BeijingJune 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In early summer in Beijing, entrepreneurial enthusiasm remains high. From May 29 to 31, the 2026 Franchise Convention and Exhibition was grandly held at the China National Convention Center. As the “annual bellwether” of the chain franchise industry, this exhibition not only serves as a key window to observe the vitality of China’s consumer-driven economy under the policy guidance of “promoting entrepreneurship, stabilizing employment, and expanding consumption,” but also, with its bustling atmosphere and fruitful matchmaking results, once again highlights the vigorous vitality of the franchise model. During the exhibition, a steady stream of entrepreneurs and over 300 high-quality brands covering the entire chain of “food, drink, entertainment, shopping, and accommodation” engaged in a fervent “two-way pursuit.”
Scene of the 2026 Franchise Convention and Exhibition
On-Site Report: A Panoramic View of Business Formats, Immersive Experience of Commercial Innovation
Stepping into the exhibition hall, a highly concentrated and vibrant modern commercial ecosystem unfolds. Global fast-food giant Burger King made its debut at the Beijing Franchise Exhibition, showcasing its 72-year flame-grilling heritage. Leading bulk snack brand “Hao Xiang Lai” directly “moved” a standard store into the exhibition hall, making “extreme cost-effectiveness” and “high turnover rate” visually tangible. Emerging brands became the focus of audience enthusiasm; Wang Jiao Jiao’s Shanghai-style noodle shop brought the aroma of wok cooking to the scene, drawing queues of visitors for a taste; “Tan Zhu Le” marble arcade games used real store scenarios to let visitors personally experience the appeal of an immersive trendy play model.
Particularly noteworthy was the concentrated debut of a self-service business matrix centered on “cost reduction and efficiency” and “flexibility and convenience,” becoming a major highlight of the exhibition. From 24-hour self-service car washes addressing the pain points of “difficult and expensive car washing,” to smart self-service pet washing pods equipped with professional tools and cleaning spaces; from pay-per-use, unattended smart gyms, to self-service pool halls and self-service mahjong rooms meeting young people’s social and entertainment needs—these brands, through IoT technology and standardized service processes, have significantly reduced labor and rental costs, offering investors entrepreneurial options with strong replicability and relatively low operational barriers. This attracted a large number of visitors interested in light-asset, intelligent models to stop, inquire, and experience.
“Trusteeship economy” and “cultural tourism experiences” have become new franchising hotspots. Against the backdrop of deepening “double reduction” policies and rising family demand for high-quality after-school services, three leading after-school service brands—Bell Anqin, Pengyang Trusteeship, and Shengcai After-School Center—competed on the same stage, each showcasing their standardized systems and differentiated features in safety supervision, homework guidance, and quality development, providing mature and reliable options for investors focusing on the education sector. Meanwhile, cultural tourism integration experience projects emerged, such as movable-type printing experience halls, immersive blessing cultural spaces, and cutting-edge VR interactive performance projects, combining cultural heritage, emotional consumption, and technological experiences to open new paths for cultural tourism commercialization, attracting audiences seeking differentiated, experience-based commercial investments.
The 2026 Franchise Exhibition held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, with a bustling crowd
Instant retail “infrastructure” garnered significant attention. As instant delivery becomes a consumption standard, the “flash warehouse” model, offering “warehouse-integrated distribution” solutions for offline stores, emerged as a new favorite at the exhibition. Representative flash warehouse brands like Le Gou Da and Jiang Xiao Tun participated, showcasing how digital site selection, intelligent product selection, and efficient fulfillment systems help entrepreneurs enter the community retail track at low cost through a front-warehouse model, perfectly aligning with the current “everything delivered to your door” consumption trend. This sparked strong interest among investors keen on new retail.
Numerous visitors consulting about cooperation opportunities at the 2026 Franchise Exhibition
As an industry event held in Beijing, a group of representative local brands made a concentrated appearance, showcasing the depth and innovation of the capital’s commercial ecosystem. From the standardized franchising system of time-honored brand “Qingfeng Baozi Pu,” to the new-style Sichuan cuisine brand “Ma Liuji” deeply integrating traditional cuisine with modern operations and internet marketing, and the efficient model of emerging fast-food brand “Zui Mian”; from hair therapy-focused “Hei Ao Mi,” to standardized blind massage service provider “Bang Bang Mang”—these reflect a new trend of consumption upgrade merging with social value. The presence of Meituan’s instant retail brands “Wai Ma Song Jiu,” “Song Shu Bian Li,” and “Huan Xiong Shi Tang” also highlighted technology’s empowerment of traditional retail formats.
Trend Deepening and Wisdom Collision: Diverse Activities Exploring the Industry’s Future
The exhibition transcended mere display, building a multi-dimensional industry exchange platform through a series of in-depth activities. At the CCFA Franchise Convention and Life Services Industry Development Conference, authoritative reports indicated the industry is transitioning from “scale expansion” to “lean growth” and “value creation.” Multiple parallel forums discussed cutting-edge topics such as “Long-term Growth and Compliance Risk Control for Chain Brands Going Global,” “New Paradigms of AI and Digitalization Reshaping Franchise Full-Chain Efficiency,” and “Second Growth Curves for Franchise Brands.”
Particularly noteworthy were activities aimed at promoting precise matchmaking and experience sharing, which received high praise. The “Mature Franchisee Experience Sharing TalkShow” invited several successful investors to candidly share practical insights on site selection, operations, and coordination with headquarters, with the venue packed to capacity. The newly established “Professional Franchisee Matchmaking Session” created an efficient negotiation channel for investors with capital and management experience and high-quality brands. Events like “MIX Talk Roadshow” further facilitated precise matchmaking, ensuring the exhibition’s value was realized.
Numerous audience members listening to speeches at the 2026 Franchise Exhibition, with a full house
Policy Resonance: Entrepreneurship “Multiplier” and Employment “Stabilizer”
The vibrant vitality of the franchise industry strongly resonates with the current national policy direction of “driving employment through entrepreneurship and boosting domestic demand through service consumption.” The bustling negotiations at the exhibition site are a direct reflection of the vitality of micro-market entities. Joining a mature brand system significantly lowers the threshold and risk for ordinary people to start a business, becoming a high-quality job “creator.” At the same time, from catering brands meeting “three meals a day” needs, to service brands addressing care needs for “the elderly and children,” to new retail and leisure brands enhancing quality of life—the franchise network acts like capillaries, penetrating the urban fabric, continuously stimulating and meeting multi-level, diverse consumer demands for people’s livelihoods, becoming an important market force for expanding domestic demand and promoting consumption.
This year’s exhibition also attracted cross-sector forces empowering the chain industry, such as service providers offering intelligent management SaaS and AI marketing tools, collectively driving the digital upgrade and experience innovation of business models.
Conclusion
From 1999 to the present, China’s franchise industry has traversed nearly three decades. From the initial introduction of business models to today’s independent innovation and export; from single retail and catering to covering all aspects of livelihood services; from pursuing store numbers to focusing on value creation and sustainable development—this journey itself is a microcosm of China’s economic vitality and the entrepreneurial spirit of its people.
The 2026 Franchise Exhibition is not just an industry event; it is a clear signal: in the new stage of high-quality development, the chain-based, branded, and standardized development model represented by franchising will continue to play an irreplaceable foundational role in stabilizing employment, promoting consumption, and serving people’s livelihoods, providing a solid stage for the entrepreneurial dreams of countless ordinary people. The Franchise Exhibition aims not only to build an authoritative and transparent franchise matchmaking platform, protecting investor rights through strict screening mechanisms, but also to output forward-looking insights through continuous publication of industry reports and professional conferences, promoting the ongoing compliance, professionalization, and sustainable development of franchising.