CHSN Chanson International Holding

Item 3. KEY INFORMATION

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:

The following diagram illustrates our corporate structure as of the date of this annual report:

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.

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

For ease of reference, unless it is necessary to the understanding of the context to differentiate, throughout this annual report 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 39%, 56%, and 76% of our total revenue for the years ended December 31, 2022, 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. The audit committee of Chanson International is 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.

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.

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 the 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 annual report. See “—D. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure,” “—D. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC,” and “—D. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Class A Ordinary Shares 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 “—D. 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 “—D. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure—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.”

Risks Associated with being based in the PRC 

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 annual report, 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 (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”) 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 “—D. 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 offerings.”

Since 2021, the Chinese government has strengthened its anti-monopoly supervision, mainly in three aspects: (i) establishing the National Anti-Monopoly Bureau; (ii) revising and promulgating anti-monopoly laws and regulations, including: the Anti-Monopoly Law of the PRC (amended on June 24, 2022 and effective on August 1, 2022), the anti-monopoly guidelines for various industries, and the Detailed Rules for the Implementation of the Fair Competition Review System; and (iii) expanding the anti-monopoly law enforcement targeting Internet companies and large enterprises. As of the date of this annual report, the Chinese government’s recent statements and regulatory actions related to anti-monopoly concerns have not impacted our or the PRC operating entities’ ability to conduct business or our ability to accept foreign investments or issue our securities to foreign investors because neither we and our subsidiaries, nor our PRC subsidiary and the VIEs engage in monopolistic behaviors that are subject to these statements or regulatory actions.

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 (the “Trial Measures”) and five supporting guidelines, which came into effect on March 31, 2023. As our registration statement on Form F-1 was declared effective on March 29, 2023 and we have completed our initial public offering and listing prior to September 30, 2023, we are currently not required to complete the filing procedures pursuant to the Trial Measures. However, in the event that we undertake new offerings or fundraising activities in the future, we may be required to complete the filing procedures. See “—D. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC—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.” Other than the foregoing, as of the date of this annual report, 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 our offerings 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (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 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 “—D. 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 offerings.”

Permission Required from PRC Authorities

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 came 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 “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulations—Regulations on Mergers & Acquisitions and Overseas Listings.”

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, as our registration statement on Form F-1 was declared effective on March 29, 2023 and we have completed our initial public offering and listing prior to September 30, 2023, we are currently not required to complete the filing procedures pursuant to the Trial Measures. However, in the event that we undertake new offerings or fundraising activities in the future, we may be required to complete the filing procedures.

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 came 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. 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 “—D. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC—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.”

Other than the foregoing, as of the date of this annual report, we are not aware of any PRC laws or regulations in effect requiring that we obtain permission or approval from any PRC authorities for our subsidiaries or the VIEs’ operations and to issue securities to foreign investors, and we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, sanction, or any regulatory objection to our offerings 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 annual report, 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.

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

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

As of the date of this annual report, 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 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 PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law (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 (“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 “—D. 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 annual report, 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 “—D. 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 “—D. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Corporate Structure—If the PRC government determines that the VIE Agreements 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.”

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 years ended December 31, 2022, 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 years ended December 31, 2022, 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.  

A. [Reserved]

B. Capitalization and Indebtedness

Not applicable.

C. Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds

Not applicable.

D. Risk Factors

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, currently 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.

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 will be interpreted in accordance with PRC law and any disputes will 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 VIE Agreements 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 annual report. Although we believe that our corporate structure and the VIE Agreements comply with current applicable PRC laws and regulations, in the event that PRC government determines that the VIE Agreements 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 VIE Agreements 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.

Our board of directors is 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 years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, approximately 39%, 56%, 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.

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 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.

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 (“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 offerings.

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.

As of the date of this annual report, 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 annual report; 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 came 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 “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—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, as our registration statement on Form F-1 was declared effective on March 29, 2023 and we have completed our initial public offering and listing prior to September 30, 2023, we are currently not required to complete the filing procedures pursuant to the Trial Measures. However, in the event that we undertake new offerings or fundraising activities in the future, we may be required to complete the filing procedures.

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 came 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. 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 offerings.

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.

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.

Our auditor prior to September 29, 2022, Friedman, 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 offerings 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.

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 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.

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 annual report, two 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 “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—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 annual report, Xinjiang United Family has completed the sewage registration and obtained the sewage registration receipt. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—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.

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 (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 “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—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 March 2023, we estimate that the amount of outstanding social insurance premiums was approximately $24,268.61 and the amount of late fees was approximately $1,243.87. 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 March 2023. 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 March 2023, we estimate that the amount of outstanding housing funds was approximately $53,573.03 and the amount of late fees was approximately $6,200.94. 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 annual report, 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 annual report, 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 annual report.

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 (“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 (“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 (“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.

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 annual report, 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 our offerings 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 our offerings 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 “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—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 our offerings 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 and decided that with effect from October 1, 2016, RMB was determined to be a freely usable currency and would be included in the Special Drawing Right 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; and in 2022, RMB depreciated approximately 5.5% 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.

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, as our securities in the U.S. 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 (“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 annual report, 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.

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 (“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 (“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.

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 (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.

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 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 (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.

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 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 one, six, and four new stores in the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, 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:

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.

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. 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 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 the PRC Stores have fully recovered from the 2022 Outbreak as of the date of this annual report. 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:

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 annual report, the U.S. Stores are providing indoor dining services at their full capacity.

See “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—A. Operating Results—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 2022, 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.

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.

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 years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, the four largest third-party suppliers of the PRC Stores represented approximately 46%, 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 42%, 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. The PRC Stores derived 95%, 95%, and 93% of their revenue from stores in Urumqi in the years ended December 31, 2022, 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.

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 annual report.

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 Chanson^TM,” 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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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 Xinjiang 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:

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.

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 year ended December 31, 2021 increased by 42.4% to $14,690,295 from $10,313,512 for the year ended December 31, 2020. Although our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022 decreased by 9.7% to $13,272,075 from $14,690,295 for the year ended December 31, 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we still 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:

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.

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:

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 Class A Ordinary Shares and the Trading Market

If we fail to establish and maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, our ability to accurately and timely report our financial results or prevent fraud may be adversely affected, and investor confidence and the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares may be adversely impacted.

We are subject to reporting obligations under U.S. securities laws. The SEC adopted rules pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requiring every public company to include a management report on such company’s internal control over financial reporting in its annual report, which contains management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting.

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, 2022, 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: (i) a lack of accounting staff and resources with appropriate knowledge of U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting and compliance requirements and (ii) inappropriate privileged access in Yonyou ERP system application. See “Item 15. Controls and Procedures—Disclosure Controls and Procedures.” Subsequent to year end our management has remediated the inappropriate privileged access and is currently in the process of evaluating the steps necessary to remediate the first material weakness, such as (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, and (ii) implementing regular and continuous U.S. GAAP accounting and financial reporting training programs for our accounting and financial reporting personnel. Measures that we implement may not fully address the material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting and we may not be able to conclude that the material weakness has been fully remedied.

Failure to correct the material weakness and other control deficiencies or failure to discover and address any other control deficiencies could result in inaccuracies in our consolidated financial statements and could also impair our ability to comply with applicable financial reporting requirements and make 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. Due to the material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting as described above, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2022. This could adversely affect the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares due to a loss of investor confidence in the reliability of our reporting processes.

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. As of the date of this annual report, Mr. Gang Li, our Chairman, beneficially owns 2,700,000, or 41.86% of our issued Class A Ordinary Shares, and 5,670,000, or 95.45%, of our issued Class B Ordinary Shares, representing approximately 90.21% of the voting rights in our Company. 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.

Our largest shareholder, Mr. Gang Li, owns 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 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, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our Class A Ordinary Shares to decline. An aggregate of 6,450,000 Class A Ordinary Shares are outstanding as of the date of this annual report. 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.

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 public offering price.

From the closing of our initial public offering on April 3, 2023 to the date of this annual report, the closing price of our Class A Ordinary Shares has ranged from $1.10 to $2.45 per share. The trading price of our Class A Ordinary Shares is likely to continue to be volatile and could fluctuate widely due to factors beyond our control. This may happen because of broad market and industry factors, including the performance and fluctuation of the market prices of other companies with business operations located mainly in China that have listed their securities in the United States. The securities of some of these companies have experienced significant volatility since their initial public offerings, including, in some cases, substantial price declines in their trading prices. The trading performances of other Chinese companies’ securities after their offerings may affect the attitudes of investors toward Chinese companies listed in the United States in general and consequently may impact the trading performance of our Class A Ordinary Shares, regardless of our actual operating performance.

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:

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, shareholders 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.

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. 

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.

As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our officers, directors, and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we are not required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as United States domestic issuers, and we are not required to disclose in our periodic reports all of the information that United States domestic issuers are required to disclose. While we currently are deemed as a foreign private issuer, 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.

As a Cayman Islands company listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, we are subject to the Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards. Nasdaq rules, however, permit a foreign private issuer like us to follow the corporate governance practices of its home country. Certain corporate governance practices in the Cayman Islands, which is our home country, may differ significantly from the Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards.

Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635 generally provides that shareholder approval is required of U.S. domestic companies listed on Nasdaq prior to issuance (or potential issuance) of securities (i) equaling 20% or more of the company’s common stock or voting power for less than the greater of market or book value (ii) resulting in a change of control of the company; and (iii) which is being issued pursuant to a stock option or purchase plan to be established or materially amended or other equity compensation arrangement made or materially amended. Notwithstanding this general requirement, Nasdaq Listing Rule 5615(a)(3)(A) permits foreign private issuers to follow their home country practice rather than these shareholder approval requirements. The Cayman Islands do not require shareholder approval prior to any of the foregoing types of issuances. We, therefore, are not required to obtain such shareholder approval prior to entering into a transaction with the potential to issue securities as described above. We intend to comply with the requirements of Nasdaq listing rules in determining whether shareholder approval is required on such matters. 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.

Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(b)(1) requires 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 requirement. The corporate governance practice in our home country, the Cayman Islands, does not require a majority of our board to consist of independent directors. Currently, a majority of our board members are independent. However, if we change our board composition such that independent directors do not constitute a majority of our board of directors, our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they would otherwise enjoy under Nasdaq’s corporate governance requirements applicable to U.S. domestic issuers.

If we cannot satisfy, or continue to satisfy, the continued 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.

Our Class A Ordinary Shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. In order to maintain our listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, we are 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 currently 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.

If the Nasdaq Capital Market subsequently delists our securities from trading, we could face significant consequences, including:

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 Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, 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 of 2002, 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.

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

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.

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, United States taxpayers who own our Class A Ordinary Shares may have adverse United States 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:

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 have and any other assets held for the production of passive income, it is possible that, for our current 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 U.S. federal income tax consequences for U.S. 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 PRC operating entities as being owned by us for United States 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, 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 “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—United States Federal Income Taxation—PFIC.”

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: