Journalist personally tests Jia Guolong's new brand "Tianbian Clay Pot Braised Noodles": 50 yuan per person, some stores rebranded from Xibei

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After experiencing the controversy over pre-made dishes with online influencer Luo Yonghao, Xibei began closing stores nationwide, but founder Jia Guolong does not seem to have stopped there. Recently, Jia Guolong’s newly created brand “Tianbian Clay Pot Braised Noodles” has opened in Beijing, Hohhot, and other places, with a Shanghai store opening just recently. A First Financial reporter visited the store on the evening of April 1.

The Shanghai “Tianbian Clay Pot Braised Noodles” store is the third outlet of the brand, officially opening on March 31, with Jia Guolong personally attending the opening. The First Financial reporter arrived around 7:30 p.m. the day after the opening, and the store was nearly full, with a queue at the entrance waiting for seats. Staff revealed that over the past two days, the average weekday customer flow at this store has reached the weekend traffic of Xibei stores, and there are still quite a few customers.

Entering the store, the First Financial reporter saw that the decor style was completely different from Xibei, with a more subdued color scheme, and many families as customers. The menu mainly features clay pot braised noodles, along with some side dishes, highlighting Inner Mongolian specialty noodles.

In the previous controversy over pre-made dishes, Xibei was often questioned about issues including pre-made food and high prices. Inside the Shanghai “Tianbian Clay Pot Braised Noodles” store, the First Financial reporter observed that compared to Xibei, the per-guest spending at “Tianbian” is significantly lower. Xibei’s per capita consumption easily exceeds 200 yuan, while “Tianbian” keeps it between 50 and 100 yuan. Staff told the First Financial reporter that all the braised noodles are made on-site, with a semi-open kitchen setup allowing customers to see the food being prepared directly.

The First Financial reporter randomly interviewed some customers, most of whom thought the prices were reasonable and the taste good. “Actually, we don’t care if these braised noodles are under the Xibei brand. What we care about is healthy, tasty food, reasonable prices, and transparent information. As long as these requirements are met, we can accept it,” consumer Mr. Li told reporters.

The First Financial reporter learned that after the pre-made dish controversy, Xibei’s business across the country was affected. Jia Guolong previously confirmed to the media that from September 2025 to March 2026, Xibei’s cumulative losses were estimated to exceed 600 million yuan. To cut losses, Xibei, which originally had about 350 stores, decided to close around 100 stores, reducing about 30% of its outlets. Before the Spring Festival this year, Jia Guolong stepped down as CEO of the main Xibei brand, and former CEO Dong Junyi returned.

The State Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System shows that on January 20 this year, Inner Mongolia Xibei Catering Group Co., Ltd. underwent a business change, with new investors including Taizhou Xinrongtai Investment Co., Ltd., Hohhot Collective Co-creation Enterprise Management Center (Limited Partnership), Hangzhou Zhouxuan Equity Investment Management Partnership (Limited Partnership), Zhou Haoyu, and Chengdu Xunda Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. The registered capital increased from about 89.9M yuan to about 102 million yuan, an increase of approximately 13%.

Tianyancha shows that on March 10, Inner Mongolia Xibei Catering Group Co., Ltd. underwent another business change, adding Lin Lairong as a shareholder, with registered capital increasing from about 102 million yuan to about 104 million yuan.

Behind continuous financing, Jia Guolong has his own development plans.

Qichacha APP shows that Inner Mongolia Xibei Catering Group Co., Ltd. has applied for multiple trademarks including “Tianbian” and “Tianbian’s Kitchen,” covering categories such as catering and accommodation, material processing, education, and entertainment, most of which have been successfully registered.

An insider told the First Financial reporter that “Tianbian Clay Pot Braised Noodles” operates as an independent brand from Xibei, with differences in dishes, pricing, and other aspects, aiming to regain consumer interest and business opportunities. From the current 3-4 “Tianbian” stores, some are newly opened, while others are rebranded from existing Xibei stores after renovation. The first “Tianbian Clay Pot Braised Noodles” store in Shanghai was converted from a Xibei store.

“According to the current plan, the Xibei brand probably won’t expand much anymore. The focus will shift to the ‘Tianbian’ brand, which may include some stores rebranded from Xibei, thus revitalizing some Xibei outlets and helping retain some of the original staff. Some ‘Tianbian’ stores will be new openings. Of course, not every Xibei is suitable for rebranding; decisions will depend on specific circumstances—whether to continue operating as Xibei, rebrand, or close. As for whether ‘Tianbian’ can succeed, it’s too early to tell with so few stores, and market validation is still needed,” the insider told the First Financial reporter.

(This article is from First Financial)