2023
8
China Ready Meals Market Report 2023
2023-06-28T04:10:29+01:00
REP9DBF6558_3CA9_45F4_A857_295922F57E66
3695
164479
[{"name":"Ready Meals","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/food\/meals-meal-components\/ready-meals"}]
Report
en_GB
“The ready meal industry is anticipated to continue expanding steadily and to continue having a fragmented competitive environment. With improved government backing, talent quality, and investments in the development of…
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  2. All Industries
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  4. Food
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  6. Meals and Meal Components
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  8. Ready Meals
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  10. China Ready Meals Market Report 2023

China Ready Meals Market Report 2023

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“The ready meal industry is anticipated to continue expanding steadily and to continue having a fragmented competitive environment. With improved government backing, talent quality, and investments in the development of cold chain logistics, the entire industry will be upgraded. Brands should provide a greater sense of freshness, a wider variety of options, and consider the possibility of opening their own offline stores.”
– Yifan Gu, Associate Director

Key issues covered in this Report

  • Future market outlook and growth prospects of frozen and chilled ready meals in the next five years.
  • Latest product trends and growth opportunities for ready meals.
  • Consumption trends of different ready meal categories and preferred types/brands for ready-to-cook/semi-finished foods.
  • Purchase drivers and barriers of ready meals.
  • Consumer behaviours about ready-to-cook/semi-finished foods.
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  1. Overview

    • What you need to know
      • Key issues covered in this Report
        • Covered in this Report
          • Excluded
            • Definition
            • Executive Summary

                • The market
                  • Figure 1: Total retail value sales and forecast of ready meals, China, 2017-27
                  • Figure 2: Retail value sales and forecast of frozen ready meals, China, 2017-27
                  • Figure 3: Retail value sales and forecast of chilled ready meals, China, 2017-27
                • Companies and brands
                  • The competitive environment will remain fragmented
                    • Figure 4: Leading companies in frozen and chilled ready meals, by value share, 2020-22
                  • Offline ready meal shops and online campaigns are both essential
                    • The consumer
                      • Frozen dumplings/wonton leads the consumption
                        • Figure 5: Consumption frequency, China, 2023
                      • Fresh ingredients and nutritional value are the top drivers
                        • Figure 6: Choice factors, China, 2023
                      • Enhancing the sense of freshness breaks through major consumption barriers
                        • Figure 7: Consumption barriers, China, 2023
                      • Stir-fried dishes are the top attraction
                        • Figure 8: Cuisine types, China, 2023
                      • Private label brands from O2O channels entice more new moms and multi-generation families
                        • Figure 9: Preferred brands – selected items, by family structure, China, 2023
                        • Figure 10: Preferred brands – selected items, by living status, China, 2023
                      • Varied portions are expected to be offered
                        • Figure 11: Consumer behaviours – selected items, China, 2023
                      • What we think
                      • Issues and Insights

                        • Enhance the perception of freshness via product innovation and marketing communication
                            • Figure 12: Example of ready meals with enhanced perception of freshness
                          • Brands need to offer a more diverse range of options
                            • Figure 13: Example of ready meals with diverse options
                          • Premium brands need to make a trade-off between building own-brand shops and relying on O2O channels
                            • Figure 14: Example of ready meals in O2O channels and own-brand stores
                        • Market Size and Forecast

                          • Overall market maintains steady growth
                            • Figure 15: Total retail value sales and forecast of ready meals, China, 2017-27
                        • Market Segmentation

                          • Frozen ready meals are expected to grow at a steady rate
                            • Figure 16: Retail value sales and forecast of frozen ready meals, China, 2017-27
                            • Figure 17: Retail volume sales and forecast of frozen ready meals, China, 2017-27
                          • Growth of chilled ready meals slows down
                            • Figure 18: Retail value sales and forecast of chilled ready meals, China, 2017-27
                            • Figure 19: Retail volume sales and forecast of chilled ready meals, China, 2017-27
                        • Market Factors

                          • Local governments support regional ready meal companies
                            • The quality of talent for ready meals is expected to improve
                              • Consumers’ consumption scenarios for ready meals have expanded
                                • Figure 20: Example of varied consumption scenarios for ready meals
                              • Multiple key players join the construction of cold chain logistics
                                • Figure 21: Example of upgrade in cold chain logistics
                            • Market Share

                              • A fragmented competitive landscape is expected to stay
                                • Figure 22: Leading companies in frozen and chilled ready meals, by value share, 2020-22
                            • Marketing Activities

                              • Offline ready meal shops are to be an important channel to reach the consumer market
                                • Figure 23: Example of own-brand offline stores
                              • Livestreaming is an important contributor to consumer market’s development
                                • Figure 24: Example of brands leveraging livestreaming
                              • Chinese ready meal brands go global
                                • Figure 25: Example of Chinese-style ready meals in overseas markets
                            • New Product Trends

                              • ‘Positioning’ claims are expected to become the main claims
                                • Figure 26: New launches in ready meal* market, by claim category, China, 2018/19-2022/23
                                • Figure 27: New launches in ready meal* market – convenience category, by claim, China, 2018/19-2022/23
                                • Figure 29: New launches in ready meal* market – positioning category, by claim, China, 2018/19-2022/23
                                • Figure 29: Product examples of ready meals with co-branded claim
                              • ‘Plus’ claims can be new points of difference
                                • Figure 30: New launches in ready meal* market – minus category, by claim, China, 2018/19-2022/23
                                • Figure 31: New launches in ready meal* market – plus category, by claim, China, 2018/19-2022/23
                                • Figure 32: Product examples of ready meals with plus claim
                              • Weight management is a consumer scenario brands are competing for
                                • Figure 33: New launches in ready meal* market, by top growing claims, China, 2018/19-2022/23
                                • Figure 34: Product examples of ready meals with weight management-related claim
                            • Consumption Trends

                              • Frozen dumplings/wonton leads the consumption
                                • Figure 35: Consumption frequency, China, 2023
                                • Figure 36: Proportion of heavy users, China, 2021-23
                              • Niche categories see higher potential in Beijing and Nanjing
                                • Figure 37: Proportion of heavy users – selected items, by city, China, 2023
                                • Figure 38: Proportion of heavy users – selected items, by living situation, China, 2023
                              • Lunchbox’s dining occasions can be expanded
                                • Figure 39: Proportion of heavy users – selected items, by dining habits, China, 2023
                                • Figure 40: Proportion of heavy users – selected items, by age, China, 2023
                            • Choice Factors

                              • Fresh ingredients and nutritional value are the top drivers
                                • Figure 41: Choice factors, China, 2023
                                • Figure 42: Choice factors – selected items, by age, China, 2023
                              • Natural ingredients in a short list can serve as a premiumisation factor
                                • Figure 43: Choice factors – selected items, by monthly household income, China, 2023
                                • Figure 44: Choice factors – selected items, by marital status, China, 2023
                              • Low/reduced salt is welcomed by elderly people
                                • Figure 45: Choice factors – selected items, by age, China, 2023
                            • Consumption Barriers

                              • Enhancing the sense of freshness breaks through major consumption barriers
                                • Figure 46: Consumption barriers, China, 2023
                                • Figure 47: Consumption barriers for frozen ready meals – selected items, by monthly household income, China, 2023
                              • Youngsters expect a richer selection of flavours
                                • Figure 48: Consumption barriers for frozen ready meals – selected items, by age, China, 2023
                                • Figure 49: Consumption barriers for ready-to-cook/semi-finished foods – selected items, by age, China, 2023
                              • Fine-tuning the pricing of ready-to-eat foods can entice more consumers
                                • Figure 50: Consumption barriers for Japanese/Western chilled meal set – selected items, by age, China, 2023
                                • Figure 51: Consumption barriers for ready-to-eat foods – selected items, by age, China, 2023
                            • Cuisine Types

                              • Stir-fried dishes are the top attraction
                                • Figure 52: Cuisine types, China, 2023
                                • Figure 53: Cuisine types – selected items, by monthly household income, China, 2023
                                • Figure 54: Cuisine types – selected items, by region, China, 2023
                              • Elderly people like stews and steamed dishes more
                                • Figure 55: Cuisine types – selected items, by age, China, 2023
                                • Figure 56: Cuisine types – selected items, by monthly household income, China, 2023
                              • Deep-fried snacks and barbecue are more popular among young consumers
                                • Figure 57: Cuisine types – selected items, by age, China, 2023
                            • Preferred Brands

                              • Traditional frozen meal brands and private label brands from supermarkets remain the top brands
                                • Figure 58: Preferred brands, China, 2023
                              • Western foodservice brands attract more young affluent consumers
                                • Figure 59: Preferred brands – selected items, by age, China, 2023
                                • Figure 60: Preferred brands – selected items, by monthly household income, China, 2023
                                • Figure 61: Preferred brands – selected items, by region, China, 2023
                              • Private label brands from O2O channels entice more new moms and multi-generation families
                                • Figure 62: Preferred brands – selected items, by family structure, China, 2023
                                • Figure 63: Preferred brands – selected items, by living status, China, 2023
                                • Figure 64: Preferred brands – selected items, by education, China, 2023
                            • Consumer Behaviours

                              • Consumers expect to buy more ready-to-cook foods for multiple purposes
                                • Figure 65: Consumer behaviours – selected items, China, 2023
                                • Figure 66: Consumer behaviours – selected items – agree, by living situation, China, 2023
                                • Figure 67: Consumer behaviours – selected items – agree, by age, China, 2023
                              • Ready-to-cook foods are acceptable for festivals
                                • Figure 68: Consumer behaviours – selected items, China, 2023
                                • Figure 69: Consumer behaviours – selected items – agree, by living situation, China, 2023
                                • Figure 70: Example of ready-to-cook foods for festivals
                              • Foods designed for air fryers see great market potential
                                  • Figure 71: Consumer behaviours – selected items, China, 2023
                                  • Figure 72: Consumer behaviours – selected items – agree, by family structure, China, 2023
                                • Varied portions are expected to be offered
                                  • Figure 73: Consumer behaviours – selected items, China, 2023
                                  • Figure 74: Consumer behaviours – selected items – agree, by gender, China, 2023
                              • Food Personas

                                • Who are they?
                                    • Figure 75: Food personas, China, 2023
                                    • Figure 76: Food personas, by age, China, 2023
                                    • Figure 77: Food personas, by gender, China, 2023
                                  • New trend explorers expect more flavour options for ready-to-eat foods
                                    • Figure 78: Consumption barriers for ready-to-eat foods – selected items, by food persona, China, 2023
                                    • Figure 79: Consumption barriers for ready-to-eat foods – selected items, by food persona, China, 2023
                                  • Critical shoppers value stews and private label brands from O2O channels more
                                    • Figure 80: Cuisine types – selected items, by food persona, China, 2023
                                    • Figure 81: Preferred brands – selected items, by food persona, China, 2023
                                • Appendix – Market Size and Forecast

                                    • Figure 82: Total retail value sales and forecast of ready meals, China, 2017-27
                                    • Figure 83: Total retail volume sales and forecast of ready meals, China, 2017-27
                                • Appendix – Market Segmentation

                                    • Figure 84: Total retail value sales and forecast of frozen ready meals, China, 2017-27
                                    • Figure 85: Total retail volume sales and forecast of frozen ready meals, China, 2017-27
                                    • Figure 86: Total retail value sales and forecast of chilled ready meals, China, 2017-27
                                    • Figure 87: Total retail volume sales and forecast of chilled ready meals, China, 2017-27
                                • Appendix – Methodology and Abbreviations

                                  • Methodology
                                    • Abbreviations

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