en.Wedoany.com Reported - Chengdu Hongqi Chain Co., Ltd. (002697.SZ), a Chinese chain retail enterprise, issued an announcement on July 3, 2026, stating its intention to terminate the research and development project for a robot unmanned vending system. The company stated that after more than a year of R&D efforts, although the project has achieved certain practical results, it has not yet met the standards for large-scale commercial deployment. Based on a comprehensive assessment of the company's overall strategic layout, input-output ratio, and prioritization of existing results, the company has decided to discontinue further investment in the project.
Headquartered in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, Hongqi Chain is one of the influential chain convenience store brands in Southwest China, primarily engaged in the retail of daily necessities, food and beverages. In 2025, the company launched the robot unmanned vending system R&D project, aiming to explore new pathways for intelligent upgrading of retail terminals. After over a year of technical breakthroughs and scenario validation, the company has accumulated certain technical experience. However, in the feasibility assessment for commercial deployment, the project has not yet met the conditions for large-scale promotion. The company stated that its next step will be to accelerate the scaled operation of its 24-hour cloud-based attendant service, steadily improving operational efficiency. The 24-hour cloud-based attendant service is another digital retail innovation being advanced by Hongqi Chain, which achieves unattended store operation during off-peak hours through remote monitoring and smart access control systems, reducing labor costs while extending business hours.
On the same day, Hongqi Chain's Southern Sichuan regional distribution center in Zigong City, Sichuan Province, officially commenced operations. This distribution center will further enhance the company's logistics coverage capabilities in the Southern Sichuan region, improve regional logistics response efficiency, and provide supply chain support for store expansion and infrastructure optimization. Hongqi Chain stated that terminating the robot unmanned vending system R&D project is a prudent decision made after evaluating technological maturity and commercial returns, reflecting the company's pragmatic approach to balancing innovation investment with operational efficiency.
