Want fries with that? Fast food giants venture into the fruit business in China

In China, fast food restaurants are challenging their own menus and pushing the limits on what makes each chain unique.

In Beijing, for example, for a little over $5, you can go into a KFC and get the recently launched "paper-wrapped roasted chicken with a free watermelon" combo. And yes, that is exactly what it sounds like: one of the fast food chain’s traditional menu options along with a three-pound watermelon.

Don’t want the chicken? You don’t have to go to the grocery store. In some KFC locations in Shanghai, you can buy the fruit for $2.5 each—no fried meat purchase required.

The promotion, limited to 5,000 units and available only for dine-in, sold out in one day.

This is not the first time KFC has bet on this strategy. In August of last year, the American fast food chain launched the "Buy a whole chicken, get a watermelon" campaign, offering a small yellow-fleshed watermelon for around $4.50. At that time, the restaurant enjoyed utter success as well, and the 40,000 promotional units sold out on the same day. 

This year, the fast food company is featuring a red-fleshed watermelon and doubling promotional volume to 80,000 units. Consumer response was proportional, and in the first three days, sales grew 470 percent compared to the previous year.

China’s Dicos jumps on the fast food fruit cart

Local fast food chain Dicos joined the trend with a national promotion across 500 restaurants. Starting July 17 and while supplies last, the restaurant has been giving away a fresh pineapple with every order of its new tropical fruit burger. 

Aiming to attract customers, many locations displayed large pineapple displays, creating a strong visual impact. Industry analysts point out that, for Dicos, the pineapple has played a positive role and added special value as an element of brand identity.

The choice of fruit is not gratuitous: the chain gained popularity with its chicken burger with pineapple and is now using that callback to reinforce the recognition of its products and awaken consumer nostalgia.

New marketing channels for fruit in China

The trend is not limited to fast food, and some beverage brands have also started selling fresh fruit. 

In April, Anhui Kawangka, a local brand famous for its milk teas and similar beverages, incorporated seedless watermelons into its offering, marketing them whole and in halves. The marketing initiative attracted numerous consumers.

In a market where burgers and fried chicken offer very similar options among competitors, industry experts believe that incorporating seasonal fruit seeks to generate conversation and capture customer traffic, creating a striking differentiating factor that expands social media presence with minimal investment.

Referential image via Shutterstock.

On the other hand, the wide fast-food network offers a new marketing channel for fresh produce. Traditionally, products like watermelon and pineapple depended on wholesale markets and fruit shops, with multiple intermediaries and higher losses. 

In contrast, restaurants have a steady flow of customers who can buy a watermelon or get a pineapple, generating additional demand. Likewise, large chains have cold chain systems and large-scale purchasing schemes allowing them to source directly from producers and generate a significant number of orders in short periods of time.

However, specialists warn that the sale of fruits in restaurants is primarily a seasonal marketing strategy and is unlikely to become a permanent practice. 

Fresh fruits pose storage challenges and higher losses, making them viable only in the limited context of summer and with widely consumed fruits like watermelon and pineapple.

*This story was originally published by our sister publication China Fruit Portal.

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