Kungfu (restaurant)

Guangzhou Real Kungfu Catering Management Co., Ltd.,[1] trading as Kungfu (Chinese: 真功夫; pinyin: Zhēn Gōngfu; lit. 'Real Kung Fu'), is a fast-food chain in China, headquartered in Tianhe District, Guangzhou.[2] The first restaurant opened in 1990.[3] As of 2011 the company had over 300 locations in China.[4] As of 2013 it had 479 restaurants. It sells bowls of rice with meats such as beef and pork.[5]

"Real KungFu" redirects here. For the television series, see Real Kung Fu.
Guangzhou Real Kungfu Catering Management Co., Ltd.
Location at West Yan'an Road Station in Shanghai
Traditional Chinese廣州真功夫餐飲管理有限公司
Simplified Chinese广州真功夫餐饮管理有限公司

In 2014, China Daily ranked Kungfu as No. 8 in its list of Top 10 Fast-food restaurants in China.[6]

Restaurant Interior in Shanghai

In 2019, Kungfu was involved in a portrait rights infringement dispute, but still hasn't changed its 'Bruce Lee' logo.[7]

Bruce Lee image

The company's logo incorporates an image resembling the martial artist Bruce Lee, depicting a dark haired man in a kung fu pose, wearing a yellow top not unlike the famous yellow tracksuit worn by him in the posthumously-released Game of Death. Many of the chain's 300-plus restaurants across China feature large, black and white murals of a man who bears a strong resemblance to him. The company says it did not engage in discussion with his family prior to using the images, but added that they are not meant to represent Lee.[8]

Company History

In 1990, Kungfu originated in Chang 'an, Dongguan. In 1997, Kungfu independently developed a computer-controlled steam cabinet, taking the lead in solving the problem of "standardization" of Chinese food. Exploring a new way for the development of Chinese fast food.[9]

As the first Chinese fast-food chain in China, Kungfu has three logistics centers in south China, east China, and north China, and is responsible for the procurement, processing, and distribution of all restaurant food. By March 2014, the number of Kungfu restaurants has reached 570, covering nearly 40 cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Changsha, etc., with nearly 20,000 employees nationwide.

Infringement

On December 25, 2019, Kungfu was sued by Shannon Lee, daughter of Bruce Lee, claiming it had used the Bruce Lee icon for years and demanded an immediate stop to the use of Bruce Lee's image, seeking RMB210 million in damages. On December 26, Kungfu issued a statement, ready to actively respond to the prosecution and said that this logo is legally approved by China's National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) after the strict examination.[7]

Shareholder disputes

The dispute between Kungfu's two main shareholders, Pan and Cai, lasted for several years. Cai was sentenced to 14 years in prison for embezzlement while in office. It took Pan a long time to find a solution to the huge amount of money that had been embezzled from Cai.[10]

References
  1. "Company Overview of Guangzhou Real Kungfu Catering Management Co., Ltd." Businessweek. Retrieved on August 17, 2014. "16 f, Gaosheng Building No. 109 Tiyuxi Road Tianhe, 510620 China"
  2. "Company Overview of Kungfu Catering Management Co., Ltd." Businessweek. Retrieved on August 17, 2014. "16Floor, Gaosheng Building No.109 Tiyu West Road Tianhe District Guangzhou, 637399 China"
  3. "China's Best Fast-Food Restaurants: These Are the 11 Most Popular Chains in the PRC". whatsonweibo.com. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  4. Gao, Changxin. "McDonald's seeking a new menu for mainland success" (Archive). China Daily. August 31, 2011. Retrieved on August 18, 2014. "The Chinese fast-food chain Kungfu Catering Management Co Ltd has more than 300 Zhen Kungfu restaurants,[...]"
  5. "KFC launches China campaign to rebuild brand" (Archive). Associated Press at CBS News. February 25, 2013. Retrieved on September 8, 2014. - Note: "Zhen Gong Fu" is Kungfu
  6. "No 8 Zhenkungfu Catering Co Ltd" (Archive). China Daily. July 28, 2014. Retrieved on September 8, 2014.
  7. "Daughter of Bruce Lee sues China restaurant c..." Taiwan News. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  8. "Real Kung Fu, But Not Real Bruce Lee". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  9. "2012年中国餐饮企业百强名单发布 百胜等入围". finance.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  10. "Court Ruling Draws End to Feud at Fast-Food Giant Kungfu - Caixin Global". www.caixinglobal.com. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
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