超市现场制售食品规模破千亿，成超市增长核心引擎

Core Insights - The report by the China Chain Store & Franchise Association indicates that the market size for on-site prepared food in supermarkets has surpassed 100 billion yuan, with the sales proportion of prepared foods in top 100 representative supermarket enterprises generally reaching 10% to 20%, making it a core growth driver for physical supermarkets after fresh produce [1] Market Overview - The report reveals a three-tier market structure for on-site prepared food, with high-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen having an instant retail penetration rate exceeding 50%. Retailers focus on high-margin products such as roasted chicken, baked goods, and sushi, while also developing integrated online and offline sales [2] - In provincial capitals and key cities like Zhengzhou and Xi'an, on-site prepared food has become a "main battlefield," creating appealing on-site experiences that link fresh produce and private label ingredient sales [2] - In lower-tier markets, instant retail accounts for less than 10%, with supermarkets primarily focusing on basic fresh produce, while on-site prepared food serves more as a "supplement" to family meals, featuring simplified categories and practical functions [2] Industry Challenges - The report identifies five common challenges in the industry: 1. Lack of unified classification standards leading to statistical confusion and regulatory difficulties across regions 2. Supply chain and cost pressures due to significant investment in central kitchens, high labor costs, and losses eroding profits 3. Operational efficiency bottlenecks, including difficulties in sales forecasting, complex processes, and unreasonable space layouts 4. Food safety risks arising from multiple processing steps and complex operations, making management more challenging than for pre-packaged foods 5. Shortage of specialized talent, lacking composite skills in dish development, cooking, and operational management [2] Profitability and Operational Demands - The average gross profit margin in the industry is reported to be 40%, but the labor requirement per unit area is 2 to 3 times that of regular shelf sales, and can be as high as 5 to 8 times during the initial opening phase, demanding high levels of refined operational capability [2] Strategic Considerations - The president of the China Chain Store & Franchise Association emphasizes that on-site prepared food is a complex business that combines retail efficiency with dining experience, and should not be viewed merely as a traffic-driving tool. Companies need to make clear strategic choices based on their capabilities and market conditions to overcome core challenges in operational efficiency, cost control, talent development, and quality assurance, thereby transforming from "traffic products" to "profit products" [3]