The commercial kitchen equipment market is experiencing a wave of intelligent upgrades: The global competitive landscape is reshaping, and China's manufacturing industry is accelerating its rise.
At five in the morning, the kitchen of a five-star hotel in Beijing is already brightly lit. The chef taps the central control panel, and the smart steam oven automatically preheats, while the connected refrigeration system precisely regulates the temperature of the food. This is no longer science fiction—according to Technavio's latest report, the global smart commercial kitchen market is surging at a compound annual growth rate of 17.2%, and the market size will exceed $30 billion for the first time in 2024.
Global Market Panorama: Europe and the United States lead the way in intelligentization, while Asia-Pacific is poised for growth.
North America dominates the market: Statista data shows that the US commercial kitchen market will reach $18.6 billion in 2023. Giants such as Welbilt and ITW are accelerating their consolidation efforts. ITW Food Equipment Group has strengthened its AI temperature control technology portfolio by acquiring the smart cooking systems division of Germany's Rational. Driven by California's Green Restaurant Certification policy, subsidies for energy-saving equipment purchases can reach up to 30% of the purchase price.
European environmental standards are being upgraded: The EU's newly implemented ERP Lot 6 energy efficiency regulations raise the energy efficiency threshold for commercial refrigerators by 40%. Germany's Rational's iCombi Pro smart steam-bake oven, which uses 35% less energy than traditional appliances, has already captured 70% of the Michelin restaurant market. Post-Brexit tariff changes have led to a 58% increase in localized equipment production.
The Asia-Pacific market is rapidly expanding: Technomic predicts the Asia-Pacific market will reach $42 billion by 2025. Japan's Fuji Industry's IoT-enabled woks enable remote heat control and are used by 80% of Chinese restaurant chains in Singapore. The small and medium-sized equipment industry cluster in Udupi, India, has surpassed $700 million in annual exports.
The technological revolution: Four major trends are reshaping industry logic.
The deep integration of the Internet of Things: Midea Commercial's smart kitchen management system, launched in the United States, uses sensors to monitor energy consumption in real time and predict equipment failures. Chicago pizza chain Lou Malnati's has reduced its maintenance response time by 60%.
A breakthrough in energy-saving technology: Germany's Winterhalter UF series dishwashers utilize water recycling technology, reducing water consumption per wash cycle to 1.5 liters. Data from the EU Horeca project shows that new energy-saving equipment has reduced operating costs for catering businesses by 18%.
Modular design is gaining popularity: France's Bonnet refrigeration equipment uses standardized interfaces, increasing modification efficiency by three times. The InterContinental Shanghai World Expo Hotel increased kitchen space utilization by 40% through modular renovations.
Food-grade stainless steel upgrades: Japan's Hitachi Metals has developed NSSC 220M stainless steel, boasting a 50% increase in corrosion resistance, making it the preferred material for sashimi counters in sushi restaurants.
The rise of the Chinese contingent: From OEM to technology export.
A two-giant landscape is taking shape: Midea Commercial Kitchenware has improved its cold chain technology through the acquisition of Italy's Clivet, and its intelligent cooking robots have been deployed in 3,000 school cafeterias. Haier Commercial Cold Chain has won the bid for Saudi Arabia's NEOM new city project, providing -60°C ultra-low temperature freezing solutions.
Zhejiang's industrial clusters are upgrading: Ningbo Leshi Industrial's multi-function steam oven has received German GS certification, increasing its European market share to 15%. Wenling Fuling Technology has customized a production line for environmentally friendly lunch boxes for McDonald's, with an annual production capacity exceeding 2 billion units. A surge in technology patents: China's commercial kitchenware patent applications reached 42,000 in 2023, with Gree's photovoltaic-powered kitchen system achieving an 80% energy self-sufficiency rate. Vatti Group's intelligent combustion control technology achieves a thermal efficiency of 75%, exceeding EU standards.
Tackling Industry Pain Points: The Battle Between Costs and Standards
Despite promising prospects, the industry still faces significant challenges. High-end smart devices are 2-3 times more expensive than traditional products, and small and medium-sized catering businesses are reluctant to upgrade. Differences between the EU CE certification, US NSF standards, and China's GB standards increase export costs by 15%. The purchasing director of a hot pot chain admitted that equipment investment needs to be recovered within 30 months, and current intelligent solutions still require cost optimization.
The Future Battlefield: Pre-prepared meal factories create a new blue ocean.
With the global prepared meal market expanding at an annual rate of 11.3% (data source: IMARC Group), demand for large-scale cooking equipment is surging. Japan's Hoshizaki developed an automatic rice cooking system for Yoshinoya that produces 6 tons of rice daily with an accuracy of ±5 grams. Guangdong Steaming, Cooking and Decoction Food Company has introduced a German GEA continuous wok, with a single-line daily production capacity of 150,000 meal sets. Taylor, a US company, has launched an intelligent frozen dough production line, reducing labor costs in bakeries by 70%.
Expert Insight: Intelligence must return to the essence of the food service industry.
True intelligence isn't about piling up sensors, but about solving chefs' pain points. Wang Daming, Secretary-General of the China Cuisine Association, noted that a certain brand of smart wok was once returned due to its complex operation, but it was only after simplifying it to a three-button control that it gained market share. British culinary consultant James Smith emphasized that European Michelin restaurants are more focused on improving cooking precision than on full automation.
While engineers from Germany's Rational debugged their smart ovens in Shanghai and Midea's R&D center analyzed energy consumption data from a Parisian restaurant, competition in commercial kitchen equipment has entered a new dimension. ABI Research predicts that the number of connected kitchen appliances worldwide will exceed 120 million by 2026. But the real question facing the industry is: How can technological innovation translate into tangible improvements in food delivery efficiency and temperature? This quiet revolution in the kitchen is redefining the rules of competition in the global food service industry.
Wang Daming, Secretary-General of the China Cuisine Association
Domestic equipment has surpassed international brands in intelligent response speed, but the durability of basic materials still lags behind. The next stage of competition will focus on comprehensive cost control throughout the equipment lifecycle. > European Committee for Standardization of Catering Equipment
The newly revised EN 60335-2-64 safety standard will be mandatory in Q3 2024. It covers electromagnetic compatibility requirements for IoT devices, and Chinese companies need to plan for certification in advance.
