The state of the pre-prepared food market

19.9 is the top seller, with costs under $10. Each chain takes 35% profit, leaving a 20% gross margin. Raise the price and sales drop—nobody buys. Fresh produce has 10% margins; other non-primary fresh goods typically run around 20%.

It doesn't look like a 160 billion yuan pre-made meals market is feasible right now. The room for the 19.9 segment mainly comes from increasingly expensive takeout and overpriced supermarket fresh produce.

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