{
  "id": 3475958,
  "title": "Chinese hotpot chain Haidilao bets on takeaway, new brands, lower-tier reach for growth",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/chinese-hotpot-chain-haidilao-bets-on-takeaway-new-brands-lower-tier-3475958",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-26T09:00:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SCMP Business",
    "slug": "scmp-business",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3365314/chinese-hotpot-chain-haidilao-bets-takeaway-new-brands-lower-tier-reach-growth"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "China's leading hotpot chain Haidilao International Holding has found takeaway to be its fastest-growing segment, with revenue for single-serving meals surging 121.2 per cent year on year. During the first half of the year, takeaway revenue reached 2.05 billion yuan (US$305 million) – accounting for 9.2 per cent of total revenue, up from 4.5 per cent a year earlier.\n\nAnalysts noted that while the results were positive, they were set against a weak macroeconomic environment and intense competition in China's catering sector. However, Morningstar director Ivan Su believes Haidilao can still gain market share, thanks to its operational and supply chain advantages that allow it to reach lower-tier cities better than other hotpot chains. The group reported total revenue of 22.34 billion yuan for the six-month period, up 7.9 per cent year on year, with net profit increasing marginally by 0.5 per cent to 1.77 billion yuan.\n\nHaidilao's dine-in customers spent an average of 97 yuan per meal, with little change compared to the previous year. Expansion plans were slower in the first half, but the company aims to rapidly increase its presence in 2027, including new outlets in shopping malls across higher-tier cities and the mass market in lower-tier cities. The company currently operates 1,389 restaurants in mainland China, including 1,267 self-operated outlets, and 23 in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The period saw 32 closures due to outdated facilities and underperformance.\n\nSince returning as CEO in January, Zhang Yong has accelerated investment in growth initiatives. Haidilao has continued to expand its multi-brand business, which now spans burger, sushi, and street-style eateries, with revenue for this segment reaching 1.27 billion yuan – a jump of 113 per cent year on year. The food-stall hotpot and sushi formats are set for large-scale replication in the second half of the year. Additionally, Haidilao plans to pursue high-quality asset acquisitions to diversify its catering portfolio beyond domestic expansion. The brand has already established 127 overseas restaurants, with its first location in Singapore's Clarke Quay opening in 2012, which closed the following year. Haidilao continues to expand in markets such as the US, the UK, South Korea, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates.",
  "summary": "China’s largest hotpot chain Haidilao International Holding has seen takeaway emerge as its fastest-growing segment, with demand for single-serving meals like rice-bowl sets surging, amid positive revenue and profit growth in the first half. Takeaway revenue for the Hong Kong-listed group reached 2.05 billion yuan (US$305 million) in the first six months, surging 121.2 per cent year on year. The…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Chinese hotpot chain Haidilao bets on takeaway, new brands, lower-tier reach for growth",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/chinese-hotpot-chain-haidilao-bets-on-takeaway-new-brands-lower-tier",
        "published": "2026-08-26T09:00:07.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}