3 6 Ke·2025-10-15 00:35Core Insights - The restaurant industry has entered a "stock competition" era, characterized by peak traffic and high cost pressures, leading to the emergence of the "sub-brand symbiosis" model for expansion among leading chains [1][16] - This model emphasizes collaboration and independence between main and sub-brands, allowing them to share the same customer base while maintaining distinct operations [1] Group 1: Adoption of the Sub-Brand Symbiosis Model - Major players like KFC and Mixue Ice City have adopted the "sub-brand symbiosis" model, with KFC launching its independent coffee brand, Kenuo Coffee, in 2023 [2][15] - Mixue Ice City's sub-brand, Lucky Coffee, has also utilized this model, with approximately 70% of its stores located in third-tier cities and below [4] - The model is not limited to coffee and tea but is also applied in the Chinese fast food sector, as seen with Wei's Liangpi and its sub-brand Wei's Burger [6] Group 2: Strategic Intent Behind the Model - The "sub-brand symbiosis" model reflects a strategic shift in the restaurant industry, where chains are increasingly incubating sub-brands internally rather than through external partnerships [7] - This approach allows brands to share resources, deepen engagement with the same core customer base, and reduce development costs [8][10] - The model facilitates resource reuse across various operational aspects, from site selection to management, thereby lowering the trial and error costs for new brands [9] Group 3: Benefits of the Model - The model enables brands to leverage existing customer bases and brand credibility, allowing new brands to quickly gain market traction and reduce promotional costs [10][12] - Kenuo Coffee exemplifies this success, growing from 50 stores in 2023 to over 700 by 2024, achieving a 14-fold increase [13] - Lucky Coffee, leveraging Mixue Ice City's network, expanded from 4,500 to 8,700 stores in a short period, indicating the accelerated growth potential of sub-brands [15][17]