Oldest Companies in the World (800+ years)
Why Business Historians Rewatch This 8-Minute Longevity Case Study Nisiyama Onsen Keiunkan operates since 705 AD—52 generations from the same bloodline managed operations. "Staff positions passed parent to child to grandchild, operation remains cohesive unit, thousand years of knowledge housed under one roof." Meanwhile Kongo Gumi construction company survived 1,428 years before 2006 collapse and acquisition—proving even millennium-long track records can't guarantee perpetual survival. The simplicity thesis at 00:28 reveals pattern recognition: centuries-old survivors serve basic human needs—"somewhere nice to eat, somewhere pleasant to sleep, and they like to get drunk." St. Peter Stiftskeller (803 AD), Sean's Bar (900 AD), Bingley Arms (953 AD), Chateau de Goulaine (1000 AD), Weihenstephan Brewery (1040 AD) all monetize unchanging consumption behaviors. The government contract moat at 03:32 exposes ultimate business model: Royal Mint (886 AD) holds exclusive UK coin production contract, exports to 60 countries generating 70% sales abroad. Can't go out of business when you literally make the money. Strategic lesson: family governance plus simple value propositions serving fundamental human needs create multi-generational business longevity that venture-backed complexity cannot replicate. 5 Key Timestamps: [00:58] The 52-Generation Knowledge Moat – Nisiyama Onsen Keiunkan (founded 705 AD) attributes 1,300+ year survival to staffing policy: "52 generations from same line looked after hotel operations, staff positions passed parent to child to grandchild, operation remains cohesive unit." Thousand years of operational knowledge housed under one roof creates institutional memory impossible for competitors to replicate through external hiring or professional management [03:32] The Government Contract Ultimate Moat – Royal Mint established 886 AD holds exclusive contract supplying all UK coins for domestic circulation under Her Majesty's Treasury ownership. Exports to 60 countries generating 70% of total sales—"can never really go out of business making money." Government-backed monopoly on literal currency production creates unassailable competitive position lasting 1,100+ years [04:41] The Simple Value Proposition Pattern – Ancient survivors monetize unchanging human needs: "people like somewhere nice to eat, somewhere pleasant to sleep, and they like to get drunk from time to time." Sean's Bar (900 AD), Bingley Arms (953 AD), St. Peter Stiftskeller (803 AD) all serve fundamental consumption behaviors immune to technological disruption or changing consumer preferences across millennia [06:10] The Family Governance Resilience Model – Chateau de Goulaine (1000 AD) remained in founding family except 1788-1857 period when sold then repurchased. Jean de Goulaine's descendants continue operations as "oldest European family run business"—combining winery with museum housing thousand years of art collections. Family ownership enables century-spanning strategic patience that quarterly earnings pressure prevents in public companies [07:11] The 1,428-Year Failure Case – Kongo Gumi construction company (founded 578 AD) operated 1,428 years before "falling on hard times in 2006, eventually purchased by Takamatsu Construction Group." Even millennium-plus track records can't guarantee perpetual survival—proving longevity advantage isn't permanent moat against economic cycles, market shifts, or operational missteps regardless of historical success duration
Not Rated Yet