2026 China Catering Brands Festival and the 36th HCC Global Catering Industry Expo

In 2026, the catering industry is entering a "deep water zone." The competition in the industry has completely moved away from extensive growth, transitioning to a full-scale iteration and upgrade: from brutal price wars to refined quality-price ratio competition, and from a single takeout model to omnichannel operations. The underlying survival laws of the catering industry are undergoing a complete reconstruction.

Amidst these shifts, countless restaurateurs find themselves in challenging situations:
• Brand owners: Franchisees are becoming increasingly discerning and rational, pressuring the profitability model of single stores. How can chain brands achieve high-quality and sustainable expansion?
• Supply chain enterprises: Cost reduction and efficiency enhancement is no longer just a slogan but the survival line for businesses. How can they deepen their focus on sourcing, build barriers, and break through growth bottlenecks?
• Entrepreneurs: With a saturated market and fierce competition, where will the next boom in the catering industry emerge?

In this environment of uncertainty, catering professionals need to recognize trends, stabilize their positions, and shape brand influence more than ever. As a key barometer of the domestic catering industry, the 2026 China Catering Brands Festival and the 36th HCC Global Catering Industry Expo, jointly hosted by the World Federation of Chinese Cuisine and Hongcan Network, will grandly debut from September 21 to 23, 2026, at Guangzhou's Import and Export Fair Complex Zone D.

This event is not just an industry gathering covering five major sectors: exhibitions, conferences, competitions, showcases, and market spaces, but also an annual collective evolution feast that aims at breaking bottlenecks and upgrading synergy around the theme of "Pragmatism and Crossing Boundaries."

Key highlights of the expo include:
1. Ingredient supply chains: Meat, poultry, seafood, grains, oils, fruits, vegetables, and processed ingredients.
2. Seasonings: Hotpot bases, sauces, marinades, soup bases, and food additives.
3. Kitchen equipment and consumables: Smart kitchen appliances, tableware, and disposable products.
4. Catering digitization: AI applications, supply chain management, digital marketing operations, and Catering SaaS systems.
5. Industrial support services: Cold-chain logistics, restaurant design, brand planning, management consulting, human resources, financial services, and central kitchen solutions.