SHANGHAI Jinjiang International Hotels Development Co, China's largest hotel operator, said profit rose 21 percent last year mainly due to increased sales in its food and beverage businesses.

Net income jumped to 263 million yuan (US$37.57 million), or 0.43 yuan a share, in 2007 while revenue climbed 7.44 percent to 834.76 million yuan in the same period, the company said late on Wednesday in a statement to the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

The company's 49 percent owned KFC venture has expanded to 209 outlets at the end of last year and sales were boosted 18.4 percent to 1.83 billion yuan during the 12-month period, the company said.

Sales from its Yoshinoya venture, a leading Japanese beef bowl chain, surged 44.6 percent to 37.03 million yuan with 12 outlets operating. Sales from another 50 percent owned venture which operates two brands including the local Xin Ya Snack (67 outlets) and Hong Kong's Cafe de Coral (six outlets) rose 7.28 percent to 201.81 million yuan.

From its main business, revenue from hotel operations rose 6.35 percent to 531.66 million yuan while gains from hotel management declined four percent to 89.83 million yuan, Jin Jiang said.

Average occupancy rates at four upmarket hotels, in each of which Jinjiang holds more than 20 percent, rose by 3.5 percentage points to 77.5 percent while average room prices fell 5.3 percent to 1,035 yuan, the company said. Occupancy rates at six medium market hotels in which more than 20 percent is owned by Jinjiang, fell 2.3 percentage points to 70.2 percent and average room prices dropped by 2.1 percent to 302 yuan.