Quanjude Group's brand "Saima" poses threat to flagship brand Quanjude's "number one" position

Ask AI · How Will Quanjude’s Brand Strategy Reshape the Old Brand Landscape?

Beijing News (Reporter Wang Ping) — On March 23, the Beichen Guohui Branch of Sichuan Restaurant, an old Beijing brand, officially opened to the public. With this, Sichuan Restaurant now has seven locations in Beijing. Zhou Yanlong, Party Secretary, Director, and General Manager of Quanjude (Group) Co., Ltd., told Jin Jing News in an exclusive interview that this year, Sichuan Restaurant plans to open three new stores. The old brands under Quanjude will also implement an “individual strategy” for each, including Fengze Yuan, to carry out internal governance adjustments.

According to reports, the Beichen Guohui Branch is Sichuan Restaurant’s seventh location in Beijing and marks the first attempt by this old brand to combine with a high-end hotel. In terms of menu composition, 65% are traditional dishes, and 35% are innovative. All dishes include 40% that are “not spicy or mildly spicy.”

Zhou Yanlong said that by 2025, the group will have completed structural adjustments toward corporate governance, emphasizing the Sichuan Restaurant brand, establishing a chain development path, and setting short-term plans for product line supply chains and talent pipelines. “From the first half of this year, we have already opened one store, with another in preparation. We expect to open three new stores within the year, and future growth will accelerate.”

Sichuan Restaurant is a testing ground for Quanjude Group’s “individual strategy” development, serving as a model for other brands under the group, including Quanjude, Fengze Yuan, and Fangsian Restaurant. Zhou Yanlong said that after the successful development of the Sichuan Restaurant brand, it will also serve as a good example for Fengze Yuan. “In the second half of the year, Quanjude will initiate internal governance adjustments. Except for Fangsian Restaurant, which is limited by its location and has no immediate plans for chain expansion, other brands should ‘run.’ Quanjude should not always be the unshakable ‘leader’; other brands have the opportunity to surpass the main brand.”

Recently, Quanjude Group’s new duck blood vermicelli soup was showcased at the 2026 Chengdu Spring Food and Beverage Fair. Zhou Yanlong believes that, based on research data, the market size for duck blood vermicelli soup in 2025 is around 7.2 to 7.5 billion yuan, with expectations to break through 10 billion yuan in the future. Currently, this category is in the “transition from dine-in to convenience foods’ growth period.” Although there are some similar products on the market, there is no monopoly. “Quanjude hopes to leverage its brand influence, along with the group’s catering and food layout, and existing channels, to carve out a share in the current market.” According to recent data released by Quanjude Group, Quanjude Fangsian Food Company’s overall sales in January-February 2026 increased by over 90% year-on-year.

Editor: Wang Lin
Proofreader: Mu Xiangtong