Guo Ji, Founder of Shanghai Zhongshen Law Firm and Zhongshen Chain Foreign Service: Food and beverage companies going overseas must avoid the approach of "going abroad first, then complying"

During the process of going global, legal compliance is often an overlooked but costly aspect for brands.

On March 25, the 2026 China Catering Industry Festival and the 35th HCC Global Catering Industry Expo, jointly organized by the World Chinese Restaurant Industry Federation and Red Restaurant Network, was held at the Hangzhou Convention and Exhibition Center. During the “2026 International Catering Exchange Forum,” Guo Ji, founder of Shanghai Zhongshen Law Firm with many years of legal practice and 19 years of legal service experience for chain brands, shared her practical insights on building a systematic approach to compliance for international restaurant brands.

Guo Ji stated that over the past few years, Chinese cuisine’s overseas expansion has gone through stages of emergence, clarity, explosion, and adjustment. As it progresses, the importance of legal compliance becomes more prominent, and the mindset of “going abroad first, then complying” needs to be abandoned.

From the perspective of the overseas process, Guo Ji categorized restaurant companies into three types: those already abroad, those preparing to go, and those still observing.

△Guo Ji, Founder of Shanghai Zhongshen Law Firm and Zhongshen Chain Franchise Service

For the first type, she recommends adjusting the pace and focusing on mastering legal compliance; for the second, she advises “planning carefully before acting,” clarifying expansion logic, entry requirements, and operational standards before taking action; for the third, she suggests proactive preparation, such as researching trademark registration, business model design, country-specific entry requirements, and potential franchisee connections.

How exactly should compliance be handled when going abroad? Guo Ji broke down the process into several steps and explained key aspects.

First is trademarks, which relate to intellectual property rights. She pointed out that whether it’s direct operation or franchising, trademark registration is indispensable. Brands planning to expand overseas should complete their trademark registration within the current year for the countries they plan to enter in the next three years.

Next is expansion logic. Guo Ji focused on franchising as a model. Globally, franchising can be divided into three categories: one is registration and filing-based, such as in China, Malaysia, Vietnam, which require government registration; another is information disclosure-based, like in Japan, South Korea, and the EU, which do not require registration but must disclose detailed documents to franchisees; the third is open-type models. Additionally, Guo Ji noted that the situation in the U.S. is more complex, with most states following the disclosure model, but some also requiring registration.

Guo Ji mentioned that there are other detailed issues in overseas expansion, such as compliance with overseas investment laws and labor regulations, which should not be overlooked.

In conclusion, Guo Ji emphasized that going abroad is not a sprint but a marathon. It requires “deep digging, broad accumulation, and slow but steady growth.” “Deep digging” means building a safe and compliant refuge; “broad accumulation” refers to stockpiling legal compliance resources; and “slow but steady growth” involves winning the final victory through compliance.

Author: Red Restaurant Editorial Team