In response to growing consumer demand for healthier and more sustainable dining options, three of China’s leading hotel groups are implementing significant changes to their food service operations, expanding plant-based options across thousands of locations nationwide through Lever China’s corporate engagement work.

Following IHG’s commitment earlier this year, two major hotel chains soon followed suit, announcing new policies in August:

Dossen Hotel Group

State-owned Dossen Group, which operates 2,000 hotels and is developing another 1,500 locations, became the first domestic hotel group to implement a plant-based food policy. The group pledged to make 30% of its menus plant-based by next year.

“Our goal of making 30% of our menu items plant-based by 2025 aligns with our core values of sustainable development and customer supremacy. By upgrading our menus to include more delicious plant-based dishes, we provide healthier and more environmentally friendly dining options for our guests at Dossen Hotel Group.”

– Xinhua Cheng, founder and chairman of Dossen Group

Orange Hotels (Huazhu Group)

Huazhu Group committed to converting 70% of menus to plant-based options at its 750 Orange Hotel locations by 2025, setting the most ambitious target among the three groups.

“We are pleased to be working towards China’s climate goals and consumers’ dietary health. Orange Hotels promotes the Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) brand concept and encourages everyone to embrace a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. Our goal of making 70% of our dishes plant-based by 2025 coincides with our values of sustainability and pursuit of innovation.”

– Yaohui Yang, CEO of Orange Hotels

Impact at Scale

The combined effect of these commitments and IHG’s will create substantial change in China’s hospitality sector:

• Over 3,500 hotels implementing new plant-based menu options
• Nearly one million daily customers affected
• An estimated 25 million meals shifting from meat-based to plant-based annually
• Approximately 600,000 fewer animals raised for food each year

Corporate Leadership in Sustainable Sourcing

Each hotel group has publicly announced its commitment in partnership with Lever China, with senior executives—including CEOs, COOs, and Chairmen—providing statements to Chinese and Western media about the importance of plant-based foods in sustainable sourcing strategies.

In addition, at Climate Week NYC 2024, Dossen Hotel Group showcased its plant-based policy as part of its environmental strategy. Grace Hu, Dossen Hotels Group’s Chief Sustainable Development Officer, spoke on corporate climate leadership and joined discussions with global hospitality leaders and NYC officials about scaling sustainable food initiatives.

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