Tseng Ban Mian and other celebrity food ventures close in Taiwan

Several celebrity-led dining ventures in Taiwan are closing down, primarily due to labor shortages and high operating costs.

Tseng Ban Mian, a leading brand in the dry noodle market founded by entertainer Tseng Kuo-cheng, has seen its physical restaurant presence significantly reduced. The brand's flagship location in Yilan announced a permanent closure in the second half of 2024, and its second physical outlet in Taipei's Xinyi District has also ceased operations. While the brand previously achieved high annual revenues and international recognition, its plans to expand physical locations to cities like Taichung appear to be stalled.

Other notable celebrity business exits include singer Tao Jing-ying's spicy hot pot brand, ‘La Bei Bei’, which closed due to a lack of kitchen staff and the expiration of its lease. Similarly, singer Tseng Hsin-mei shuttered her traditional snack brand, ‘Tuan Ju’, citing an inability to find suitable employees despite offering high wages. Singer Chen Bu-lang also transferred ownership of his new ‘Jin Long Lu Rou’ brand after only six months of operation due to similar staffing challenges.