Steady Growth in China’s Catering Business

China’s baking and tea beverage sectors are showing strong growth with significant increases in average revenue per outlet, according to an industry report titled “2023 National Catering Industry Report” jointly published by the China Hospitality Association and Xinhuanet. It laid out in detail that Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is leading in the increase of average revenue per tea beverage outlet and Shanxi Province boasts the highest number of new tea beverage shops. The report tracks major trends across China’s food and beverage industry.

In 2022, the full-service restaurant, fast food, and barbecue sectors showed stable growth, with modest increases in both average revenue per outlet and the number of outlets. The report also highlights key trends from the previous year, including a surge in consumer demand for premade dishes. Sales of pre-made meal products have shown a steady growth trend year by year, according to data from Alibaba’s local life division. Several regions across the country have promoted the pre-made meal industry through supportive policies and industry standards. Nearly 70 industry standards were introduced in the pre-made dishes sector in 2022, according to the report.

Regarding the future strategic plans and business outlook of catering enterprises, the survey results in the report show that the top focus for these companies is brand development, accounting for 73.1 percent. Supply chain expansion and digitalization follow closely behind at 65.6 percent and 59.1 percent, respectively.