Expanding a hot pot giant

With over 1000+ stores, Haidilao is one of China’s largest restaurant chains—and one of its biggest successes. Lesser known however, is its range of ready-to-eat products, the result of a drive to diversify from bricks-and-mortar stores into consumer ready, packaged foods. The challenge and drive? How best to reach post 90s and 2000s consumers who crave the convenience of eating at home, but without sacrificing quality of food and flavour that Haidilao can bring.

An IP character, more than packaging

Given the tastes and online shopping preferences of the post 90s, SGK set about to create a packaging destined for e-commerce. Inspired by the range’s fun and quirky name—WaWaou!—SGK set about to create an IP (intellectual property) character that can be extended into content. A packaging made to spark conversation, instead of just “dressing up” the pack.

A personality  

Inspired by the name, SGK conceptualised each product range to feature a different character cat, each with its own personality. Imbued with thought bubbles that spell out product flavour and variant, the cats become brand mascots, sparking conversation between the brand and audience. Paired with eye popping colors and graphics, the design successfully sparked widespread recognition of the brand, bringing a younger audience--with the most fickle of tastes—into Haidilao’s fold.