PUBLISHED ONJune 02, 2026 1:15 PMUPDATEDJune 03, 2026 9:33 AMBYSean LerBreadTalk Group-owned food court chain Food Republic is set to close its Oriental Plaza outlet in Beijing — also its first store in mainland China — at 8pm on June 15, after more than two decades of operations in the capital city.
The outlet is located in The Malls at Oriental Plaza — one of Beijing's most popular shopping complexes.
At its peak in 2016, Food Republic reportedly operated more than 40 outlets across mainland China, including in Chongqing, Shanghai and Tianjin.
AsiaOne understands that Food Republic has outlets in Shanghai and Shenzhen.
According to a 2024 research report by China-focused market research firm Daxue Consulting, the Chinese food service market reached RMB5.2 trillion (S$983 billion) in 2023 and was projected to hit RMB5.6 trillion by 2025.
However, the growth was also fuelled by increasing digitalisation, including the proliferation of food delivery services.
Daxue Consulting's report placed the number of food delivery service users at 553 million as at June 2024, with the market projected to reach RMB1.96 trillion in 2027.
In response to AsiaOne's queries, a BreadTalk Group spokesperson explained that "significant shifts" in consumer dynamics necessitate a consolidation of Food Republic's strategy for the Chinese market.
She added that the cessation of operations at the chain's Oriental Plaza outlet is due to the expiration of its tenancy lease.
"We will focus on our network of nearly 20 Food Republic stores across mainland China, focusing on Shanghai, Shenzhen, as well as Hong Kong, and Taiwan."
The food court chain is also diversifying its business model to deepen corporate partnerships.
"Alongside retail spaces in shopping malls, we partner educational institutions and corporate headquarters to operate in-house cafeterias as well in China.
"The China market remains a core priority for Food Republic's long-term development," the BreadTalk Group spokesperson said.
Alongside these moves, BreadTalk Group said it will also "steadily expand" in international markets such as Singapore, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.
Editor's note: This article was edited for clarity.
[[nid:735438]]
