A new dish conceals profound depth, rooted in dedication to the industry and commitment to original aspirations: Decoding the brand DNA and long-term philosophy of Green Tea Group

With spring’s bright scenery, the Longjing tea gardens by the West Lake shed their winter chill as new tea leaves fill the branches on schedule. Green Tea Group (06831HK) $GREEN TEA GROUP (06831.HK)$ The R&D team began preparations three months ago, meticulously designing and refining repeatedly. Alongside the debut of the new Longjing tea, the 'Longjing Tea Fragrant Crispy Pork Ribs' made its promised appearance, delivering this unique spring sweetness and rich aroma precisely to every diner’s table, becoming a delightful highlight of this spring’s menu.

The creation of this new dish was not an isolated attempt at innovation but a vivid reflection of Green Tea Group's two-decade dedication to the fusion cuisine track, a lively interpretation of the brand’s innovative DNA, and a continuous extension and advancement of the company’s fusion strategy.

Three-tier value empowerment, solidifying the foundation for brand development

Green Tea Group’s fusion cuisine is never a simple stacking or blending of different culinary styles but rather a value creation refined over time, tailored to market demands, and aligned with the brand’s identity. This value spans three dimensions: consumer experience, brand scale expansion, and Chinese cuisine globalization, forming the core confidence for steady growth and overcoming adversity.

Consumer Value: Bridging through flavor, solving dining pain pointsGreen Tea Group’s fusion cuisine does not simply combine different cuisines but creates a new flavor system that suits both northern and southern palates while integrating Eastern and Western influences. The company breaks down regional barriers of traditional cuisines, incorporating diverse flavors into its menu to cater to varied dietary preferences.

Whether it’s a family gathering, friends’ reunion, or business lunch, every diner can find their preferred choice, truly achieving “a table where everyone finds something they like.” With inclusive taste experiences, Green Tea Group enhances the warmth and joy of every gathering. Leveraging its high cost-performance ratio of “delicious yet affordable,” the brand has won the favor of countless consumers, building a solid and broad customer base.

Expansion Value: Comprehensive layout for scaling breakthroughsThe natural advantage of fusion cuisine lies in its compatibility unrestricted by regional tastes – “accepted wherever it goes” – paving the way for Green Tea Group’s nationwide expansion. Data shows that as of December 31, 2025, Green Tea Group’s store network has fully covered 26 provinces and over 150 cities, with 609 directly operated stores, forming a robust pattern of “high-density core areas and extensive nationwide coverage.”

An affordable pricing strategy has further strengthened Green Tea Group's brand. Data shows that in 2025, the company’s per capita spending will be approximately 54.6 yuan, a price level widely accepted across different cities and precisely aligned with varying consumer demands. Meanwhile, the table turnover rate remains stable at three times per day, demonstrating strong operational resilience even amidst industry fluctuations.

Overseas Value: Cultural Carrier, Supporting Chinese Cuisine Going Global“Fusion cuisine is the natural carrier of Chinese cuisine internationalization,” a statement that accurately captures the core logic behind Green Tea Group’s overseas expansion. Unlike traditional Chinese restaurants facing the challenge of ‘educating the market’ when going abroad, the company's fusion dishes offer a more inclusive taste and localized consumer experience, allowing Chinese food to naturally integrate into global markets and become an important bridge for transmitting Chinese culture.

In 2025, as the true starting year of Green Tea Group’s overseas expansion, the brand successfully covered four key Asia-Pacific markets—Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia—with 14 overseas outlets. Leveraging the unique advantages of its fusion cuisine, Green Tea Group’s overseas stores delivered impressive performance, generating revenue and profits 2.5 to 3 times higher than domestic branches. Overseas revenue surged 16-fold year-on-year to reach 140 million yuan, demonstrating the globalization potential of fusion cuisine and making Jiangnan flavors a shining example of Chinese cultural exports.

These three layers of value support and enhance one another, securing consumer trust, expanding the brand's development boundaries, and enabling Green Tea Group to stand firm in fierce competition within the catering industry. This progress also facilitated the company’s transformation from a niche brand by West Lake to a globally recognized name, injecting continuous momentum for long-term growth while providing a replicable model for high-quality development in the Chinese casual dining sector.

Compounding Effects Highlighted, Innovation Builds Long-Term Competitiveness

Green Tea Group’s fusion cuisine is not a fleeting short-term innovation but rather an integral part of the brand’s daily operations. This sustained investment in innovation eventually accumulates into the brand’s unique compounding effect, transforming every effort into irreplicable long-term competitiveness.

Menu Iteration: From Curiosity to Trust, Binding Consumer EmotionsThe compounding effect of Green Tea Group lies in the iterative upgrades of each fusion dish. The first fusion dish breaks through culinary boundaries, sparking curiosity among consumers who try it and unlock new taste experiences. The tenth fusion dish establishes clear brand recognition — “Green Tea Group’s dishes are always creative” — encouraging customers to visit stores voluntarily and experience the unique charm of fusion flavors. By the hundredth fusion dish, enough reputation and trust have been built, creating anticipation and reliance among consumers, who expect to discover something new every time they come.

This deep emotional bond with consumers, evolving from curiosity to acknowledgment and then to trust, represents the core manifestation of the compounding effect of Green Tea’s fusion cuisine and serves as a critical factor in continuously improving customer loyalty.

Impressive data further attests to the company's strength. In 2025, Green Tea Group launched 562 new dishes, maintaining a leading position in R&D efficiency within the industry, using continuous innovation to safeguard brand vitality.

Operational execution: From innovation to profitability, unleashing brand resilience.The compounding effect of Green Tea Group’s innovation is not only reflected in menu iteration but also transformed into tangible business results. Data shows that in 2025, the company achieved revenue of 4.763 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of 24.1%, and an adjusted net profit of 509 million yuan, surging 41.0% year-on-year, leading the industry in operating performance.

Meanwhile, Green Tea Group's newly opened stores continued to deliver outstanding performance, with monthly dine-in sales per square meter in 2025 increasing by 48.4% compared to older stores. The investment payback period was optimized to 12.6 months, achieving a virtuous cycle of scaled expansion and meticulous operations, demonstrating the strong market adaptability of the company’s brand. Additionally, same-store performance showed remarkable resilience, with same-store revenue registering continuous positive growth starting from Q2 2025, showcasing robust risk resistance and development potential.

It is foreseeable that as the store network continues to expand and operational capabilities keep improving, Green Tea Group’s innovation compounding effect will continue to amplify, driving steady brand growth and continuously optimizing profitability. This will help the company maintain its leadership in the Chinese chain restaurant sector and steadily move toward becoming the industry leader.

In 2004, Green Tea Group embarked on its journey from a youth hostel by the West Lake. By the end of 2025, the company’s brand footprint had spread across four countries, expanding to 609 stores, successfully completing a transformation from a local dining brand to a global presence. Over two decades of dedication and perseverance, staying true to its core values and refining the essence of its dishes, Green Tea Group has exemplified a steadfast commitment to long-term principles.

With patience and persistence, success comes gradually. The new spring dish, 'Longjing Tea Fragrant Crispy Spare Ribs,' is just one small highlight in Green Tea Group's fusion menu system. As seasons change, flavors evolve, and Green Tea Group has already begun developing its next season’s menu. The next exclusive surprise awaits to be unveiled.

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