In many Chinese cities, access to fresh food still depends heavily on store opening hours. Once neighborhood markets close at night, options become limited. In parts of Guangzhou, however, a new retail format is quietly extending fresh food availability well into the late evening.

Qian Dama, a leading fresh grocery retailer, has been rolling out its unmanned “Cai Bar” fresh food cabinets in residential communities. These smart refrigerated units allow residents to purchase basic fresh items—such as vegetables and meat—through a simple scan-and-go process, with payment completed automatically.

Rather than positioning the cabinets as standalone stores, Qian Dama treats them as an extension of its existing neighborhood network. Placed at building entrances or community storefronts, the cabinets are designed to serve demand that traditional stores cannot fully cover, particularly late at night or in areas where foot traffic does not justify a full retail outlet.

The model relies on Qian Dama’s established supply chain and daily replenishment routines, ensuring that product freshness standards remain consistent with those of physical stores. From a retail perspective, the format offers a lighter, lower-cost way to expand coverage while improving convenience for nearby residents.

For the unmanned retail and vending industry, Cai Bar reflects a broader trend: self-service solutions are increasingly being used not to replace stores, but to fill specific time and location gaps. By bringing fresh food closer to where people live—and making it available around the clock—these compact formats are becoming a practical complement to traditional community retail.