Suzhou, Jiangsu province. [Photo/VCG]
The food and beverage (catering) industry plays a significant role in stimulating the economy, creating employment opportunities, expanding consumption, and improving people's livelihoods.
Recently, the "Suzhou Culinary Culture Revitalization Plan" was announced, aiming to strive towards becoming the culinary capital of the world.
By 2025, the city aims to surpass 100 billion yuan ($13.79 billion) in catering revenue, with over 30 enterprises achieving revenues exceeding 100 million yuan and over 400 enterprises exceeding 10 million yuan in annual revenue.
The plan outlines three sub-goals for the revitalization of Suzhou's culinary industry: total scale, industry system, and culinary culture. In the future, Suzhou's catering industry will gradually expand its overall scale.
The number of catering operators in the city will continue to increase, with steady growth in revenue. The trend towards large-scale, digitalization, branding, and green development in the catering industry will become more prominent.
The city's catering industry will also continue to improve its industry system, gradually establishing a standardized and comprehensive gourmet system, a diverse range of formats, and a rationalized industry structure.
The culinary product system, service system, supporting policy system, and marketing promotion system will be further enhanced, while talent cultivation, standard construction, brand incubation, and consumer services will be optimized.
Furthermore, Suzhou will promote the comprehensive revitalization of culinary culture, enhancing the national competitiveness and global recognition of the "Suzhou flavor."
To achieve these goals, Suzhou has outlined six major tasks for itself, including industry improvement, inheritance and dissemination, brand enhancement, empowerment of gourmet cuisine, talent cultivation, and quality service enhancement initiatives.