Yum China is set to expand its Digital R&D Center to three sites in Shanghai, Nanjing and Xi’an. 

The Digital R&D Center is part of Yum China’s digital ecosystem, which includes joint ventures and third-party collaborations, to further develop its brands and businesses, and accelerate expansion.

“Digitalisation is one of the key enablers behind Yum China’s resiliency and long-term development as we move toward our next milestone of 20,000 stores,” said Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China. “The Digital R&D Center is an important part of our investment strategy as we apply cutting-edge technologies to digitally transform stores and drive operational excellence.”

Yum China says that by developing new solutions and services through technologies, the centre will bolster Yum China’s in-house digital capabilities across various functions, including consumer-facing, store operations, smart delivery and supply chain. 

“Evolving consumer behaviour, such as increased off-premise dining, and the company’s accelerated development, place more demand on our R&D capabilities,” said Leila Zhang, chief technology officer at Yum China. 

“We believe the establishment of the Digital R&D Center will significantly strengthen Yum China’s internal digital capabilities and support sustainable business growth by using advanced technology for real life applications.”