Meituan and Feng-E Technology Form Strategic Partnership to Redefine Unattended Retail
December 26, 2025
Source：Feng-E Technology
On January 14, 2026, Meituan and Feng-E Technology, China’s leading operator of unattended vending terminals officially announced a strategic partnership. This collaboration marks the first large-scale integration of a "smart market" network into the Meituan ecosystem, enabling users to locate, browse inventory, and purchase from Feng-E smart market directly through the Meituan app.
The Convergence of Online Traffic and "Micro-Scenarios"
By leveraging a 100% self-operated model, Feng-E Technology has seamlessly integrated its nationwide network into Meituan’s platform. This partnership bridges high-volume online traffic with offline "micro-scenarios", such as offices, gyms, hospitals, and subway stations; addressing the highly fragmented and instant needs of modern consumers.
Wang Yibai, Head of Home and New Industries at Meituan’s "Easy Life" department, highlighted the synergy: "This 'Traffic x Scenario x Technology' integration provides a new supply-side choice that sits at the heart of local life. As consumer habits evolve, this will fundamentally shift the operational logic of offline smart facilities."
Market Leadership and Scalable Growth
Feng-E Technology’s expansion has been prolific. As of 2025, the company has achieved:
1.Terminal Network: 180,000+ units across 84 core Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities.
2.Consumer Reach: Serving 100 million+ users with a 3,500-strong operations team.
3.Financial Performance: A robust 36% revenue CAGR over the past three years.
4.Market Share: A dominant 16% share, ranking first in China’s unattended retail sector according to Frost & Sullivan.
AI-Driven Precision: The "Responsive Replenishment" Advantage
To manage the surge in demand expected from Meituan’s traffic, Feng-E utilizes a sophisticated system driven by AI and operations research. COO Dr. Zhu Tao explained that the system enables:
1.Dynamic Dispatching: Real-time monitoring allows for "responsive replenishment," where staff can restock high-demand cabinets multiple times a day based on instant sales data.
2.Hyper-Personalization: AI analyzes local consumption trends to optimize the SKU mix, up to 50 items per cabinet, ensuring that product supply matches specific regional demands while minimizing inventory backlog.
3.Cold-Chain Expansion: Leveraging its logistics infrastructure, Feng-E plans to introduce fresh produce and fruits to its terminals to further diversify its offerings.
Industry Outlook: Bridging the "Final 50 Meters"
The unattended retail sector in China has entered an "Intelligence Era," with over 65% of traditional vending machines now replaced by AI-driven smart cabinets. While the market exceeded 30 billion RMB in 2025, significant growth potential remains as per-capita ownership in China moves toward levels seen in mature markets like Japan and the USA.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Commerce’s inclusion of autonomous vending in the "15-Minute Community Life Circle" provides a strong regulatory tailwind.
Conclusion
The Meituan and Feng-E partnership targets the "last-mile" niche: high-frequency transactions with a service radius of within 50 meters. By creating a seamless "Order Online, Fulfill Offline" loop, this collaboration is poised to become the definitive link in the local life services ecosystem.
Shenzhen Fengyi Technology Co., Ltd.Address: 11F, Block B, Building 1, Shenzhen Software Industry Base
Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China
