2010 May 11 Former Kro Employee Speaks Out
Yesterday we noted the travails of Olaf Kristoffer "The Kro" Bauer at his own pizza restaurant - the famous Kro's Nest - over the weekend. The Global Times carried a detailed report claiming Kro was assaulted by his business partner Yuan Jie, after staff had been told Kro was no longer involved with the business. Now the former general manager of The Kro's Nest, Damjan DeNoble, has posted a long article reflecting on the situation and the breakdown in the business partners' relationship, which it seems has been a long time coming.
DeNoble's article is a long one, but features some serious allegations:
"Today Kro finds himself in a position where he may never see a dime of the many millions of renmenbi his restaurants have accrued over a five year period. Kro is closer to broke than kept, thinking about moving back in with his Chinese parents - his second mother and father - and his lawyers are working this case pro-bono, unless any money is actually recovered.
By contrast, today Kro’s former partner, Yuan Jie (袁捷), who always insisted that Kro had, in fact, at least three fathers, because to him, too, Kro was like a son, has ten million RMB sitting in a bank account. It’s a joint bank account YuanJie keeps with his wife, a China Revlon executive. It’s ten million RMB he’s not supposed to have, because the accounting books his wife’s former employee turned Kro’s Nest accountant, Zhang Yan (张妍), kept and then showed to Kro say that this money does not exist. Those accounting books, indeed, say that the Kro’s Nest is losing money, and has been for more than a year now, even though this past November the rent on the biggest of the three Kro’s Nest restaurants fell by more than a half, an arrangement that Kro negotiated without Yuan Jie’s help."
Of course DeNoble's musing only present one side of the story, but there seems little doubt the situation is ugly to say the least. DeNoble's full article can be read on his blog.
More details as they come to hand.
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The Kro’s Nest Beats Gung Ho! in The Beijinger Pizza Cup
After three gluttonous weeks, five fierce rounds and 32 pizzas (ranging from traditional Neapolitan to the most re-imagined American slice), The Kro's Nest has come out on top. The final match pitted the crazy Kiwis in pink against the second-coming of the Kro in a nail-biting final that left The Kro’s Nest reigning victorious and serving up the best pizza in Beijing.
Kro's Nest Returns
For many expats, The Kro’s Nest has been a sanctuary of sorts from all the ketchup- and mayonnaise-covered abominations that pass for Western food here in China. You’ve probably noticed, though, that the old locations near Peking University and the Worker’s Stadium have recently changed their names. Unbeknownst to many late-night bingers, Beijing almost lost this slice of home to some legal shenanigans just a few months back. But fear not, The Kro’s Nest is here to stay.
Olaf Kristoffer Bauer (better known as Kro), the man at the heart of these legal battles, invited Agenda to the new Kro’s Nest location on Xiaoyun Lu to discuss what went down. Amid a flurry of construction workers in the new 1000-square-foot establishment, which comes complete with its own hydroponic wall for growing fresh herbs and a tree that’s bigger than The Tree’s, this laid-back Georgia native sat back in his army fatigues and an old hoodie to tell Agenda about how Kro’s Nest got started, how it almost got destroyed, and how it’s now better than it’s ever been before.
Kro Wins Battle Over “Kro’s Nest” Brand?
It appears Olaf Kristoffer "The Kro" Bauer has won the battle to us the “Kro’s Nest” name following the breakdown of his relationship with business partner Yuan Jie, with news this morning that the existing pizza restaurant chain will be changing its name.
Kro's Komeback
Kro’s Nest, a Beijing dining institution since 2006 and winner of The Beijinger’s 7th Annual Reader Restaurant Award for “Outstanding Pizza,” has been news since this spring over the legal battle between partner’s Olaf Kristoffer – “Kro” – and Yuan Jie. Kro was ousted from the Kro’s Nest restaurants he helped found, and there were even reports of an assault on Kro, not to mention police involvement and other drama.
admin
Re: Former Kro Employee Speaks Out
Beijing Boyce has more here:
http://www.beijingboyce.com/2010/05/08/as-the-kro-flies-partner-troubles...
Follow thebeijinger on weibo! http://weibo.com/tbjmagazine
admin
Re: Former Kro Employee Speaks Out
very succinct legal opinion here:
http://www.chinalawblog.com/2010/05/steal_a_little_and_they.html
Follow thebeijinger on weibo! http://weibo.com/tbjmagazine
dan2
Re: Former Kro Employee Speaks Out
I'm wishing for karma for this Yuan dik...
Oh sure, its fine when a monkey does it. But when I throw barrels at an Italian plumber, they call it a hate crime!
-Stephen Colbert
simmi_mehra
Re: Former Kro Employee Speaks Out
All the expats should boycott Kro's nest so that this fuc*** Yuan will have no income. A**hol*.
eurotrash
Re: Former Kro Employee Speaks Out
I said the same thing, simmi_mehra, but the admin censored my post. I wonder how long your's will stay up.
Michael
Re: Former Kro Employee Speaks Out
as much as it would be sweet revenge, you gotta realize: even the western restaurants in this city don't revolve around expats anymore. In fact, this post, in which the author visits Kro's a few days after the ouster:
http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2010/05/12/Business-as-Usual-at-Kros
says: