To improve the growth potential, culture becomes new feature of Helie catering industry

The favorable changes in Helie catering industry coincide with the judgment of decision-makers of the subdistrict on the development trend of catering economy.

“Some catering enterprises used to earn windfall profits through luxurious official reception banquet, which is a lopsided development. The “main battlefield” of catering industry is the mass market, so it should give consideration to both high-grade and low-grade cuisine and focus on middle- and low-grade cuisine, enable the common people to enjoy better and economical catering service.” As Su told the reporter, the Catering Chamber of Commerce of the Subdistrict has taken “integrating mass catering culture” as the future development orientation, culture is the core competence of catering industry, but the mass culture is most energetic, the catering industry can develop better with stronger ability of resisting external impact on the basis of “mass.”

Helie people think so and do so. Along with the constant upgrading of Helie catering industry, the cooking & service skill competition, which has been held for nine times, changes from original subdistrict-level competition into important sub-project of Binhu District Mountain & Water Culture Festival, and becomes the “catering culture world expo” favored by the catering enterprises. As per the statistics, more than ten enterprises attended this competition in the past, but now nearly one hundred enterprises attend it. This competition has become the important platform for the catering enterprises to communicate the catering culture.

“We have attended this competition for seven consecutive times, and this year we will host the competition,” Lin Zhiming said, who is the Food & Beverage Director of Wuxi Grand Hotel. As a famous hotel in Helie subdistrict, Wuxi Grand Hotel has explored a number of good concepts and methods from the competition over the past years, such as “the flavor of local special dishes should be consistent”, “good banquet is determined by the details”, “searching historic culture from food”.

To develop the extensive market of “Helie Cuisine”, Helie people deem that the catering industry tends to “return to original nature”, so the catering industry in Helie should also conform to post-modern era, return to original nature, and focus on home-style dishes while enhancing the promotion of brand products. We should make more people know delicious food from streets and lanes of Helie.” As described by the official from the commerce office, presently Helie Chamber of Commerce, the trade union of the subdistrict, the Catering Chamber of Commerce and other departments are planning the “Catering Map” for Helie Subdistrict in order to make more people know “cuisine in Helie”. In addition, we will make full use of such promotion carriers as cuisine website, WeChat, MicroBlog, traditional media and brochure, invite experts to guide and plan various activities, and conduct an all-round promotion for specialty catering in the Subdistrict. “The catering industry is the opening-up window of Helie, the catering culture reflects the development profundity and extensiveness of the industry. Next we need to mobilize the entire society to standardize the variety of dishes, culture and service, improve the skills in dish arrangement and reception, thus drive the prosperous development and rapid growth of the catering industry.”

Prosperity has been foreseeable: On the land lot in Jianzhu Road, the eye-catching Xinan Mansion, subject to the total investment of about 150 million Yuan and the total building area of 54,000m2 is busy with construction. Some famous catering merchants such as Caidie Bakery, Houcaller, YPFH, Haidilao Hot Pot, Starbucks, etc. have had the intention to settle here. Upon completion of construction, this business street themed with the experienced Shanghai style and integrating characteristic catering, leisure & entertainment with business hotel, will become another regional landmark in Helie Subdistrict.