A premium hotpot chain from mainland China is preparing to enter the fiercely competitive Hong Kong market. With its first store set to open in the core business district of Causeway Bay, the brand known as Banu is betting its "product-first" philosophy can carve out a new chapter in the city's dining scene.
Banu, a leading quality hotpot brand in China, will open its first overseas location in Hysan Place, Causeway Bay, around mid-November. This move marks the beginning of its global expansion. After filing its third listing application with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in June, the company is simultaneously pursuing capital markets and international growth, highlighting its strategic focus on Hong Kong.
The choice of Hysan Place is strategic. Located in a prime shopping district, it offers high foot traffic and strong consumer spending power. The area's high standard of operations and discerning customer taste for quality ingredients align perfectly with Banu's "product-first" positioning. While Hong Kong's premium dining scene is crowded with seafood-focused hotpot, there is a notable gap for upscale Chinese hotpot brands. Banu's reputation for creating "explosive" hits in mainland China brings a new hotpot experience to the city.
Landlords in Hong Kong are actively seeking vibrant, high-growth brands to energize their properties, making Banu a perfect fit. This entry represents a mutually beneficial trend in current consumer dynamics. However, the market is not without risk. In recent years, numerous Chinese restaurant chains have entered Hong Kong, fueling fierce competition. Data shows that over 60 mainland food and beverage brands have entered the city since 2020, operating more than 380 stores. Yet, the average lifespan of these brands in Hong Kong is less than two years, with a closure rate of over 40% within the first year and a three-year survival rate below 20%.
This low survival rate presents a significant challenge for Banu's debut. The company also faces direct competition from its long-established mainland rival, HAIDILAO (ASX: 06862), which has operated in Hong Kong for nine years since 2017. The battle in this prime territory will be a showdown between service-focused HAIDILAO and product-focused Banu. So, what gives Banu the confidence to enter this market?
First, Banu is unwavering in its "product-first" development philosophy. Instead of competing on price, it has carved a unique path by focusing on ingredient quality. For example, it spent three years sourcing premium bamboo shoots from the best origins across China. Its key ingredients, like tripe, wild mushroom soup, and lamb, are sourced from top-quality regions, including New Zealand. This commitment to high-quality ingredients has built a strong brand reputation and created a defensible moat.
Second, its direct-operation (直营) model ensures control over its supply chain, further solidifying this product-first strategy. As of July 2026, Banu operates over 200 directly-managed stores across 57 cities in China, adding roughly 30 to 50 new stores annually. It has also built five central kitchens and one base-material processing factory, covering 14 provincial regions. This model, similar to HAIDILAO's early days, sacrifices some speed of expansion but guarantees brand standardization and food safety.
Finally, Banu's "open and boom" economic model has proven its replicability. New stores typically break even within two to four months of opening. In 2025, it entered 13 new cities, with first stores in those cities achieving an average monthly table turnover rate of 4.3 in their first month, exceeding the industry average. This efficiency is reflected in its overall performance. From 2023 to 2025, Banu's overall table turnover rate improved from 3.1 to 3.6 times per day. In 2025, its average customer spend was 139 yuan, compared to HAIDILAO's 97.7 yuan, while its table turnover rate was 3.6 times per day versus HAIDILAO's 3.9 times, showing the gap is narrowing.
While the two brands have different focuses, they are both leaders in their respective areas. According to Frost & Sullivan, Banu was the largest brand in China's quality hotpot market by revenue in 2025, holding a 3.6% market share. For Banu, HAIDILAO serves as both a competitor and a case study for success. HAIDILAO entered the Hong Kong market early and grew steadily, expanding from 12 stores in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan (including two in Hong Kong) in 2018 to 23 stores by 2025, with revenue growing 2.63 times over the same period. Banu's product-first, "open and boom" model appears well-suited for market adaptation.
Financially, Banu has shown strong growth. From 2023 to 2025, its revenue grew from 2.112 billion yuan to 2.846 billion yuan, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.1%, outpacing the industry. Gross margin improved from 66.8% to 69.8%, and net profit rose from 102 million yuan to 206 million yuan. Adjusted profit grew from 168 million yuan to 320 million yuan, with CAGRs of 42.1% and 38%, respectively. Its growth outlook is clear. Based on its listing documents, Banu plans to open 52, 61, and 64 new stores in 2026, 2027, and 2028, respectively, reaching approximately 357 stores. At last year's average revenue of 19.8 million yuan per store, annual revenue could approach 7 billion yuan by 2028, a 1.46-fold increase from 2025, implying a 35% CAGR. A successful Hong Kong IPO could accelerate this store expansion and its global plans.
In conclusion, Banu's entry into Hong Kong's core Causeway Bay district is a bold move in a fiercely competitive market. It faces the pressures of an unfamiliar business environment and a formidable competitor in HAIDILAO. However, the company's confidence is well-founded, backed by its product-first philosophy, direct-operation model, and proven operational efficiency. Its "open and boom" economic model, already validated in mainland China, may be successfully replicated and localized in Hong Kong. As Banu makes its third attempt to list in Hong Kong, the question remains whether it can leverage the capital markets to turn this prime location into a launchpad for a truly global expansion. We will be watching closely.
Comments