China's catering revenue expected to top 3.9 trillion yuan in 2017

BEIJING- China's food and catering industry revenue is expected to exceed 3.9 trillion yuan ($607 billion) in 2017, up 10.7 percent from the previous year, according to a report released by the China Cuisine Association.

Chinese cuisine held a significant share of the sector, while hot pot remained the most popular food choice among Chinese people, it said.

The year 2017 also saw the rapid development of the fast food industry, accounting for 16 percent of total food industry revenue, it said.

People born after 1990 and 2000 accounted for about half of the food and catering-related consumption. People born after 1990 preferred cakes and desserts to Chinese dishes.

Some 19.2 percent of Chinese people said they were most concerned with the dining environment when choosing a restaurant, followed by taste, food safety and price. Chinese people sought out food that was salty and fresh-tasting in 2017, according to the report.

More than 60 percent of consumers had midnight snacks at least once or twice a week, it said.

Six cities in south China's Guangdong Province were among the country's top 10 cities where midnight snacks were popular, the report said.

In addition, sales volume in the take-out market is expected to exceed 200 billion yuan in 2017, with porridge with minced pork and preserved egg being the top-selling food item, it said.

People in Wenzhou in East China's Zhejiang province had a record-high 1,639 take-out orders in the year, while top deliveryman Lyu Jianguo in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province delivered 26,674 take-out orders, 75 orders per day on average, it said.