Lunch boxes are familiar to many people. They are commonly sold at street stalls or fast food restaurants at affordable prices, often costing just a few yuan. However, behind this ordinary meal lies a significant business opportunity. A young returnee who studied in Switzerland keenly recognized this potential and chose to start a lunch box business from scratch. Within just two years, his annual sales exceeded 15 million yuan.
The brand, known as "Returnee Lunch Box," offers meals priced between 15 and 25 yuan each, typically including three dishes and one serving of rice. The meals look appetizing and well-prepared. The founder is a 29-year-old returnee named Zhang Huan. He studied hotel management in Switzerland in 2002 and worked at a five-star hotel after returning to China. However, he was not satisfied with working for others long-term and eventually decided to start his own business.
Zhang Huan recalled that in 2009, when he first started his venture, his limited capital made opening a restaurant too costly. Therefore, he chose the lower-barrier lunch box business to reduce initial investment risk.
At the beginning, Zhang Huan found it difficult to manage alone, so he invited several fellow returnees who were also interested in the catering industry to join him. Together, they visited businesses one by one, delivered lunch boxes by electric bikes across residential communities, and gradually expanded their market. Today, the business has grown significantly, with daily sales reaching up to 7,000 lunch boxes.