Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2026-01-16 07:25Core Viewpoint - The restaurant supply industry is undergoing a structural transformation, shifting from "passive supporters" to "active drivers" as companies adapt to a more cautious capital expenditure environment and a less aggressive price competition landscape [1][2]. Supply Side - The peak of capital expenditure has passed, revealing opportunities for structural adjustment within the restaurant supply industry. The industry continues to grow driven by the expansion of the restaurant sector, increased chain rates, and high growth in food delivery services. However, the past few years of downturn in the downstream restaurant sector and supply surplus have accelerated industry consolidation. Leading companies are moving away from past extensive capacity expansion and distribution strategies towards efficient service for large clients and refined operations for smaller clients, focusing on quality growth through product innovation and customization [2]. Demand Side - Historical analysis shows that when the Consumer Price Index (CPI) transitions from negative to positive or enters an upward phase, market expectations for consumer recovery often lead to capital flowing into cyclical sectors like the restaurant supply chain. The CPI is expected to turn positive in October 2025, indicating a mild recovery in consumer demand, which creates a favorable macro environment for the restaurant supply sector. The performance of leading companies has shown improvement since Q3 2025, suggesting that while the industry has not entered a high-growth phase, it has passed its worst stage and is currently stabilizing, with potential for both performance and valuation recovery [3]. Valuation - The restaurant supply sector's valuation has fallen to historically low levels, and the sector remains underweight, providing a high margin of safety and emotional recovery potential. Key segments include: 1. Frozen baking: The industry is expected to maintain rapid growth with a CAGR of 22.1% from 2020 to 2025. Leading company Lihigh Foods (300973) is benefiting from new product launches and channel expansion, with significant growth potential in its frozen baking business and cream business due to domestic substitution acceleration [4]. 2. Frozen food: The price competition has significantly weakened, with leading company Anjui establishing a clear advantage over competitors in management, channels, and capacity. The company is expected to enjoy dual benefits from industry growth and market share increase due to a rich pipeline of new products in 2025 [4]. 3. Compound seasoning: The current penetration rate in China is only 25.4%, compared to over 50% in mature markets like Europe, the U.S., and Japan, indicating substantial growth potential. The long-term development of leading companies in Western-style compound seasoning, such as Baoli Foods (603170) and Chinese-style compound seasoning companies like Tianwei Foods (603317) and Richen Co. (603755) is promising [4]. Investment Recommendations - The sector is currently in a phase of low valuation and institutional holdings, with demand stabilizing and improving policy conditions. Capital expenditures have significantly decreased, and the competitive landscape is shifting from price wars to a more rational framework. Leading companies are actively pursuing new products and channels (membership supermarkets/new retail), mergers and acquisitions, and R&D initiatives, providing high certainty and elasticity. It is recommended to focus on large-cap stocks for allocation and small-cap stocks for elasticity, with particular attention to the performance improvements of Anjui Foods (603345), Lihigh Foods (300973), and Qianhe Flavor (603027), as well as the growth elasticity from new channels and category expansions of Tianwei Foods (603317), Guoquan (02517), and Qianwei Yangchu (001215) [5].