BAO BAO

About BAO BAO

BAO BAO, known in China as Ganqishi (甘其食), is a restaurant chain specializing in freshly steamed buns, or "baozi". The company was founded in Hangzhou in March 2009 by Tong Qihua, a Tongji University graduate with a background in engineering. Inspired by a childhood memory of enjoying baozi, Tong set out to elevate the common street food into a respected culinary item by focusing on quality and standardization. The brand's name, Ganqishi, is derived from Laozi's "Tao Te Ching," reflecting a philosophy of providing good food for the people.

The company operates on a direct-to-consumer, chain-store model that combines centralized production with in-store preparation. Core fillings are produced in a central kitchen to ensure consistency and quality control, then distributed to individual stores where employees, referred to as artisans, hand-make and steam the baozi on-site. This hybrid model, likened to "KFC + Haidilao," allows for both efficiency and the fresh quality of a fermented product. Ganqishi places a strong emphasis on ingredient quality, using specific suppliers like pork from Jinluo and establishing direct purchasing agreements with farmers for vegetables. The company also enforces strict quality standards, such as discarding any baozi that have not been sold within two hours of being steamed.

The business serves a broad consumer base, positioning baozi not just as breakfast but as a Chinese fast-food item available all day. Stores are strategically located in high-traffic areas such as transport hubs and commercial centers. By 2013, the company secured approximately 80 million RMB in Series A funding from Tiantu Capital. Ganqishi expanded across Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Suzhou, and also launched an international presence with a store in Boston's Harvard Square, adapting its menu with items like a Boston lobster bao to cater to local tastes. In 2018, the company began to offer franchise opportunities to accelerate expansion.