Juewei Food Accelerates Digital Transformation, AI Empowers Entire Braised Snack Value Chain

Short-Term Pressure Doesn't Alter Long-Term Thesis as Juewei Food's Transformation Takes Shape

Amid a broader slowdown across the consumer sector, Juewei Food — the leading player in braised snack foods — has faced near-term earnings headwinds. Yet beneath the surface of short-term volatility, this industry giant with over 10,000 stores is quietly accelerating a deep transformation driven by AI and digitalization.

As a wave of industry consolidation approaches, Juewei — armed with its full value chain advantages, strongest brand recognition, and densest retail network — may have already assembled all the pieces for the next round of high-quality growth.

AI and Digitalization: The 'New Infrastructure' of the Braised Snack Sector

In recent years, Juewei Food has ramped up investment in digitalization and intelligent technologies, embedding AI deep into every link of the chain from supply chain management to store-level operations.

In intelligent supply chain management, Juewei leverages more than 20 production bases nationwide, using AI algorithms to achieve demand forecasting, inventory optimization, and refined cold-chain logistics scheduling. Braised snack products demand extreme freshness, with short shelf lives and high spoilage risks. AI-driven intelligent forecasting systems can accurately predict order volumes for stores across regions by analyzing multi-dimensional variables including historical sales data, weather patterns, and holiday schedules — significantly reducing spoilage rates.

In store operations digitalization, Juewei employs a data middle platform and intelligent analytics tools to implement refined operational management across its network of over 10,000 stores. From site selection models and foot traffic analysis to dynamic pricing, AI tools help franchisees improve operational efficiency and reduce the cost of trial and error.

In product development, big data analysis of consumer taste preferences enables Juewei to capture market trends more rapidly, shorten new product development cycles, and achieve a data-driven innovation model for product iteration.

Full Value Chain Advantages: A Moat AI Alone Cannot Replicate

The braised snack industry is entering a period of deep consolidation. Small and mid-sized brands are being squeezed out by rising cost pressures and fading traffic dividends, while leading enterprises continue to widen the competitive gap through economies of scale and technology investment.

Juewei's core competitive advantage lies in its "triple-best" moat:

• The most complete value chain: Full control from upstream raw material procurement and midstream standardized production to downstream retail — the entire chain is manageable
• The strongest brand recognition: "Juewei Duck Neck" has become synonymous with the braised snack category, occupying the commanding heights of consumer mindshare
• The densest retail network: The density advantage of a 10,000-plus store network forms a natural physical moat

These barriers cannot be built through technology investment alone — they represent systematic advantages accumulated over the long term. The introduction of AI and digital tools layers an efficiency multiplier on top of existing moats, further amplifying competitive advantages.

Industry Perspective: How AI Is Reshaping Traditional Food Retail

Juewei's digital transformation is not an isolated case but rather a microcosm of the broader traditional food retail industry embracing the AI wave. From Luckin Coffee's intelligent marketing system to Haidilao's smart restaurants, AI technology is fundamentally reshaping the operational logic of the food and beverage sector.

For the braised snack segment, the value of AI is particularly pronounced:

1. Short-shelf-life product categories demand extremely high forecasting accuracy — AI algorithms can significantly reduce waste
2. Management complexity for 10,000-plus store chains grows exponentially — digital tools are essential infrastructure for scaling
3. Consumer taste preferences vary greatly by region — data-driven localized operational strategies deliver far greater precision

Outlook: Staying Focused on Core Business, Waiting for the Bloom

Despite near-term earnings pressure, from a medium-to-long-term perspective, Juewei Food is at a critical "coiled spring" stage. The company is focused on its core braised snack business, continuously optimizing operational efficiency through AI and digital tools while leveraging the industry shakeout period to further consolidate market share — building momentum for the next growth cycle.

As AI technology accelerates its penetration across industries, digital transformation for traditional food companies is no longer a "nice-to-have" but a "must-have" for survival and growth. Whether Juewei Food can convert its technological potential into growth momentum is a story worth watching closely.