High-Quality Development Research丨The old hotpot in Shancheng has a new flavor and the -secret recipe for the base- is here

Chongqing is often referred to as the “Hot Pot Capital” of the world. Over the past few years, the city has transformed its hot pot industry from a singular focus on dining to a complete industrial chain, charting a unique path in specialized industrial development.

During my recent visit to Chongqing, I had the chance to witness the annual Hot Pot Culture Festival firsthand. As I walked through bustling streets, it was hard to miss the sights and sounds of boiling hot pots and the long lines of eager diners.

One tourist shared, “When you’re in Chongqing, it’s not just about eating and drinking. You have to visit the Hot Pot Museum and check out Hot Pot Street to make the most out of your trip.”

Today, there are about 37,000 hot pot restaurants in Chongqing, forming a comprehensive industrial chain that includes everything from farming and sourcing ingredients to processing and retail. The total annual output value has reached a staggering 300 billion yuan.

Not only is the industry growing in scale, but Chongqing hot pot is also expanding globally, with locations in over 80 countries. In the first eight months of this year alone, exports of hot pot ingredients from Chongqing have exceeded 41 million yuan, marking a growth rate of over 42%.

The secret to Chongqing hot pot’s continuous innovation lies in its rich variety of ingredients. Recent data shows that in the first eight months of this year, the value of hot pot ingredients produced in Chongqing has grown by 9.7% year-on-year, with over 70 different types of ingredients being developed, reflecting a clear trend toward refinement and quality.

In Hechuan District, more than 350 hot pot ingredient companies have gathered. Upon visiting one such company, I observed a fresh batch of dried chili peppers being processed. The selection stage has even incorporated X-ray technology as part of its digital transformation.

Liang Lin, the administrative supervisor of Chongqing Juhui Food Technology, explained, “The X-ray selection is the most intelligent part of the process, achieving a 99% accuracy rate. We follow that up with two rounds of manual checks to ensure that all impurities are removed before the peppers go to production.”

In the production floor, I saw that even a single chili pepper undergoes a rigorous five-step selection process, including wind separation, color sorting, and X-ray inspection. The peppers, along with other spices like Sichuan peppercorns, are combined in a large container. After entering the recipe information into the system, the equipment automatically doses, feeds, and processes the ingredients.

Digital transformation is now widely integrated throughout the entire hot pot industry in Chongqing. In the meat processing facilities, a piece of frozen meat is fed into an automated machine and, in just two minutes, is sliced into nearly a hundred thin pieces. Subsequent quality checks are incredibly precise.

Zhang Lianqiang, a quality control technician at Chongqing Kaihong Food Company, noted, “For beef, we monitor seven different aspects, including peroxide content, ensuring it doesn’t exceed 0.25 grams per hundred grams. It’s a very stringent process. It’s not about what the boss thinks; our data determines whether a product is market-ready.”

When it comes to supporting industry growth, Chongqing doesn’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. Each hot pot business has its own unique production methods and equipment, making universal digital solutions inadequate. So, what are the innovative strategies employed in Chongqing?

Stepping into the Chongqing Hot Pot Ingredient Industry Park laboratory, I was amazed by the variety of bottles, each containing different flavors. To keep up with changing consumer preferences, Chongqing has established 11 dedicated research platforms for the hot pot industry, securing 278 patents and providing technical support for thousands of enterprises. Furthermore, the city has formed a Hot Pot Task Force, with personnel from various departments, such as agriculture and commerce, working collaboratively to assist local businesses.

Peng Guangdong, the deputy leader of the Hot Pot Task Force in Hechuan District, explained, “In our local dialect, ‘running hall’ means serving. We’re here to address the urgent needs of businesses. Many companies are undergoing digital transformations, and we have assigned a dedicated team to follow up on new projects and resolve any bottlenecks promptly.”

In recent years, some companies attempted to develop new equipment, but due to the unique nature of the hot pot industry, there were few models to follow, leading to many missteps. When development efforts stalled, the support from the Hot Pot Task Force proved invaluable.

Peng further shared, “Our policy for digital transformation offers subsidies of up to 30%, aligned with city-wide standards. Some companies have received over one million yuan in subsidy funding, while several others have secured amounts ranging from 200,000 to 300,000 yuan.”

Thanks to these supportive policies, Zheng Chuanbo’s enterprise received a government subsidy of 1.68 million yuan, enabling it to become an industry leader with the implementation of a digital workshop. Now, it processes over 6,000 tons of orders from around the globe each month.

As my investigation revealed, Chongqing plans to continue investing over ten million yuan annually to encourage companies to pursue ongoing digital enhancements, aiming to develop a series of unique hot pot restaurants that integrate intelligence, sustainability, and cultural creativity, while driving the high-quality growth of the hot pot industry.