Shenzhen Business Daily read and create client reporter Chen Shu
Since the beginning of this year, with the diversified growth of national consumption, new forces represented by "county catering brands" have set off a consumption boom in first- and second-tier cities, achieving large-scale "reverse" expansion.
According to Meituan data, in addition to leading brands such as Mixue Bingcheng, Wallace and Tustin, a number of medium-sized brands originating in lower-tier cities and with about 1,000 stores nationwide have also achieved rapid growth this year. From January 1 to December 1, 2023, the average store growth rate, order volume growth rate, transaction volume growth rate, and user number growth rate of county catering brands that broke into first- and second-tier cities reached 10 percent year-on-year7%，94.3%，77.6% and 845%, the relevant growth rate is leading**.
Medium-sized county catering brands have achieved rapid growth in 2023 (Source: Meituan Research Institute) Young consumers in first-tier cities are the main growth of county catering brands**. According to Meituan's data, users aged between 20 and 35 have become the backbone of catering brand consumption in the county, for example, 70 consumers aged 20 to 35 have purchased Yiming Zhen Fresh Milk Bar in Nanjing7%。
At present, young people in cities pay attention to cost performance, and catering brands starting from lower-tier cities not only pay great attention to cost control, but also pay attention to cost performance in product pricing, which is just in line with the consumption Xi of young people. Researchers from the Meituan Research Institute said.
According to the analysis of catering industry insiders, unlike the previous catering brand expansion model of "** location", the catering brand in the new era has widely combined Internet operation methods such as **, live broadcast, and take-out, which not only effectively won the attention of first-line young users, but also saved the cost of grabbing high rent positions in ** lots, so it is more competitive in terms of products and **.
The county brand rushed into the first-tier cities
In July 2023, "Economy**" issued an article saying that "since the first half of 2023, rational consumption is becoming the mainstream" and "the pursuit of cost performance has become an important influencing factor for consumers to make decisions".
Cost-effective is the strongest competitiveness of county catering brands in first- and second-tier cities.
Take "Chao Yixing", which just entered Beijing at the end of November this year, as an example. This fast-food brand from Jinan is known as the "king of fast food" by the locals, and after entering Beijing, it has reproduced its hot scene in Shandong with the ultimate cost performance. The 8 yuan meat is the signature, and the free corn paste is also a classic. **While cheap, the taste and texture are also widely acclaimed.
There are user reviews on Dianping: "There is no store in Beijing for cost performance", "The environment is extremely clean, compared with stores at the same price, it stands out from the crowd", "8 yuan a lot of meat, this price is no one".
In addition, "county brands" such as Ah Shui Big Cup Tea, Bing Liwang, and Laide Kuai Hot and Sour Noodles are all regarded by consumers as representatives of "high cost performance".
The reporter's investigation found that the tea brand Bingliwang Fresh Fruit Tea and Milk Tea, which started in the fourth-tier city of Deyang, has opened nearly 20 stores in Chengdu, and the customers of the Taikoo Li store are endless. A store has a total of 17 low-price** items on the shelves on Dianping, and the range of single-cup drink** is around 4$9 to $129 yuan, of which, is not the lowest price of cloud berry custard, to 108 yuan ** sold more than 9 in half a year80,000 servings.
In an interview, an employee of the store said, "Online displays such as Meituan and Dianping have helped us save a lot of marketing costs, and the ** event has helped us attract the vast majority of customers." ”
The county's catering brands can gain favor in the new first-tier cities, mainly because the consumption trend is changing in the direction of focusing on cost performance. The above-mentioned catering industry insiders said that whether it is a third- or fourth-tier city or a first- or second-tier city, the "cost-effective" and "cost-effective" characteristics of the goods are the most attractive and retaining customers. Consumers' pursuit of "high cost performance" has become the best time for county catering brands to enter first- and second-tier cities.
Local retail platforms help brands grow
Prior to this, the head "county catering brands" represented by Mixue Bingcheng and Tustin have successively developed into the main catering force in first- and second-tier cities, with the average number of orders and user growth exceeding 50% year-on-year. Relevant analysis believes that making full use of a variety of marketing tools on the Internet to reduce costs and expand brand effect is the way to succeed this kind of county catering brand.
Similar to the top brands, the growth of mid-sized brands is also based on increasingly sophisticated Internet tools and operations. Since the beginning of this year, local retail platforms such as Meituan have launched live streaming functions for stores, which has become a new customer acquisition and order channel for merchants in addition to **. In this regard, the relevant person in charge of Tustin said, "We want to cultivate consumers to go to the live broadcast room to actively find our consumption Xi, and achieve the conversion of traffic to sales."
In addition, the localized operation mode based on takeaway assists the "county catering" stores to expand the service radius. For example, catering companies represented by Wallace and Lao Xiang Chicken have put customization on the takeaway platform to attract more potential consumers nearby.
Takeaway can help us reduce our dependence on the best location when choosing a location, and get more customers than the offline "** location", said the person in charge of a Mixue Bingcheng store, who once calculated that in the non-core location of the commercial area, the rent is often about 50% cheaper than the core location. Of the rent saved, only 30% of the saved rent needs to be used on local platforms for takeaway operations, ** subsidies, etc., to get more traffic.
Decorating and operating a good takeaway platform can also attract potential consumers, and in the future, these users who have ordered takeaway will be more likely to give priority to in-store consumption when shopping. The above-mentioned store staff said.
Industry insiders believe that consumers in first- and second-tier cities, especially young consumers, are keen on cost performance, and are constantly stimulating new consumption potential. With the innovation and popularization of Internet tools, merchants can better reduce costs and expand sales, forming a positive cycle between meeting consumer needs and brand growth.