Core Viewpoint - Shanghai Heful Restaurant Management Co., Ltd., associated with the Chinese noodle chain brand Heful Noodle, was fined 30,000 yuan for advertising violations, specifically for using terms like "national level" and "best" in their advertisements [1][3]. Company Information - Heful Noodle was founded in 2012, with its first store opening in Jiangsu in 2013. The company has expanded its price range, increasing the proportion of products priced under 30 yuan since 2023 [5]. - As of April 14, 2025, Heful Noodle operates 580 stores nationwide, with several sub-brands including Pick me Coffee & Hot Food, Alan's Lanzhou Beef Noodle, One Cup Ramen, and Caishen Meat Skewers [5]. Financial Performance - In 2024, Heful Noodle reported total revenue of 2.5 billion yuan, with same-store sales declining by 15% year-on-year [5]. - According to data from Frost & Sullivan, Heful Noodle ranked first in total transaction volume among Chinese noodle restaurants in 2024, with a total transaction volume of 2.53 billion yuan [5]. Regulatory Issues - The Shanghai Pudong New District Market Supervision Bureau found that Heful Noodle's advertising practices violated Article 9, Section 3 of the Advertising Law, which prohibits the use of terms like "national level" and "best" [3]. - Prior to this incident, Heful Noodle's subsidiary in Baoshan was investigated for using "TOP1. Chinese Noodle First Brand" on consumer-facing materials but was not penalized [3]. - The company has faced previous penalties, including a 60,000 yuan fine in June 2024 for advertising that implied disease treatment capabilities [3].

Group 1 - Shanghai Heful Restaurant Management Co., Ltd. was fined 30,000 yuan for violating advertising laws by using terms like "national level," "highest," and "best" in their advertisements [1] - The violation occurred when the company displayed an advertisement claiming to be the "first brand of Chinese noodle restaurant" at their stores, which was reported and subsequently inspected by authorities [1][3] - This is not the first instance of Heful Noodle facing penalties for misleading advertising; previous fines included claims of "3 billion bowls sold" and a promotional event offering a Tesla Model 3 as a prize [3] Group 2 - Heful Noodle, established in 2012, is a Chinese restaurant chain specializing in noodle dishes, with its first store opening in Jiangsu in 2013 [5] - The company has expanded its pricing strategy since 2023, introducing a tiered pricing model that includes more products priced under 30 yuan [5] - Heful Noodle has transitioned from a direct sales model to allowing franchises, now operating over 400 stores across more than 60 cities and boasting over 10 million members [5]