This Day, That Year

Item from Aug 4, 1984, in China Daily: Bread and rolls have become popular among Shanghai residents, who are seeking convenient and nutritious food on their way to work in the morning.

The food-processing industry is unable to keep up with the growing demand, but the State Council, China’s Cabinet, has called for rapid modernization of the sector.

China’s restaurants are adapting to new consumer habits.

To cater to diverse tastes, foreign and domestic restaurant chains are adding various dishes to their menus.

Since Kentucky Fried Chicken opened its first outlet in Beijing in 1987, Western food has become popular in the country. KFC now gets more than half of its profits from its China business, according to industry analysts.

Domestic chains are catching up in tapping the huge market.

Yonghe King, which is known for its soybean milk and deep-fried fritters, now operates more than 300 stores across the country.

Chinese companies are also accelerating their global expansion.

Da Dong, well-known for its Beijing duck and artistic food concepts, is scheduled to open its first outlet in New York soon.

Other Chinese chains are also exploring foreign markets.

In 2012, hot pot chain Haidilao opened its first overseas restaurant in Singapore. It now has seven outlets abroad, and more are expected to open this year.