Founder Cao Yinmiao of Mountain Residence Catering Group: Conservatism is the foundation, innovation is the complement.

Ask AI · Cao Yinmiao transitions from large-scale dining to small dining, how to balance tradition and innovation?

On March 25, the 2026 China Catering Industry Festival and the 35th HCC Global Catering Industry Expo, co-hosted by the World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry and Hongcan Network, was held at the Hangzhou International Expo Center. In the roundtable dialogue of the “2026 China Catering Category Development Forum,” Cao Yinmiao, the founder of Shanju Catering Group, shared her views on the topic of “category innovation.”

△Cao Yinmiao, founder of Shanju Catering Group

Cao Yinmiao previously came from large-scale dining and later transitioned to small dining, launching the Hangzhou Ban Chuan brand. She admitted that the marketing, research and development, and branding departments have different age groups; what younger people find good may not be recognized by the older members of the R&D department, leading to internal conflicts. She stated, “Usually when people over 45 say something is good, we mostly cut it.”

Regarding innovation, she shared two directions using Ban Chuan as an example:

The first is seasonal innovation. Focusing on Hangzhou pepper beef, changes are made based on seasonal ingredients throughout the year. For instance, during the season for Chinese toon, they make stir-fried beef with Chinese toon. There can be repeated innovation throughout the four seasons.

The second is localized innovation. She believes that brands should pay attention to the current preferences of young people; for example, the team found that young people like sweet and sour spicy flavors, prompting them to consider whether there are products that can be made as toppings.

However, Cao Yinmiao emphasized, “Tradition serves as the foundation, while innovation is the complement. Variety does not stray from the essence; changes should still revolve around Ban Chuan and Hangzhou pepper beef.”

In terms of store iteration, Cao Yinmiao believes self-iteration is equally important. “Being eliminated by the market means being eliminated by customers, so Ban Chuan is continuously correcting itself, and areas that are not performed well need constant improvement and restoration.”

Author: Hongcan Editorial Department