(Yicai Global) July 20 -- The catering industry revived the fastest of all consumer categories in China in the first half of the year, with many businesses getting back to profit.

Revenue from catering jumped 21 percent to CNY2.5 billion (USD339 billion) in the six months ended June 30 from a year earlier, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. The figure rose 16.1 percent to CNY437.1 billion (USD60.9 billion) last month alone.

“From the perspective of offline consumption, social gatherings of people have increased significantly this year,” said a manager at China’s biggest hot pot chain Haidilao International Holding. More and more people choose to eat with friends or family, the person added.

Several listed catering companies disclosed their half-year earnings expectations recently, showing that many have swung back into the black.

Well-known restaurant chain Tongqinglou Catering expects its first-half net profit to have skyrocketed 493 percent to 703 percent to between CNY125 million and CNY170 million (USD17.1 million and USD23.7 million), the company said on July 12.

Net profit at Quanjude, another popular restaurant chain known for its Peking duck, was likely CNY26 million to CNY28.5 million (USD3.6 million to USD4 million) in the period, after it reported three consecutive years of losses, it announced on July 13.

Some unlisted catering firms have not disclosed their earnings but customer traffic and turnover rates among other indicators have significantly improved. The 341 restaurants that Xibei Youmiancun, which serves up northeastern fare, has in China had more than 18 million diners, a 42 percent gain on a year ago.

Editor: Martin Kadiev