sales. The gross margin increased by 1.4 percentage points from 48.0% for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to 49.4% for the six months ended June 30, 2022.

 

The gross profit of bakery products increased by $420,613, or 16.0%, from $2,630,833 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $3,051,446 for the six months ended June 30, 2022, and the gross margin of bakery products increased by 1.7 percentage points from 46.8% for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to 48.5% for the six months ended June 30, 2022. As mentioned above, the PRC Stores implemented stricter inventory management, which resulted in less spoiled raw materials and less expired bakery products due to their short storage life. Therefore, the gross margin of bakery products slightly increased during the six months ended June 30, 2022 as compared to the same period of last year.

 

The gross profit of other products increased by $11,103, or 4.4%, from $254,646 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $265,749 for the six months ended June 30, 2022, and the gross margin decreased by 1.2 percentage points from 65.0% for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to 63.8% for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The gross margin of seasonal products remained relatively stable with a slight increase of 0.5 percentage points, from 66.7% for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to 67.2% for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The decrease in gross margin was mainly due to a decrease in gross margin of beverage products by 16.7 percentage points from 56.9% for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to 40.2% for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The decrease was mainly due to higher spoilage and wastage of raw materials during the first few months after we started our new coffee business. Moreover, the decrease in gross margin of beverage products was attributable to increased prices of raw materials such as fresh fruit, and the increased inventory spoilage of fresh ingredients during the six months ended June 30, 2022.

 

United States

 

Gross profit from the U.S. increased by $577,537, or 228.9%, from $252,356 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $829,893 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was mainly attributable to the overall increase in revenue. The gross margin increased by 10.5 percentage points from 34.8% for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to 45.3% for the six months ended June 30, 2022.

  

The gross profit of bakery products increased by $37,979, or 41.9%, from $90,683 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $128,662 for the six months ended June 30, 2022, and the gross margin of bakery products remained relatively stable with a slight decrease of 1.2 percentage points, from 39.9% for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to 38.7% for the six months ended June 30, 2022.

 

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The gross profit of beverage products increased by $326,547, or 331.4%, from $98,527 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $425,074 for the six months ended June 30, 2022, and the gross margin of beverage products increased by 11.1 percentage points from 31.7% for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to 42.8% for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase in gross margin was mainly due to the increased revenue in the U.S. Stores’ new cocktail products that have higher gross margin. Since the beginning of fiscal year of 2022, the staff at the U.S. Stores have become more experienced in preparing cocktail products, and the spoilage of raw materials was well controlled and decreased accordingly. Meanwhile, Chanson 23rd Street incurred the bottled wine damage of approximately $38,500 by accident during the six months ended June 30, 2021, which resulted in the lower gross margin in the six months ended June 30, 2021.

 

The gross profit of eat-in services increased by $213,011, or 337.3%, from $63,146 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $276,157 for the six months ended June 30, 2022, and the gross margin of eat-in services increased by 21.0 percentage points from 33.6% for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to 54.6% for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase was mainly attributable to the strengthened inventory management and the decreased inventory spoilage during the six months ended June 30, 2022 as mentioned above.

 

Operating Expenses

 

The following table sets forth the breakdown of our operating expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021.

 

    For the Six Months Ended June 30,  
    2022     2021     Variance  
    Amount     % of
revenue
    Amount     % of
revenue
    Amount     %  
                                     
Total revenue   $ 8,543,803       100.0 %   $ 6,742,121       100.0 %   $ 1,801,682       26.7 %
Total operating expenses:                                                
Selling expenses     2,195,394       25.7 %     1,923,124       28.5 %     272,270       14.2 %
General and administrative expenses     1,887,285       22.1 %     1,481,445       22.0 %     405,840       27.4 %
Total operating expenses   $ 4,082,679       47.8 %   $ 3,404,569       50.5 %   $ 678,110       19.9 %

 

Selling Expenses

 

Our selling expenses primarily include payroll and sales commission expenses paid to our sales and marketing personnel, store operating expenses, store rental, store decoration and maintenance expenses, utility expenses, and other expenses related to sales activities. Selling expenses increased by $272,270, or 14.2%, from $1,923,124 for the six months ended June 30, 2021 to $2,195,394 for the six months ended June 30, 2022. The increase in selling expenses was primarily due to the increase in salary and social security expenses of $37,891, as the PRC Stores hired more employees for the new stores. The increase was also due to an increase in rental expenses of $194,664 as there were more stores during the six months ended June 30, 2022 as compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021. Meanwhile, the increase in selling expenses w