In recent years, driven by economic growth and rising living standards, Quanzhou has seen rapid expansion in its offsite catering industry—including rural banquets, private chefs, family feasts, mobile catering, and group dining services. According to estimates, since 2016, the city has hosted over 200,000 offsite catering events annually, serving more than 40 million diners each year. The industry has grown to a scale of 6 billion yuan, with over 3,000 registered catering teams and more than 10,000 employees, making it a vibrant and emerging sector of the local economy.

　　Offsite catering refers to the provision of food services outside a fixed business location, including common forms such as village chefs, home banquets, and mass gatherings. Given the large number of participants, limited facilities, and high demand for food ingredients and cooking utensils—often with unclear sourcing—there are challenges in traceability, food safety, and hygiene standards. Moreover, the varying qualifications of mobile chefs and the decentralized nature of operations further complicate safety supervision and employment management.

　　To address these concerns, Quanzhou issued the Guiding Opinions on the Licensing and Management of Offsite Catering Operations (Trial) in October 2017—the first regulatory document of its kind in China. The policy innovatively includes offsite caterers within the scope of food business licensing and sets clear requirements in key areas: event reporting, information disclosure, venue suitability, purchase verification, food sampling, and work documentation.

Quanzhou's Offsite Catering Industry Moves Toward Standardization (Photo by Wu Jiaxiao)

　　Since the introduction of the guidelines, Quanzhou has intensified health management for catering personnel (including assistants), organizing regular health checks and encouraging chefs to obtain proper licenses. "Licensed and proud" has become a new standard in the industry.

　　The city has also embraced digital tools—such as smartphones, satellite tracking, and WeChat mini-programs—to make group event registration more remote, intelligent, and user-friendly, reflecting a more humane and responsive regulatory approach. In parallel, the government collaborates with industry associations to analyze data from group event filings and publishes regular Food Safety White Papers for the offsite catering sector. These reports provide key metrics such as market size, service models, geographic reach, diner volume, and regional distribution—offering valuable insights for ongoing regulation and development.