Major Chinese Hotel Groups Set Ambitious New Policies on Serving Plant-Based Foods Amid Rising Consumer Interest in Health and Sustainability
IHG Greater China, Dossen Hotel Group, and Orange Hotels set pledges to shift 30-70% of their menus to plant-based by next year across over 3,500 hotels
In response to the growing consumer demand for healthier and more sustainable dining options, major players in China’s hospitality industry are taking decisive action.
In a recent comprehensive survey of thousands of Chinese consumers, nearly 90% of respondents said they plan to increase their plant-based food intake over the next year.
85% of those surveyed also said they expect hotels and restaurants to offer more plant-based options, viewing it as a crucial step in promoting public health and sustainable development.
Over the past three months, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) Greater China, Dossen Hotel Group, and Orange Hotels have announced ambitious commitments to transform their menus, pledging to make 30-70% of their menu offerings plant-based by 2025.
The initiatives will span over 3,500 hotels, initiating a profound shift in the Chinese hospitality landscape.
“We are excited to embark on this journey towards a more sustainable future,” said Jerome Qiu, chief operating officer of IHG Hotels & Resorts Greater China, which in June became the first multinational brand to issue a plant-based food policy in the Chinese market.
“Our target of making thirty percent of menu items plant-based by 2025 aligns with our core values of responsible sourcing and environmental stewardship.
“This also echoes our ‘Journey to Tomorrow’ ten-year plan. By expanding our menu to include a diverse range of plant-based dishes, we aim to provide our guests with healthier, more environmentally friendly dining choices.”
Cecilia Zhao, sustainability program manager of Lever China, a Shanghai-based consulting company that worked with all three groups to help them develop and set their plant-based foods policies, said: “The commitments from IHG, Dossen Hotel Group, and Huazhu Group to significantly increase their plant-based offerings is a sign of China’s hospitality industry’s new leadership role in advancing sustainable dietary habits.
“It’s encouraging to see such alignment with global sustainability goals and consumer health priorities.”
Not long after IHG’s commitment, state-owned Dossen Hotel Group which operates 2,000 hotels across China and is currently developing another 1,500, became the first domestic hotel group to implement a plant-based food policy.
The hotel management company committed to transforming 30% of its menu to plant-based items across all locations by 2025.
“Our goal of making 30% of our menu items plant-based by 2025 aligns with our core values of sustainable development and customer supremacy,” said Xinhua Cheng, founder and chairman of Dossen Group.
“By upgrading our menus to include more delicious plant-based dishes, we provide healthier and more environmentally friendly dining options for our guests at Dossen Hotel Group.”
Huazhu Group, a publicly listed domestic company that operates multiple hotel brands, then announced a plant-based food policy in August.
The group has selected Orange Hotels as the first of its hotel brands to roll out the bold goal of achieving 70% plant-based menus by 2025 across its over 750 locations.
“We are pleased to be working towards China’s climate goals and consumers’ dietary health,” said Yaohui Yang, CEO of Orange Hotels.
“Orange Hotels promotes the Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) brand concept and encourages everyone to embrace a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
“Our goal of making 70% of our dishes plant-based by 2025 coincides with our values of sustainability and pursuit of innovation. By continuing to refine Orange Hotel’s menu with a focus on healthy sustainability, we are providing hotel guests with healthier, environmentally friendly dining options.”
