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Menu Insights - Brunch and Afternoon Tea - China - September 2020

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Key issues covered in this Report
Report scope
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market 
Consumers’ rising acknowledgement of the emerging meal occasions
Afternoon tea thrives with absorbing crossover players 
Chinese-style afternoon tea gets pumped up to steal the glamour
Impact of COVID-19 on Brunch and Afternoon Tea
COVID-19 trimmed consumer footfall and spending
More hotels may join the game due to the COVID-19 outbreak
Figure 1: Short, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on brunch and afternoon tea, September 2020
The consumer
A potentially fierce market of brunch and afternoon tea catering down the road
Figure 2: Brunch and afternoon tea dining venue on weekdays and on weekends, May 2020
Brunch alleviates hunger as dish preference among different demographics diverges
Figure 3: Dish preference for brunch, May 2020
Afternoon tea-goers embrace cake and yogurt 
Figure 4: Dish preference for afternoon tea, May 2020
Similar drink choice for brunch and afternoon tea as top picks belong to coffee, juice and tea
Figure 5: Drink choice for brunch, May 2020
Figure 6: Drink choice for afternoon tea, May 2020
Novel meal occasions are translated to being trendy and modern 
Figure 7: Meal perception, May 2020
Consumers pay RMB50-99 for brunch and afternoon tea
Figure 8: Typical spending on brunch and afternoon tea, May 2020
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Brunch can become a fertile trial ground for new menu offers
The facts
The implications
Indulgence is the keyword for afternoon tea-goers
The facts
The implications
Hotels need to accelerate in catering brunch/afternoon tea to ride out financial cushion arising from COVID-19
The facts
The implications
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Domestic consumers’ inclusiveness of exotic meal occasions elevates
COVID-19 put a brake on brunch and afternoon tea catering
Luxury brands resonate with indulgent afternoon tea
A rise of local elements in Western-style afternoon tea
MARKET FACTORS
Young consumers’ exposure to Western lifestyle drives interest in brunch and afternoon tea
Eat with eyes – growing interest in food presentation and “displaying” lifestyle on social media
Booming tea drink business breeds an afternoon tea habit
More prudent spending sentiment after the outbreak
MARKET HIGHLIGHTS
Luxury brands leave footprints in afternoon tea catering
Figure 9: Tiffany Blue Box Café in Shanghai
Brunch becomes a new forefront to diversify revenue pathways
Figure 10: ZMAX’s brunch sample
McDonald’s filed for trademark “McBrunch” with little follow-up action
MENU OBSERVATION
Similar menus with a few must-haves…
Figure 11: Eggs benedict
…while exotic restaurants continue stunning the local markets
Figure 12: Turkish king breakfast set from Rumi’s Secret
Figure 13: Soybean milk smoothie from EAU Café
Hotels start blending Chinese elements in afternoon tea
Figure 14: Chinese-style afternoon tea from Golden Tulip Shanghai Rainbow Hotel
Figure 15: Traditional Chinese set-up
Figure 16: Themed Chinese-style afternoon tea set from NUO Hotel Beijing
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Brunch and afternoon tea have penetrated to a sizeable population
Consumers aim to get their stomach filled at brunch
Afternoon tea is associated with sweet indulgences
Brunch and afternoon tea can be interpreted in various ways
VENUE OF CONSUMPTION
Both brunch and afternoon tea have gained traction among local consumers
Figure 17: Brunch and afternoon tea dining venue on weekdays and on weekends, May 2020
Fast food restaurants excel at attracting brunch eaters
Figure 18: Brunch dining venue on weekdays and on weekends, May 2020
Employees at foreign enterprises comprise a big share of afternoon tea-goers
Figure 19: Afternoon tea dining venue on weekdays, by company type, May 2020
Figure 20: Afternoon tea dining venue on weekends, by company type, May 2020
DISH PREFERENCE FOR BRUNCH
Addressing the hunger call is the priority at brunch
Figure 21: Dish preference for brunch, May 2020
Families with kid(s) opt for big serving staples
Figure 22: Dish preference for brunch, by family structure, May 2020
Figure 23: Premium Spaghetti, Nigeria, 2020
Figure 24: Dietetic Basil Spaghetti, Argentina, 2020
Healthier and lighter bites appeal to females
Figure 25: Dish preference for brunch, by gender, May 2020
DISH PREFERENCE FOR AFTERNOON TEA
Sweet indulgence at afternoon tea with a sip of dietary yogurt
Figure 26: Dish preference for afternoon tea, May 2020
Weekend afternoon tea: niche Western snacks find a place at hotels
Figure 27: Dish preference for weekend afternoon tea, by meal location – “hotel”, May 2020
Young consumers crave a sweet and creamy bite
Figure 28: Dish preference for afternoon tea – “ice cream & slushie”, by age, May 2020
Figure 29: Dish preference for afternoon tea – “yogurt”, by age, May 2020
DRINK CHOICE
Brunch eaters order different drinks with different purposes…
Figure 30: Drink choice – “brunch”, May 2020
…while afternoon tea-goers’ top drink choice is tea
Figure 31: Drink choice – “afternoon tea”, May 2020
Alcohol drinkers gorge themselves with meat at brunch
Figure 32: Dish preference for brunch – “meat”, by drink choice for brunch, May 2020
MEAL PERCEPTION
Brunch/afternoon tea becomes an equivalent to modern life
Figure 33: Meal perception, May 2020
Figure 34: Meal perception – “suitable for treating myself & suitable for friends’ union & bourgeois”, by age, May 2020
Females prefer to bond with family/friends at brunch/afternoon tea
Figure 35: Meal perception – “suitable for friends’ union” & “suitable for parent-kid interaction”, by gender and age, May 2020
SPENDING LEVEL
Typical spending is in the range of RMB50-99
Figure 36: Typical spending on brunch and afternoon tea, May 2020
High spenders prefer novel Western-style dishes
Figure 37: Dish preference for brunch, by spending level, May 2020
High spenders have a huge crush on afternoon tea sweets
Figure 38: Dish preference for afternoon tea, by spending level, May 2020
MEET THE MINTROPOLITANS
High penetration rate of brunch and afternoon tea among Mintropolitans
Figure 39: Meal penetration – “have not had in the last 12 months”, by consumer classification, May 2020
Figure 40: Meal penetration, by consumer classification, May 2020
Fizzy and alcoholic drinks win over MinTs’ favour
Figure 41: Drink choice for brunch, by consumer classification, May 2020
Figure 42: Drink choice for afternoon tea, by consumer classification, May 2020
APPENDIX – METHODOLOGY AND ABBREVIATIONS
Methodology 
Abbreviations

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