Business · Companies · 2 hrs ago
Food festivals across China draw crowds and spending
Food festivals focused on single products are spreading across China, including events devoted to bread, barbecue and beer.
In Qingdao, the Laoshan venue of this summer’s international beer festival drew 819,000 visitors and helped generate 497 million yuan in spending.
A Shanghai bread festival attracted 540,000 people in four days, and more than 800,000 breads were sold.
Visitors are paying for an experience as well as food: the festivals offer a lively setting, a chance to discover new products and a reason to meet others.
Young people are a key audience, and some travel between cities to attend.
Vendors can gain sales and exposure, while shoppers may later buy from brands they discover online.
Experts say festivals need a distinctive identity and repeat visitors to last; events that only bring a temporary crowd risk wasting money.
Organizers are urged to build on local food and culture, and experts expect more malls, streets and parks to use curated events to attract people.
Single-category food festivals, including bread, carbohydrate, barbecue and beer events, have drawn large crowds across China this year.
The Laoshan venue of this summer’s Qingdao International Beer Festival attracted 819,000 visits and helped generate 497 million yuan in spending.
A four-day bread festival at Shanghai’s MixC drew 540,000 visitors, who bought more than 800,000 breads.
Organisers and experts say these events attract consumers with food, themed settings and opportunities for social interaction.
Experts say festivals need distinctive local character and lasting brands to sustain their appeal and economic value.
- Who
- Festival organisers, food vendors and consumers, including many young people.
- What
- Food festivals focused on individual categories have drawn crowds and spending across China.
- When
- This year; the Qingdao festival took place this summer.
- Where
- Across China, with examples in Qingdao and Shanghai.
- Why
- They offer food, themed experiences and opportunities for social interaction; experts say these features encourage attendance and spending.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The HOCH Burger Festival began touring; it has since visited more than 10 cities.
Bread, carbohydrate, barbecue and beer festivals have drawn crowds across China.
The Laoshan venue of the Qingdao International Beer Festival attracted 819,000 visits and helped generate 497 million yuan in spending.
- Qingdao beer festival
- Laoshan venue drew 819,000 visits
- Qingdao spending
- 497 million yuan in combined spending
- Shanghai bread festival
- 540,000 visitors over four days
- Bread sales
- More than 800,000 breads sold in Shanghai
- HOCH Burger Festival
- Touring since 2025; visited more than 10 cities
1 source
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What people are saying
Creating festivals has verified that young people’s consumption focus is shifting from buying products to buying settings, emotions and social value.
Of course, copying will not give a festival a soul.
People want to release emotions and interact in groups in the atmosphere of a particular festival.