Tencent invests in a Chinese ramen fast food chain

According to Tianyancha App, Hefu Noodle affiliated company Jiangsu Hefu Food and Beverage Management Co., Ltd. has undergone industrial and commercial changes on October 26th, with a new shareholder, Shenzhen Tencent Information Technology Co., Ltd., and the company’s registered capital has increased from about 11.129 million to 13.658 million. According to media reports, Hefu Noodle has officially completed the D round of RMB financing of 100 million yuan and above, and the investors are Tencent Investment and Meridian Capital.

Hefu Noodle is a Chinese ramen chain catering brand, with only direct stores, no franchise stores. Hefu Noodle was founded in August 2012, the price is slightly more expensive than the usual fast food, but the environment is not like the usual fast food restaurant, but more like a restaurant with a per capita of about 100 yuan. Hefu Noodle’s menu setting is not like the general small noodle restaurant, there are relatively high-end meals such as crab noodles, and the price is not very expensive.

By the end of 2019, Hefu Noodle has opened more than 200 direct stores in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Changzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi, Wuhan, Tianjin and other cities. Hefu Noodle said it will continue to target the city’s high-end shopping center channels and sink to third-and fourth-tier cities to achieve national layout. At the same time, Hefu Noodle will also start the overseas store opening project and begin to operate globally.

As early as July 2019, Hefu Noodle announced the completion of the C+ round financing. According to the public information of the media, Hefu Noodle has obtained 30 million yuan in financing for round A, 50 million for round B and 100 million yuan for round C.

The unit price of Hefu Noodle is about 40 yuan, slightly higher than most fast food brands, but also higher than similar brands in terms of environment and products. Hefu Noodle’s noodle style is varied, and the taste covers the tendencies of many different regions. It is worth mentioning that consumers can also add noodles for free after ordering in Hefu Noodle, which is welcomed by some consumers with large meals.