High-End Buffet Chain Expands: Xiangbin Group's Xuji Enters Taichung to Compete for Top Store Revenue

(CNA reporter Chiang Mei-hsin, Hao Hsueh-ching Taipei, July 8) Taiwan's domestic demand is booming, and high-end buffet brands are favored by consumers. Two major catering groups are actively expanding. Hanlai Foods' brand "Dao Yu" will open new stores in the second half of this year, and Xiangbin Group's "Xuji" will open its 8th branch at Taichung Far Eastern Department Store. The annual revenue of this single store is expected to reach NT$550 million, potentially becoming the group's second-highest revenue-generating store.

Popular buffet restaurants have continuously increased prices in recent years, yet reservations are often snapped up instantly, indicating that the market still has "demand exceeding supply." Both Hanlai and Xiangbin, two major buffet catering groups, are continuously expanding.

Hanlai Foods stated that its buffet brand "Dao Yu" is preparing to open a branch at Taichung Hanshin Intercontinental Shopping Plaza, which will be the brand's fourth location. Based on the performance of the current three stores, revenue in the first quarter of this year has increased by 2 times compared to the same period last year. The company is optimistic about the contribution of the upcoming Taichung and Taipei Dome stores to revenue growth. After the opening of the Taipei Dome and Tainan Nanfang stores, Dao Yu will have a total of 6 stores across Taiwan this year.

Xiangbin Group announced today that its Japanese buffet "Xuji" will open its 8th branch at Taichung Far Eastern Department Store on July 9th. This will be Xuji's first store in Taichung, covering an area of 469 pings and accommodating 367 seats. Based on the store's scale and the mall's foot traffic, the annual revenue target is expected to reach NT$550 million, potentially becoming the group's second-highest revenue-generating store and the "top store" for Xiangbin Group, second only to "Xiang A Joy" located in Taipei 101, which has an annual revenue of over NT$850 million.

Xiangbin Group stated that it owns multiple buffet brands including Xiang A Joy, Xiang Xiang, Xuji, Xiangshi Tiantang, and Guolvhui, covering different price ranges. The opening of the Xuji Taichung store signifies the expansion of Xiangbin's high-end buffet brand layout from the Taipei metropolitan area to central Taiwan, connecting the northern, central, and southern markets.

Xiangbin Group pointed out that the key reason for choosing Taichung as the first stop for Xuji's expansion into central Taiwan is the rapid upgrade of the department store catering market in Taichung in recent years. According to statistics released by the Future Distribution Institute in April 2026, the sales of the catering industry in Taichung City ranks second among the six major cities in Taiwan, accounting for about 13.6% of the total in Taiwan, second only to Taipei City. The expansion of high-end dining demand has also made catering "boutiquization" no longer a consumption phenomenon exclusive to the Taipei metropolitan area.

Xiangbin stated that even before the new store opens, reservation inquiries have been continuously increasing, with lunch, dinner, and afternoon tea sessions quickly filling up. It is conservatively estimated that from its opening on July 9th to August 7th, the first 30 days have already seen over 24,300 reservation requests.

Xiangbin Group indicated that Taichung Far Eastern Department Store now hosts 4 brands, with a combined annual revenue expected to challenge NT$1 billion. The group's total number of stores in Taichung will increase to 12, indicating a trend of consolidation and group-based operations among catering brands within department stores. (Editor: Lin Ke-lun) 1150708

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