55.com Joins Hands With HNA Hospitality Group to Promote the Popularity of Restaurant Delicacies Showcased on China's Tasting China program

BEIJING, Jan. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to Chinese cuisine, the first recommendation that comes to mind among Chinese audiences is the delicacies documented in Tasting China (the delicacies), a highly popular Chinese-language culinary adventure program. After the premiere of Tasting China (the second season), the delicacies became the showcases of Chinese cuisine. Since the launch of 55.com-sponsored delicacy experience events in June 2014, hundreds of authentic and mouth-watering delicacies that had only been seen on the program have begun appearing on restaurant tables in dozens of cities and are becoming part of the daily experience for millions of members of Chinese society.

On December 30^th, 2014, 55.com announced a partnership with HNA Group whereby 4 delicacies (Fried Oyster in Caldron, Fried Shrimp, Hot Dried Bean Curd and Stir-Fried Chicken with Big Dish) will become menu items in 4 hotel restaurants within the HNA Group. Heng Xiaoyang, program operations director of CCTV-9's Tasting China II, Zhang Ling, chairman and CEO of HNA Tourism, Bai Haibo, chairman and CEO of HNA Hospitality Group, Xu Maodong, chairman and CEO of 55.com and hundreds of media representatives have taken part in the experience event. Guests and journalists attending the event have tasted the delicacies they have until then only been able to dream of. The experience event, a true feast for the eyes, is now able to satisfy taste buds as well.

To better appreciate and be able to reproduce the quintessence and the original taste and flavor of these delicacies, HNA Group has provided an intensive one-month special training program to dozens of its executive chefs. They followed Tasting China's recipes and instructions to a T in the selection of food ingredients, method of washing, addition of spices and condiments, plate arrangement and other intricate details in order to fully replicate the aroma of the original delicacy. The delicacies will be first offered in 4 hotels under the HNA Group, with other HNA hotels to follow suit shortly thereafter.

Participants in the experience event have continued to sing their praises after tasting the delicacies. The HNA Hospitality Group is among the top 5 hotel groups in China as well as a specialized international hotel management company under HNA Group with specialization in the food service end of the hospitality trade. Chairman and CEO of HNA Hospitality Group Bai Haibo said that they have been more than happy with the collaboration with 55.com, allowing them to provide these delicacies to HNA's hotel guests. After completion of this first joint project, HNA Group expects to enter in further collaborative activities with 55.com in more areas, including making all services, including catering services (of which the above-mentioned delicacies will be among the available entries),room service, service to conference and meeting rooms, among others, available via mobile phone. HNA Group plans to build its own wireless marketing system in a move to offer its clients a more modernized and speedy service.

Heng Xiaoyang, the program operation director of CCTV-9's Tasting China II, said that 55.com is the exclusive organizer of the delicacy experience event. A key responsibility will be designating the strict filtering criteria to be applied as part of the location and identification process in selecting the high-quality restaurant where the guests will be presented with the original delicacies. At the same time the director also hopes that the event will open up communication channels for Tasting China not only on TV, but also through on-line and off-line channels, as part of the strategy to identify an integrated communication model that combines the three networks and the three channels.

The delicacy experience event is being set up by 55.com for restaurant and foodservice operators and it is part of the strategy to upgrade brands within the foodservice sector. Chairman and CEO of 55.com Xu Maodong disclosed that HNA Hospitability Group, South Beauty, Royal Restaurant and other well-known restaurants have signed up for the delicacy experience event. Over 100 of the delicacies have already entered consumer markets in China's major cities, including Beijing, Qingdao, Taiyuan and Lijiang. 55.com, in its role as an E-commerce platform dedicated to life related services, has combined the unique qualities of the delicacies and with those of China's better known restaurants. Equal attention is given to different aspects, including public testimonials, the delicacy itself, brand awareness, brand visibility and the culture surrounding the food. 55.com is creating new business opportunities for restaurants and promoting their popularity among the public. 55.com also provides an easy way for food lovers to savor the delicacies and to have the convenience of enjoying the delicacy in a nearby neighborhood restaurant.

55.com has already launched a mobile E-commerce service as the next step in the overall strategy, raising the visibility of local restaurants on mobile networks. The restaurant and diner can communicate and complete a transaction directly. Many of the delicacies will soon appear on restaurant menus across China while the country's consumers will be able to reserve the delicacies via their mobile phones.

Statistics demonstrate that the life service market in China is huge; the annual market size of the restaurant and foodservice sector alone has reached 2,500 billion RMB. As competition across the market has become fiercer, many merchants have diversified their marketing methods, either by associating itself with the delicacies showcased in Tasting China, or by speeding up its E-commerce development with the help of the internet.

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SOURCE 55.com