Revolutionizing Automated Barbecue:
Smart Technology as the Key to Growth
In the food and beverage industry of China, iconic brands like MIXUE Ice Cream & Tea have set benchmarks with over 25,000 stores, while fast food and coffee chains are rapidly scaling to tens of thousands of locations. Yet, despite barbecue's immense popularity, only a few brands have successfully achieved large-scale chain status.
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With a market value exceeding $30 billion in China, and thousands of new barbecue-related businesses launching annually, why hasn’t the barbecue industry replicated the success of other food categories? The answer lies in overcoming three key challenges—and smart technology offers the solution.
1. Consistent Flavor Across Locations
Barbecue’s appeal lies in its diverse flavors, but this diversity depends heavily on skilled chefs. Unlike hot pot or milk tea, where recipes are easy to standardize, barbecue flavors can vary significantly between locations, making it difficult to ensure consistency—a cornerstone for any successful chain.
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2. High Labor and Skills Requirements
Training a barbecue chef is time-intensive and costly, with skilled chefs often earning $1,100–$1,600 or more per month. Retaining talent adds to the expense, and managing labor at scale becomes increasingly challenging.
Barbecue has always been a culinary art, heavily reliant on the skills of experienced chefs. While this reliance creates unique flavors, it also poses significant challenges for businesses looking to scale.
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3. Investment Challenges
High labor costs and the skill-intensive nature of barbecue make it less appealing to franchisees. Simpler, automated food categories are more attractive, leaving barbecue brands struggling to scale their operations.
To address these challenges, CXI is on a mission to become the "MIXUE Ice Cream & Tea in the Barbecue Industry." By pioneering smart barbecue model stores and introducing innovative intelligent barbecue machines, CXI is transforming the industry with intelligent solutions that make rapid scaling achievable.
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4. How CXI is Changing the Game
CXI’s Smart Barbecue Model offers a breakthrough solution. By integrating intelligent barbecue machines into the barbecue process, CXI is transforming how barbecue restaurants operate, addressing industry pain points, and enabling rapid chain growth.
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(1) Consistent Flavor Across Locations
CXI’s intelligent barbecue machines replicate the expertise of a skilled chef. From grilling and flipping to oil spraying and seasoning, every step follows a standardized process, ensuring the same delicious flavor at every location.
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(2) Lower Labor Costs
With intelligent barbecue machines, restaurants have no need for several full-time chefs. Regular staff can operate the machines with minimal training. One employee can manage up to six machines, significantly reducing labor costs. A restaurant that once required 10 employees can now operate with just six.
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(3) Faster, Easier Expansion
With a standardized ingredient supply system and CXI’s automated barbecue technology, restaurants can create a reliable and scalable back-end process. This makes it easier to replicate stores quickly. For example, a barbecue brand in Changsha, Hunan, opened 10 new locations in just one month using this model.
Tapping into a $55 Billion Market Opportunity
The global barbecue market is expected to reach $55 billion by 2026, presenting significant growth opportunities for chain expansion. Currently, only 9.4% of barbecue businesses operate as chains, compared to 18.3% in the hot pot sector and an industry average chain rate of 15% in the broader food service market. This highlights a significant opportunity for barbecue brands that embrace innovation.
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Intelligent Barbecue: The Key to the Future
CXI’s smart barbecue solution addresses the industry’s toughest challenges, from consistent flavor to reducing labor costs and enabling rapid growth. As the food industry increasingly adopts automation, barbecue brands that leverage these advancements will gain a competitive edge.
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The race to become the MIXUE Ice Cream & Tea of barbecue is on. With CXI’s innovative technology, barbecue chains are poised for unprecedented success.
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