From instant wontons  to burgers and fries, the world’s most populous nation is rapidly discovering a taste for fast food. New research says China is  now the fifth largest fast food consuming nation in the world.

This acceptance of Western fast food is relatively new. In the past, China has seen several foreign companies like Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits and Dunkin’ Donuts, enter China with dollar dreams in their eyes, only to pack up and head back home.
Not so KFC’s  marketing icon, the goateed Colonel Sanders,  he’s done well in China. Since the first mainland  KFC outlet  opened in Beijing in 1987, the U.S chain has gone on to become one of the the most recognised global brand among urban consumers in China.

China Daily reported that KFC has more than 2,000 stores dotted around China’s 465 cities and is expanding at the rate of one store a day. McDonald’s also plans to have 1,000 stores in China by the end of 2008 says the article.

While KFC and McDonald’s (the latter entered the Chinese market in October 1990) might be the world’s most established, ‘fast-food’ brands, there are other brands like C- fried chicken and Japan’s Mos Burger that are doing particularly well in the country. Ronghua Chicken, the first Chinese fast food chain, launched in December 1991, immediately established itself as in competition with KFC, with the slogan :”Wherever there is KFC, there is Ronghua”.  The brand was forced to shut down all its stores in the capital, Beijing by 2000.

But there have been other success stories of  Chinese ventures into the market. Lihua Fast Food which was launched in 1993, followed by Malan Noodle, Yonghe King and Daniang Dumpling.

‘China Fast Food Analysis’ finds that the rising demand for fast food is a spin off of  a busy lifestyle  which is the result of a surge in the rates of employment.  The report finds that China’s fast food industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 25% during 2008-2011.