Recently, JD.com announced that its quality dining platform, 7Fresh Kitchen, has opened 30 stores in Beijing within just four months after launching its first outlet earlier this year, achieving near-complete coverage of major urban areas within the city's Fifth Ring Road.

Concurrently, from December 25 to 27, users who place orders for any meal item from 7Fresh Kitchen via JD's delivery service will receive a complimentary Godiva chocolate gift box valued at approximately 18 yuan. It is reported that 7Fresh Kitchen has prepared 40,000 boxes of chocolate for this promotion, distributing around 13,000 daily.

As the New Year approaches, e-commerce giants have reignited their holiday marketing battles in the instant retail arena. Platforms like Taobao and Meituan have already rolled out "Double Holiday" themed promotions, vying for user attention and orders by releasing substantial New Year discount coupons. Meanwhile, JD's 7Fresh Kitchen has launched a campaign in the Beijing market offering free chocolates with every order, strategically tapping into festive consumption scenarios. According to JD.com's statistics, orders across all 7Fresh Kitchen outlets in Beijing surpassed 16,000 within less than three hours of operation.

When the convenience of "online ordering with 30-minute delivery" combines with the emotional appeal of "holiday exclusives" and tangible discounts, instant retail is evolving from merely addressing daily urgent needs to becoming a new channel for delivering festive rituals and instant surprises. The platforms are now competing not only on price and traffic but also facing a comprehensive test of their local supply chain responsiveness and differentiated services.

In a practical test order of "7Fresh Kitchen": delivery was punctual, the order received a 33-yuan discount, and complimentary chocolate was included.

As a delivery brand emphasizing "freshly wok-fried dishes, transparent ingredients, and live kitchen streams," how does 7Fresh Kitchen actually perform? By the end of July, JD.com had launched the first 7Fresh Kitchen store in Changbao Building. Currently, 7Fresh Kitchen has expanded to 30 locations in Beijing, achieving broad coverage within the Fifth Ring Road.

On December 26, an order was placed for beef stir-fry with rice and spicy shredded potatoes via 7Fresh Kitchen. With support from JD's "Billion Subsidies" promotion, the order received a total discount of 33 yuan, resulting in a final payment of only 28.6 yuan.

The ordering interface for 7Fresh Kitchen features clear categories such as "Rice Bowls," "Stir-Fried Noodles & Rice," "À La Carte Dishes," "Healthy Light Meals," "Specialty Barbecue," and "Non-Spicy Zone," effectively guiding users to quickly find items matching their taste preferences and immediate needs.

Notably, each menu item clearly labels the source of its main ingredients. A dedicated "Genuine Ingredients" section prominently highlights core component details, such as "non-GMO premium soybean oil" and "top-grade Northeast fragrant rice," while a "live kitchen stream" provides a clear view of the kitchen operations.

In terms of delivery efficiency, the dishes arrived on time, well-presented and flavorful, with standardized packaging that maintained optimal temperature. The JD delivery rider noted, "7Fresh Kitchen orders have surged recently; we riders can barely keep up." He revealed that during the lunch peak, numerous riders from JD and Meituan are often seen picking up orders at the store.

Additionally, recent customers have the chance to receive a thoughtful bonus: an individually packaged, two-piece Godiva chocolate gift box in red packaging. The actual product arrived intact, with elegant, undamaged packaging. Reports indicate that this "chocolate with order" promotion is substantial: approximately 13,000 boxes are distributed daily over a three-day period, totaling nearly 40,000 boxes.

The second phase of instant retail competition shifts towards比拼 "internal strength."

As JD.com's innovative exploration in the food supply chain, 7Fresh Kitchen is altering the competitive dynamics of the food delivery market.

Regarding transparency, 7Fresh Kitchen has introduced a 24-hour live kitchen stream feature, allowing consumers to watch the real-time cooking process via the JD delivery app. Stores adopt an open-kitchen design, replacing traditional walls with glass partitions, confidently positioning cameras over the woks for public oversight.

In terms of ingredient transparency, since October, 7Fresh Kitchen has proactively published its list of ingredient suppliers, all of which are leading brands in the industry, and has committed to regularly updating the public ingredient list.

From "freshly wok-fried" to "live kitchen streams" and "ingredient transparency," 7Fresh Kitchen has established a three-tier assurance system, creating a traceable, real-time, and reassuring dining experience. This approach is quietly rewriting the rules of instant retail competition; beyond subsidy wars and traffic grabs, long-term market success increasingly depends on solid internal strengths—namely, a return to product quality and value, consistent output capability, and unique consumer experiences.

The business head of 7Fresh Kitchen previously stated that the food delivery industry still faces many pain points. From a user experience perspective, issues like "ghost kitchens" persist. The aim is to use market competition to phase out such subpar operators. Through supply chain innovation, the goal is to help consumers access quality, affordable food while enabling quality restaurants to boost sales, achieving "better and cheaper" outcomes.

According to a report by the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, China's instant retail market is projected to reach 971.4 billion yuan by 2025, exceed 1 trillion yuan by 2026, and potentially hit 2 trillion yuan by 2030, with an average annual growth rate of 12.6% during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period.

Looking ahead to 2026, the rivalry among e-commerce giants in the local services sector will undoubtedly continue. The landscape of the instant retail market remains highly fluid and far from settled, undergoing intense dynamic reshaping. However, the underlying logic of competition has fundamentally shifted. Future victory will no longer hinge solely on blunt subsidy "arms races" or extensive user base expansion. Instead, the focus of competition is deepening into a systematic and comprehensive contest of enterprises' intrinsic capabilities.