How Haidilao Uses Data+AI to Boost Efficiency and Navigate Market Turbulence

Amid an economic slowdown where price and cost wars are commonplace, Haidilao has maintained resilience for over thirty years by embracing a distinctive, data‑driven rhythm.

In a recent interview, Yang Xuan‑zhi, head of Haidilao’s Information Technology Department, explained that the company’s response focuses on two pillars: continuous cost reduction and efficiency, and innovation‑driven growth, with deepening digital construction at the core.

Yang identified three essential aspects of Haidilao’s digitalization:

People transformation – building a cross‑industry team that understands both data and business.

Strategic data investment – allocating capital to build data foundations that enable precise product launches and marketing.

Scenario‑driven application – matching the right data insights to the right business contexts.

He emphasized that without skilled analysts, even the best data cannot solve problems, and highlighted the importance of a multidisciplinary analysis team.

Financial commitment is crucial; early‑stage digital initiatives often yield benefits that are not immediately quantifiable in monetary terms, yet they lay the groundwork for future gains such as targeted product recommendations.

For example, when Haidilao introduced a new sour‑soup hot pot, data on dish click‑through rates and marketing cycles helped predict daily inventory needs and tailor promotions to the most receptive customer segments.

Haidilao’s digital marketing leader, Yang Jia‑rui, described how the company leverages Volcano Engine’s DataFinder and the VeCDP customer data platform to gather member insights across apps, mini‑programs, and H5 pages, classify users (new, loyal, dormant), and deliver personalized services.

These insights flow into the Growth Marketing Platform (GMP), enabling rapid, precise campaign execution within minutes.

According to Yang, digital transformation brings a qualitative leap rather than mere cost savings; without VeCDP, analyzing billions of user profiles would be impossible.

In the era of large‑language models, Haidilao continues to explore the synergy of Data+AI with Volcano Engine, ensuring that efficiency gains free staff to deliver warm, human‑centered service.