SHANGHAI, China – Yum China ‘s Chinese Dining Business Unit – which includes the Little Sheep and Huang Ji Huang brands – made exciting new progress since the beginning of 2024, with new stores added to its domestic and global portfolio and innovative new store formats introduced to serve a broader range of party sizes.
In May 2024 alone, nine new Little Sheep stores were added in multiple first-, second-, and third-tier cities across China. Internationally, Little Sheep recently returned to the U.S. market in March 2024 with a new store at the American Dream Meadowlands shopping complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Domestically, Little Sheep introduced new store formats, including one-person hotpot modules which cater to smaller party sizes.
Huang Ji Huang is also poised to extend its presence both within China and across international markets this year. Earlier this month, Huang Ji Huang announced its new logo, updated store design and brand strategy, to help reinforce its positioning as an industry-leader in the simmer pot category and drive further interest among younger consumers.
The Little Sheep and Huang Ji Huang brands mark their 25th and 20th anniversaries respectively this year. Under Yum China’s Chinese Dining Business Unit, both brands benefit from enhanced economies of scale and stronger food innovation capabilities which help to achieve a high standard of customer experience and operating efficiencies.
Yum China expects its Chinese dining store count to reach approximately 800 by the first half of 2024.