Haidilao Grew Condiment Sales +63% While Takeaway Fell

Executive Summary

Haidilao's (海底捞) condiment sales surged +63.2% year-on-year (YoY) to CN¥ 687 million in 2021, while takeaway revenue slipped -1.7% to CN¥ 706 million^[1] --- a divergence that revealed consumers increasingly preferred shelf-stable retail products over delivered meals. The company's e-commerce presence across Tmall (天猫), Taobao (淘宝), and JD.com (京东) served as the primary distribution platform for hotpot seasoning bases, dipping sauces, and self-heating kits. This analysis examines how brand trust built through premium dine-in service transferred to online retail channels during 2022.

Condiment Sales: The Standout Growth Story

Condiment sales emerged as Haidilao's fastest-growing segment, surging +63.2% YoY to CN¥ 687 million. While this segment represented just 1.7% of total revenue, it offered the company's most scalable online opportunity --- a pathway to revenue that did not depend on restaurant foot traffic or seating capacity.

The product portfolio spanned multiple categories designed to replicate the Haidilao experience at home:

• Hotpot seasoning bases --- spicy, tomato, mushroom, and specialty broths sold primarily through Tmall and Taobao
• Dipping sauces and condiments --- signature sesame-based and oil-based sauces that replicate the in-restaurant condiment bar
• Self-heating hotpot kits --- portable, single-serve hotpot meals targeting convenience-oriented consumers
• Instant soup products --- new category launched through the "Future Food Laboratory" initiative
• Specialty ingredients --- premium hotpot ingredients including pre-sliced meats, fish balls, and tofu products

This product breadth allowed Haidilao to capture multiple consumption occasions, from home-cooking enthusiasts recreating the full hotpot experience to convenience-seeking consumers looking for quick meal solutions.

Why Takeaway Revenue Declined

Takeaway revenue declined marginally to CN¥ 706 million (-1.7% YoY), reflecting a broader industry pattern rather than a Haidilao-specific weakness. As pandemic restrictions eased intermittently through 2022, consumers who could dine out preferred the full in-restaurant hotpot experience --- a social dining occasion that does not translate well to delivery.

The takeaway decline also reflected a structural consumer preference shift. During extended lockdowns, consumers stockpiled shelf-stable products rather than ordering delivery for each meal. Haidilao's condiment and self-heating product lines directly benefited from this behavior change, effectively cannibalizing some takeaway demand with higher-margin retail sales.

This divergence --- condiment sales up +63.2% while takeaway fell -1.7% --- carried strategic implications. The data suggested that Haidilao's online growth opportunity resided not in replicating the restaurant meal for home delivery, but in selling branded ingredients and convenience products that enabled consumers to create their own Haidilao-inspired dining experiences.

E-commerce Platform Strategy

Haidilao's online market presence during January-November 2022 extended across China's major e-commerce platforms. The brand maintained multiple active product listings on Taobao, leveraging its restaurant reputation to drive online retail conversion.

The e-commerce strategy reflected a deliberate expansion from pure dine-in into omnichannel retail. Product listings covered a diverse range of SKUs (Stock Keeping Units), from traditional hotpot soup bases and dipping sauces to newer categories including self-heating hotpot kits and instant soup products. Key platform roles included:

• Tmall --- flagship store for premium product lines, seasonal promotions, and new product launches
• Taobao --- broader product catalog with competitive pricing and bundled offerings
• JD.com --- logistics-advantaged channel for consumers prioritizing fast delivery

This multi-platform approach maximized reach while allowing Haidilao to tailor pricing and product selection to each platform's user demographics. The approach aligned with a broader trend among China's leading restaurant chains during 2022, where brands with established retail product lines benefited from consumer stockpiling behavior and the growing preference for premium at-home dining.

Promotional events played a significant role in driving online sales velocity. During the Double 11 shopping festival in November 2022, Haidilao's e-commerce storefronts featured bundled seasoning and condiment sets at promotional price points, capitalizing on the event's high-traffic dynamics to acquire new online customers.^[2] These seasonal spikes provided valuable consumer data that informed product development and inventory planning across the portfolio.

Brand Trust as a Competitive Moat

Haidilao's decades-long investment in premium dine-in service created a significant advantage in the online retail market. Consumer trust in food safety and quality --- cultivated through consistent restaurant experiences --- transferred directly to packaged product purchasing decisions.

This brand-to-retail conversion dynamic proved especially powerful in China's crowded ready-to-eat market, where quality concerns remained a significant purchase barrier. Consumers who trusted Haidilao's restaurant food safety standards extended that confidence to its packaged seasoning bases and self-heating products, reducing the trial barrier that new brands typically face.

The trust advantage also manifested in pricing power. Haidilao's retail products commanded premium positioning relative to generic alternatives, enabling healthier unit economics than competitors who relied on aggressive discounting to drive trial. This pricing premium reflected the intangible value of brand association with China's best-known hotpot chain.

The brand-to-retail pipeline also operated in reverse. Consumers who discovered Haidilao through online condiment purchases became more likely to visit Haidilao restaurants, creating a reinforcing cycle between online retail and dine-in traffic. This flywheel effect gave Haidilao a structural advantage that purely digital food brands could not replicate, as they lacked the physical dining experience that anchored consumer perception of quality and authenticity.

Revenue Segment Dynamics

The revenue breakdown underscored the condiment segment's outsized importance to Haidilao's diversification strategy.

Restaurant operations dominate at 96% of revenue

Key Takeaways

• Condiment sales surged +63.2% YoY to CN¥ 687 million, emerging as Haidilao's fastest-growing segment
• Takeaway revenue declined -1.7% to CN¥ 706 million as consumers preferred dine-in or shelf-stable retail products
• E-commerce presence across Tmall, Taobao, and JD.com provided a multi-platform distribution strategy
• Brand trust built through decades of premium dine-in service transferred effectively to online retail channels
• The condiment segment represented Haidilao's most scalable online growth opportunity beyond dine-in

## About the Data

This analysis draws on Moojing Market Intelligence data covering January-November 2022, combined with Haidilao International Holding Ltd. (6862.HK) financial disclosures. Moojing tracks 400,000+ brands across 30+ e-commerce platforms, representing 58-65% of China's online retail GMV. For full methodology and additional insights, see the complete Haidilao Online Market report.