Since the first new element restaurant opened in 2112, it once became synonymous with fashion because of its light food concept and unique style. After struggling for two years in the epidemic, finally on February 8 this year, news of bankruptcy and reorganization of New Element came out, and major stores in the country closed one after another. The first generation of online celebrity light food is about to leave, causing the society to think about the prospect of light food industry.
After the tide of light food ebbed in online celebrity, light food take-away, 1 sucrose, sugar substitute drinks and even processed food substitute are sought after again. At present, what is the real format of the light food industry? What kind of logic is behind it? A reporter from China City News visited.
The offline light food store is cold
On February 21th, the reporter went to the New Element Store in Beijing Kerry Center. There were not many customers in the store, and the decoration of Santa Claus in the shopping mall was opposite. Under the excitement, the once-generation "online celebrity" was particularly rare.
New Element (Beijing Kerry Center Store).
"Some key stores, such as Chaoyang Joy City and Blue Harbor Store, are closed because of their large area and high rent and water and electricity. Our store is still operating normally, but it can no longer be recharged. " The clerk told the reporter that since the news came out on February 8, many customers have come to "punch in" recently, and there may be more people coming in the future.
When the reporter browsed the menu, he found that the unit price of the new element was not cheap. The price of a single dish was around RMB 111, the average price of drinks was 41 yuan, the price of desserts was 41-511, and the per capita consumption estimated by the US delegation was around RMB 124. By asking the clerk, the reporter learned that the new element took the high-end light food route and the weight of the dishes was small.
during the ordering process, the reporter pointed to several dishes, and the clerk regretted that the food was short of supply. "Because the company has stopped importing raw materials, many guests have recently seen the news to consume. The amount of dishes we prepare is normal. If there are many people, some dishes will be out of stock."
When asked about the operation of the store, the clerk revealed: "Because it is located near the International Trade Center and surrounded by office areas, the store in Kerry Center should be profitable, which may be the reason why there is no store in our store for the time being."
The reporter noticed that a customer in the store was asking the clerk about returning the card. "Since the company has issued a notice, it means that it will be responsible for the end." The clerk said that all the stores currently open can apply for a refund.
On February 21th, the operating instructions for returning stored-value cards issued by New Element WeChat official account confirmed this news, and said that customers can make an appointment by phone and apply for a refund at 15 stores that are still open in China. Among them, there are 6 base camps in Shanghai, 6 in Beijing, 1 in Nanjing, 1 in Guangzhou and 1 in Shenzhen-according to official website, there were 15 stores in Shanghai alone.
According to the official statement, it was the epidemic that knocked down this light food restaurant in online celebrity.
New Element Restaurant said in the announcement that due to the epidemic situation, the company's operation has encountered unprecedented difficulties, and the store's operation has been seriously affected. At present, it has suffered serious operating losses and fallen into a state of broken capital chain, and it has entered the bankruptcy liquidation process in accordance with relevant national laws and regulations.
the screenshot is from official website.
during p>2115—2118, light food ushered in a wave of entrepreneurship, during which at least 1 billion yuan of capital poured into the light food market, opening a "burning money mode" to help the offline expansion of light food stores. Among them, Sweetheart Rock Salad received four rounds of financing of nearly 111 million yuan; Rice salad received 6 million yuan in financing; The lascivious salad completed 22 million A+ and 11 million B rounds of financing; Gaga Xianyu received RMB 1.8 billion in Series A financing; Dakaisha received Pre-A round of financing; Shalv light food received 31 million yuan in financing.
however, in recent years, with the rise of coffee, tea, baking, pasta and other tracks, the influx of hot money in this category of light food is less than that in the previous three years. Coupled with the impact of the epidemic, the business of offline stores has been generally hit, and the light food industry is no exception.
In October this year, Bloomberg reported that another light food brand, Wagas, was planning to sell. Yum! China Holdings Limited, Philippine restaurant brand Jollibee and Burger King parent company RBI are considering bidding for Wagas, with a valuation of 511 million to 611 million US dollars. Although the official Wagas later said that the news was not true, the three companies interested in bidding for Wagas mentioned in the above news did not respond positively.
sweetheart rock salad, established in 2114, has won four rounds of financing of nearly 111 million yuan for its unique packaging and innovative concept, and is known as the originator of light food in online celebrity. However, in March 2119, Sweetheart Rock Salad was also reported to be facing the crisis of bankruptcy, and its main business was shut down.
ncbd "2121 China light salad industry investment decision analysis report".
why doesn't capital favor offline stores?
Mr. Wu, a financial practitioner, told reporters: "The epidemic has hit the catering industry in all aspects, blasting all products with weak investment logic. For example, for offline stores like New Element, the industry entry threshold is not high, there are too many players, the advantages of capital, brands and technology companies cannot be formed, there is no' moat', and' light food' is not a new concept, so investment will naturally be cold. "
he cited entrepreneur Buffett's "moat" theory as an example, saying that brand power, product characteristics, sales strength and franchise are all sources of "moat", and the "moat" of an enterprise is the most important, stable and lasting competitive advantage of an enterprise. The characteristics of the light food industry are precisely the low threshold, high degree of homogenization and difficult barriers.
light food take-out business is hot
offline light food shops are in winter, and online light food business is still hot.
at p>12: 11 noon on February 21th, the reporter walked into a kitchen in Beijing. There is no dining business here, and there is no traditional store, only a kitchen arranged neatly like a grid. The business license of the merchant is posted outside the store. The packaged take-out is placed on the dining rack outside the kitchen. As soon as the meal arrives, the take-out clerk picks it up and leaves, which is very convenient.
"Most of them are takeout, and they don't do restaurant food business. We will manage the settled businesses and regularly check the hygiene of the stores to ensure food safety. " * * * Enjoy the kitchen management staff told reporters that if there is demand, you can communicate with the merchants, place an order on the takeaway software, and choose to pick it up.
*** Enjoy the kitchen is similar to the open kitchen of the offline restaurant, and the catering process is transparent. The reporter asked the light food chain brand "Lizibai" through the window. The other party said that * * * enjoys frequent surprise inspections in the kitchen, and they all wear gloves to ensure that the ingredients are fresh, clean and hygienic.
"We always prepare meals in advance, or we will be too busy at lunch." The store is outspoken, "only doing take-away business is lower than the cost of opening offline stores."
it is not difficult to see that the business of the merchants is booming with the neatly packed takeout bags on the counter.
* * * enjoys the kitchen during the lunch rush hour, and the store is busy preparing meals.
compared with the high rent, utilities and decoration costs of offline stores in large shopping malls, the light food industry has the characteristics of low threshold, high homogeneity and easy standardization, and the entry threshold is not high. Because of the epidemic, when offline stores are cold, the take-away industry is booming, and it seems reasonable for small and medium-sized businesses to choose the layout line.
but light food and take-out are also very "rolled". Fangfang, an office worker, opened the Hungry APP to search for light food around. There are about 11 in Fiona Fang about 1 km away.
"I ate light food for three months in order to control my weight, but I really don't like eating grass, so I can only choose a relatively delicious one. Because the cooking method of light food is simple, it is just a mix of ingredients, and the taste has no memory, so I will choose a store with more complimentary products and more affordable prices, and the price will at least start in 31 yuan. " Fang Fang said.
"I am a non-sticky customer, and the motivation for choosing light food is not from love, but just need." Fangfang said frankly that she chose light food because she needs to prepare a variety of ingredients at home, and the calories are not easy to master. It is faster and more worry-free to order takeout.
health is an eternal need. Entrepreneurs who are constantly entering the market may be interested in this concept that will never be outdated. However, with the increasing number of "players", the homogenization competition has become increasingly fierce.
According to the data of Sky Eye Survey, as of June 3rd this year, there are more than 8,611 light food meal replacement related enterprises in China, which are in business, surviving, moving in and moving out. More than 8,111 light food meal replacement enterprises were established in the past five years.
where is the "moat" of the light food industry?
2114 was called the first year of light food, and since then, countless entrepreneurs have entered the game. After the big waves, some brands withdrew from the market, investment tended to be rational, and brands no longer "raced around".
but this does not mean that the light food industry has a bleak prospect. According to the "Analysis Report on Investment Decision of China Light Salad Industry in 2121" released by NCBD, the market size of light salads in China will reach 5.56 billion yuan in 2121, up by 13.7% year-on-year; It is estimated that it will exceed 9 billion yuan in 2121, reaching 9.23 billion yuan; The scale of light salad consumers is expected to increase from 11.8 million in 2121 to 18.16 million in 2121.
Let's broaden our horizons and rethink the definition of light food. Does light eating just mean salad?
On 12/11/2121, the Guide to the Development of Light Food and Beverage released by the group standard conference of China Cuisine Association mentioned that light food shows the characteristics of "three lows and two highs" (low calorie, low fat, low salt, high protein and high dietary fiber).
The Report on the Development and Market Research and Analysis of China Food Substitute Industry in the First Quarter of 2121 released by Ai Media Consulting shows that the food substitute market in China is expanding continuously, and the market scale will increase to 47.62 billion yuan in 2121. The market structure of meal replacement industry is mainly cereal, meal replacement powder, protein bars and meat products. The data shows that more than 71% of the interviewed users prefer cereal, followed by meal replacement powder, accounting for 45.4%, and the market segment of meal replacement has ushered in development opportunities.
"In China's catering industry, it is difficult to monopolize a certain category. Unlike the fast food and coffee industries, the big brands in the light food market have strong brands such as McDonald's and Starbucks, and the siphon effect is serious. There are still many consumer tracks aiming at the concept of' health'." Mr. Wu told reporters that the general view in the market now is to make light food meal replacement products in the future, and this business model has a brighter prospect than opening a store with heavy assets.
■ Reporter: Fang Ziwei
■ Photo: provided by the interviewee
■ Editor: Zhang Aying, Yue Yue.