Chinese hotel groups rely on plant-based food…

Amid rising consumer interest in health and sustainability, major Chinese hotel groups are setting ambitious new guidelines for serving plant-based foods

IHG Greater China, Dossen Hotel Group and Orange Hotels have committed to converting 30-70% of their menus to plant-based products in over 3,500 hotels by next year.

In response to growing consumer demand for healthier and more sustainable dining options, major players in China’s restaurant industry are taking decisive action.

In a recent comprehensive survey of thousands of Chinese consumers, nearly 90% of respondents said they plan to eat more plant-based foods in the next year.

85% of respondents also said they expect hotels and restaurants to offer more plant-based options, as they see this as a crucial step to promote public health and sustainable development.

In the last three months, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) Greater China, Dossen Hotel Group and Orange Hotels have announced ambitious menu transformation plans, aiming to convert 30-70% of their menu offerings to plant-based products by 2025.

The initiatives will span 3,500 hotels and initiate a profound change in the Chinese hotel landscape.

“We are excited to embark on this journey towards a more sustainable future,” said Jerome Qiu, chief operating officer of IHG Hotels & Resorts Greater China, which in June became the first multinational brand to issue a plant-based food policy in the Chinese market.

“Our goal of offering thirty percent of menu items plant-based by 2025 is consistent with our core values ​​of responsible sourcing and environmental stewardship.

“This also reflects our ten-year plan ‘Journey into the Future’. By expanding our menu to include a diverse range of plant-based dishes, we want to offer our guests healthier and more environmentally friendly dining options.”

Cecilia Zhao, sustainability program manager at Lever China, a Shanghai-based consulting firm that has worked with all three groups to help them develop and set their plant-based food policies, said: “The commitments by IHG, Dossen Hotel Group and Huazhu Group to significantly increase their plant-based food offerings are a sign of the Chinese hotel industry’s new leadership in promoting sustainable eating habits.”

“It is encouraging to see such alignment with global sustainability goals and consumer health priorities.”

Not long after IHG’s commitment, state-owned Dossen Hotel Group, which operates 2,000 hotels across China and is currently developing another 1,500, became the first Chinese hotel group to implement a plant-based food policy.

The hotel management company has committed to converting 30% of its menu to plant-based dishes at all locations by 2025.

“Our goal of making 30% of our menu items plant-based by 2025 is in line with our core values ​​of sustainable development and customer focus,” said Xinhua Cheng, founder and chairman of Dossen Group.

“By expanding our menus to include more delicious plant-based dishes, we are offering our Dossen Hotel Group guests healthier and more environmentally friendly dining options.”

Huazhu Group, a publicly traded Chinese company that operates several hotel brands, announced a plant-based diet policy in August.

The group has selected Orange Hotels as the first of its hotel brands to implement its ambitious goal of offering 70% plant-based menus in over 750 locations by 2025.

“We are excited to work toward China’s climate goals and consumer nutritional health,” said Yaohui Yang, CEO of Orange Hotels.

“Orange Hotels promotes the brand concept Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) and encourages everyone to maintain a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

“Our goal of making 70% of our dishes plant-based by 2025 is in line with our values ​​of sustainability and our drive for innovation. By further refining The Orange Hotel’s menu with a focus on healthy sustainability, we are offering hotel guests healthier and more environmentally friendly dining options.”