Sun Jiawei, founder of MiCang Canteen: Running a restaurant requires full empathy for consumers

Why did Sun Jiawei suggest entering the downward trend of tea restaurants?

On March 25, the 2026 China Catering Industry Festival and the 35th HCC Global Catering Industry Expo, co-hosted by the World Chinese Cuisine Association and Hongcan Network, was held at the Hangzhou International Expo Center. During the “2026 China Catering Category Development Forum,” Sun Jiawei, the founder of Micang Canteen, shared his experiences and views regarding category innovation and opportunities for breakthroughs in the catering sector.

△ Founder of Micang Canteen, Sun Jiawei

Sun Jiawei stated that Micang Canteen focuses on affordable and high-quality casual dining, revealing that the brand currently allocates more cost space to store location, decoration, and ingredient selection.

He said, “Micang Canteen is an ultra-high cost-performance choice in Class A and Class S venues.” Sun Jiawei added that this approach aims to attract young consumers with limited spending power who still pursue a quality dining experience.

Sun Jiawei believes that tea restaurants originating from Hong Kong are already in a downward trend at the same price point, and entering this market now allows Micang Canteen to attract these customers with more cost-effective food and services.

He also advised catering entrepreneurs not to directly challenge industry giants but to enter market segments with potential where leading companies show signs of fatigue, as this is likely to lead to greater success.

Additionally, Sun Jiawei emphasized that the true core competitiveness in catering lies in the ability to empathize with consumers.

“Consumers vote with their feet.” He believes that catering professionals need to fully empathize with consumers and tailor products, spaces, and services according to consumer demographics and scenarios.

Author: Hongcan Editorial Team