Fried bread sticks, scallion pancakes? Don't forget breakfast!
People buy breakfast from a breakfast van in Changning District.
Two officials of Minhang District Administration for Market Regulation inspect a breakfast outlet in the district.
What to do about breakfast? Some nutritionists call it the more important meal of the day, but in a hectic urban environment, many residents don’t have the time to do it justice.
In a bygone era, Shanghai residents on the way to work used to grab traditional breakfast specialties like fried dough sticks, flat bread and soybean milk from street vendors.
But unlicensed vendors have been banished from the streets, and now municipal authorities are undertaking a program to make breakfast convenient, more varied and healthier.
A new mobile breakfast van in Changning District is testament to the new policy. It parks during morning rush hour at King88 shopping mall, serving what is still a trickle of customers. On average, people walk away with their breakfasts in three minutes.
This is the first recreational vehicle to be licensed as a breakfast van. It is operated by LiangFood, a local food company, on a trial basis.
Amy Zhao stopped her motorbike near the van and ordered a Chinese scallion pancake.
"I pass here every day on my way to work," she said. “I like to buy my breakfast from the van. It's convenient for me.”
A customer surnamed He, who works in an office building at the mall, echoed that sentiment.
"It's very close to where I work, so I won't need to worry about my breakfast if I am in a hurry,” He said.
The main specialty of the van is scallion pancakes, but other breakfast favorites, like steamed stuffed buns and soybean milk, are also sold.
Customers can even pre-order breakfast and pay via mobile phone before making a quick stop to pick up their food.
A couple of workers cleaning the glass exterior of the office building bought Chinese scallion pancakes and steamed buns from the van and ate breakfast under a wall.
“It is a good meal,” one of them told Shanghai Daily. “It may be a bit expensive, but there are lots of choices. And look how convenient it is for us!”
Breakfast served at an outlet of EGO New Retail Co
Breakfast served at an outlet of 24-hour convenience store chain Bianlifeng
A hundred such mobile breakfast vans will hit the city's streets by the end of September, the Shanghai Commission of Commerce said.
The breakfast vans will be licensed to operate from 6:30am to noon, and each van can serve up to three locations.
"We are cooperating with other companies, like Bright Dairy and Qingmei, to enrich the variety of our menu,” said Chen Qian, project manager of LiangFood. "We are still testing the system.”
Wang Yue, a college student, said she noticed the van when passing by. She followed the vehicle’s guidance and ordered a set meal via her phone.
"I was just looking for breakfast,” Wang said. “I had an appointment with my friends so I went out early. I had never bought breakfast in such a place. It is novelty, but I think it’s a good idea.”
Liu Zhonglin, a resident who lives nearby, bought breakfast for her granddaughter at the van.
"She needs to take classes during the summer holiday, so I wanted to provide a good start for her day,” she said.
Priority locations for breakfast vans are industrial parks, office complexes and large residential areas where there are shortages of breakfast options, the commerce commission said.
The vans will cater to customers in their zones of operations. For example, vans near bus stations or subway lines will choose menus that complement people on the go, while vans near offices will tailor food for people about ready to settle down at their desks.
"In the future, we want to provide diverse foods for different times of the day, break, lunch, snacks and even dinner,” Chen said.
The first van is serving a limited number of consumers. Its location is about 15 minutes by foot from the nearest Metro station, and nearby office workers already have established breakfast routines.
“It will take some time to promote this new breakfast format,” she said, adding that by October, LiangFood will have 50 breakfast vans operating.
Under the city's breakfast project, a number of catering businesses and convenience stores are also providing food like sandwiches, bread, eggs, coffee, omelets and baozi, or steamed stuffed buns.
"I really miss the breakfast my father used to buy me when I was a kid because they were very delicious,” said Wu Ping, 36. “However, this new trend of buying breakfast in convenience stores or bakeries or even online does give us a lot of options.”
George Chen, a white-collar worker, said the options are often pretty limited at the convenience stores on his way to work.
“Most commonly, they sell just baozi and bread,” He said. “It’s always good to have a variety of places to grab breakfast.”
A breakfast van operated by EGO New Retail Co
City authorities have released 14 measures to support new breakfast formats, covering operation of vans, locations, operating hours, logos and management and hygiene standards.
Approval procedures for related new businesses will be simplified, and a temporary registration system for small catering service suppliers will be improved.
Restrictions on breakfast options at convenience stores will be relaxed, and more temporary parking spaces on nearby streets will be provided during breakfast hours.
Preferential policies on tax and rents are also available, according to the commission.
The city has more than 20,000 breakfast venues, including community-based businesses, convenience stores, street-side stalls, bakeries and food delivery platforms. About 80 percent of them supply Chinese-style breakfasts and the rest, Western breakfasts, according to the commission.
"We find that there are still places where it is inconvenient for commuters and residents to buy breakfast," said Lai Xiaoyi, counsel to the commission. "Options are still limited, and the public wants healthier, lighter breakfasts and some Western food."
She added, “In face of rising rents, ingredient prices and labor costs, there is a lot of pressure on breakfast suppliers. COVID-19 worsened the situation. We need stronger support measures from authorities.”
Shanghai's market watchdog allows businesses with food licenses to offer catering services if they meet all standards and requirements. That has allowed convenience stores to sell freshly prepared breakfast foods such as buns, fried dough sticks and congee that were once served only in more traditional stores.
"This allows businesses to conduct diversified operations and provide more breakfast options for consumers," said Huang Lirong, deputy director of the food operation department at the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation.
A project enabling people to pick up breakfasts ordered via apps at delivery lockers is also under way.
People take food from lockers at a Pick'n Go store
At Pick'n Go stores, consumers can place breakfast orders via mobile apps and pick up their food within 10 to 15 minutes from designated lockers.
By the end of this year, there will be 100 breakfast locker sites across the city, according to the commission.
EGO New Retail Co, a joint venture between local retail conglomerate Bailian Group and Alibaba Group, is eyeing new locations for its food trucks as well as breakfast specialty stores and pick-up facilities.
About 40 smaller, spin-off EGO breakfast stores and 20 food trucks will be available by the end of this year, following the launch of five new stores and five food trucks on Tuesday.
Each of the five trucks, serving Hongkou, Baoshan, Putuo and Yangpu districts and the Pudong New Area, can serve an average 500 people a day.
Twelve delivery lockers are available in each EGO mini-van, which operates from 7am to 10pm.
Zhao Chenbin, chief executive officer of EGO New Retail Co, said the company will “improve its transaction procedure and expand offerings based on initial trial operations, ahead of putting more food trucks on the road in coming months."
Some of the existing outlets will also be modified to include preparation sections for hot food, drinks and bakery items.
Shanghai-based 24-hour convenience store chain Bianlifeng said its sales grew 3.6 percent in a recent week because of the city's breakfast campaign.
The chain’s breakfast options include steamed buns filled with meat or vegetables, sandwiches, congee, boiled eggs and shaomai, a version of steamed dumpling.
More than 70 percent of breakfast consumers are younger white-collar workers and older people who live alone, Bianlifeng said.
