Hotel Food in China: Big Chances for Overseas F&B Brands (My Opnion)

Hotel Food in China: Big Chances for Overseas F&B Brands – Here’s How to Grab Them! 2025

Ni hao, lao peng you (old friends)!

I’m Jon Wang , a Shanghai lao ban running F&B at a busy five-star hotel near the Bund. For 15 years, I’ve watched foreign brands like Starbucks and Shake Shack turn our hotel lobbies into goldmines. Started with a small tea stall in my hometown, now I handle banquets for 500 guests, mixing dim sum with Italian pasta.

In September 2025, China’s hotel scene is heating up like a wok on high flame—domestic travel is back, with 6 billion trips last year and more coming. Overseas F&B brands, if you’re eyeing our market, it’s a feast waiting. China’s hotel biz is set to hit 41 billion USD this year, growing 7% yearly to 58 billion by 2030. But it’s the food part that’s sizzling: Hotels are pushing eats hard as guests watch wallets, with catering sales up a bit in summer. Think plant-based burgers in Beijing or craft beers in Guangzhou—your Western flavors fit right in. This guide’s like a family hotpot: Simple tips, real stories, and local spice. No fluff, just sheng yi (business) smarts to help you enter and thrive. Zou ba, let’s cook!

The Golden Age to Export Food in China is NOW! - SEO China Agency

What’s Cooking in China’s Hotel F&B in 2025: Hot Trends

China’s hotels aren’t just beds anymore—they’re food hubs. With economy bouncing slow but steady, guests want value, health, and fun. Here’s the buzz from my Shanghai counters and trade chats:

Health and Green Eats Lead the Pack People crave “clean” food—low-sugar drinks, veggie-packed meals, and organic bites. In 2025, wellness trends are big: 50% of menus at top chains like Accor and Langham will go plant-based by 2030. My hotel swapped beef for tofu tacos, sales jumped 15%. Overseas brands like Beyond Meat or Innocent smoothies? Perfect match—exports of healthy F&B to China grew 12% this half-year.
Value for Money Wins Hearts Guests tighten belts, so cheap-but-tasty rules. Hotel catering grew just 0.9% in June, but smart spots hawk grab-and-go boxes or mini-banquets. In Shanghai, we sell 200 yuan set lunches—half price of fancy spots. Foreign brands shine here: Affordable twists on your burgers or pizzas draw young crowds.
Digital and Fun Experiences Boom WeChat and Douyin (TikTok) drive orders—live streams of hotel chefs flipping crepes get 10,000 views. F&B events like FHC Shanghai 2025 (November) pull 100,000 buyers for meats, sweets, and drinks. Hotels team with apps for delivery; my lobby kiosk sells via Meituan, up 20% sales.
Luxury Meets Local Twist High-end hotels want fusion: French wines with Sichuan spice. Domestic tourism surges—Shandong beaches full, Shanghai malls packed. F&B spend per guest hit 300 yuan average, with overseas booze like Scotch up 10%. But watch: Rules on imports tighten, so quick certifications key.
Sustainability Sells Eco-labels are must-haves. EU-style green rules push hotels to source low-carbon. My supplier switched to bamboo packaging—buyers love it. Trends show 2025 F&B focus on traceable supply, with China’s beverage market at 170 billion USD, growing 6%.

Overall, hotel F&B is 20% of revenue now, but could hit 30% with smart plays. Slow economy? No worry—tourism rebound means 800 million outbound travelers splashing cash too.

Golden Opportunities for Overseas F&B Brands

Why now? China’s 7,000+ star hotels need fresh ideas—local chains copy fast, but your unique flavors stand out. Big wins:

Partner with Hotel Chains: Join giants like Jin Jiang or BTG— they open 500 new spots yearly. A US burger brand inked a deal with Hilton Shanghai; now they do 1,000 patties a week.
Tap Domestic Boom: 80% guests are locals loving “exotic” West. Plant-based from Europe? Hot in tier-2 cities like Chengdu.
E-commerce Tie-Ins: Sell via Tmall in hotels—my spot stocks foreign chocolates, shipped same-day.
Events and Pop-Ups: Fairs like China Food and Drinks Fair in March drew 50,000 for tastings. Pop a Korean BBQ in a Beijing lobby—viral gold.
Wellness Wave: Health drinks market grows 10%—your kombucha or protein shakes fit luxury spas.

Challenges? Tariffs, fakes, and picky regs—but with 1.4 billion mouths, rewards huge. One French patisserie entered via joint venture; now 20 outlets, 50 million yuan yearly.

(2) Top 5 Food Product Opportunities in China (2025) | LinkedIn

(2) What brands must meet to successfully sell to Chinese consumers in 2025 | LinkedIn

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Hotel in China , Asia Tourism