Guizhou sour soup hotpot, a new rising star in China’s competitive hotpot market

This summer, Guizhou sour soup hotpot (贵州酸汤火锅, Guìzhōu suāntāng huǒguō) has become a favourite dish for restaurant explorers and food bloggers. The red broth is visually as enticing as Chongqing spicy hotpot, but it looks much lighter and less greasy than butter hotpot. With an average cost per person of just a few dozen yuan (around $5), it offers much better value for money.

According to Qichacha (企查查) data, there are already over 7,600 restaurants nationwide with "sour soup" in their name by the first half of 2024,. Over the past four years, more than 1,000 sour soup businesses have been registered annually, and the number of existing sour soup businesses continues to grow. There are over 70,000 posts under the hashtag #GuizhouSourSoupHotpot on Xiaohongshu/RED.

Guizhou sour soup hotpot. Imgae: Xiaohongshu @霹雳火娃

Guizhou sour soup mini hotpots, which cost only 20-40 yuan per person. In first-tier cities like Shanghai, they have become a popular choice for nearby white collars’ lunches. Image: Xiaohongshu @Eva.H

Guizhou sour soup hotpot is made by naturally fermenting local ingredients like locally grown wild peppers, Maolaguo 毛辣果 (a locally grown tomato) and Mu Jiang Zi 木姜子(a common seasoning in the Southwest region), offering a distinctive blend of sour and spicy flavours. When served, it features unique additions like rice tofu and carp. Beyond hotpot, restaurants also provide rice cuisine with a sour soup base, local specialty snacks, drinks, and desserts, showcasing the unique culinary delights of Guizhou to consumers.

Guizhou sour soup rice, Guizhou ice slurry 贵州冰浆 (a refreshing summer drink made by blending fruits, glutinous rice, and ice cubes), Guizhou crispy potato cubes 脆哨洋芋 (from left to right). Image: Xiaohongshu @饼饼葱 @人间可爱乌龙茶 @六六大顺的幸运大土豆

Here are a few reasons why Guizhou sour soup hotpot stands out in the highly competitive hotpot market:

• Unique flavour: Guizhou sour soup hotpot attracts consumers with its distinctive sour and spicy taste, which is both exciting and addictive, satisfying people's curiosity for new culinary experiences.

• Cheap and cheerful: In an era where consumers seek high-value dining experiences, Guizhou sour soup hotpot meets this demand with its affordable prices and rich flavours.

• A fresh experience different from traditional hotpot: Besides traditional hotpot ingredients, Guizhou sour soup hotpot offers unique local ingredients such as rice tofu (locals call it “夺夺粉 duóduó fěn”) and crispy potato cubes . It also provides regionally characteristic drinks and snacks like Guizhou ice slurry, adding fun to the dining experience.

• Low entry barriers, manageable operation cost and versatility: Compared to other types of hotpot, Guizhou sour soup hotpot has a lower entry barrier. The sour soup base is more controllable and cost-effective compared to other ingredients. Other hotpot types typically have a few fixed signature side dishes, like Chongqing hotpot's cattle tripe, Chaoshan hotpot's beef, Hainan coconut chicken hotpot's chicken, and Hainan Zaopocu (literally means vinasse with vinegar) hotpot's seafood. However, the focus of Guizhou sour soup hotpot is on the "sour soup" itself – as long as the broth is right, you can dip anything you like. This allows many hotpot restaurants to easily transform or open anew.

Guizhou sour soup base products sell well on Taobao. They are often tagged with Guizhou local specialties and priced no more than ￥10 ($1.4). Image: Screenshots from Taobao

Notes about tutorials to make Guizhou sour soup hotpot at home on Xiaohongshu. Image: XIaohongshu @木头乐了 @Kiki只工作不上班 @啊嘻的番外

Guizhou sour soup hotpot has hit the mark with today’s focus on high-value dining experiences. People used to say, “There’s nothing a hotpot can’t fix.” However, with hotpot meals now costing ￥150 ($21) to ￥200 ($28) per person, many find it too pricey. For hotpot chains struggling to adapt, offering smaller hotpots or Guizhou sour soup hotpot seems like a smart move in a time of rational consumer spending. Consumers seem to shift away from prioritizing dining atmosphere, choosing simplicity and practicality instead.