Snack chain battles bun pirates

Steamed bun franchise Qingfeng announced its fight against knock-offs after more than 30 imposter restaurants appeared nationwide over the past year, media reported Thursday.

The chain has made claims of copyright infringement since March after stores bearing the same logo and interior design were discovered.

"We contacted local industry and commerce departments and authorized them to intervene," said Gao, "So far, restaurants in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province and Hubei Province have been closed down."

Gao also warned consumers against buying frozen supermarket buns using the Qingfeng name.

"Any frozen food marked as Qingfeng are copies," said Gao Wenhui, general manager of Qingfeng Steamed Buns Restaurants, adding that the company soon plans to unveil its own frozen bun brand.

Shunyi district industrial and commercial bureau in Beijing recently banned the sale of the unauthorized frozen buns.

The Qingfeng brand got a big boost in December when President Xi Jinping visited one of their outlets in Beijing, inspiring the many copycats.