Récemment, iiMedia Research released the “2023 China Frozen Snack Food Consumption Trend Insight Report.” In the report, iiMedia Research provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of the domestic frozen snack industry and consumer behavior. According to the data, the market size of China’s frozen snack industry reached 19.13 milliards RMB dans 2023, with the potential to surpass 20 billion RMB by the end of the year. With new trends in dining consumption, advancements in cold chain technology, and the rise of live-streaming e-commerce, the frozen snack market is expected to continue its growth.
In this context, the development paths and trends of both traditional frozen food enterprises and emerging frozen snack brands are particularly noteworthy. How are traditional brands leveraging their advantages to effectively plan their frozen snack products? And how are emerging brands innovating and developing to carve out new consumer markets with high-quality products? This report provides answers to these questions.
Driving Industry Development Through R&D and Production
As two giants in the traditional frozen food sector, Synear Foods relies on its production advantages, operating five production bases in China with an annual output of over 900,000 tons of frozen food. Anjoy Foods, avec 55 patents approved in a single year, drives brand transformation and upgrading through its strong product R&D capabilities. Entre-temps, emerging frozen snack brand Royal Tiger focuses on R&D in the frozen snack category, successfully creating blockbuster products like grilled sausages, egg tarts, paratha, and chicken rolls, with annual sales exceeding 1 milliards de RMB. Dans 2022, Royal Tiger secured its position as the “King of Frozen Snacks” with the highest online sales in the frozen snack category, holding a 14.9% market share.
From innovative R&D to steady production, traditional frozen food companies and emerging frozen snack brands are working together to push the boundaries of the frozen snack category and achieve a leap in quality. Under the influence of these brands, the frozen snack industry has seen rapid growth. Data shows that 97% of respondents have purchased frozen food, avec 75.9% having bought frozen snacks—far exceeding the purchase rates of traditional staple foods and frozen hot pot ingredients. The rising consumer enthusiasm for frozen snacks has made them the top segment within the frozen food industry.
Efficient Innovation and R&D: Brands Enhance Quality of Life
Through continuous innovation, more and more frozen snacks are gaining attention. From well-known products like paratha and grilled sausages to recently popular items like egg tarts, chicken rolls, and pizzas, the diverse range of frozen snacks offers personalized choices for consumers. Alongside category innovation, the trend toward extreme product innovation has become a key focus for brand development. Par exemple, Royal Tiger has introduced six different series of grilled sausages, including crispy sausages, starch-free sausages, fresh meat sausages, and burst-juice sausages, with each series offering a variety of flavors to meet different consumer preferences. Shedding the label of being “monotonous,” frozen snacks are taking on a “rich and vibrant” image through brand-driven innovation.
D'autre part, the rapid development of cold chain technology and logistics has allowed frozen snacks to overcome time and space limitations, quickly reaching consumers’ tables. Anjoy Foods, the “King of Frozen Foods,” has partnered with oTMS to achieve digital management of transportation, enhancing product competitiveness. Royal Tiger, the “King of Frozen Snacks,” has established 12 warehouses nationwide and built its own end-to-end digital system, enabling efficient order fulfillment through process automation and data visualization. The ability to quickly integrate into countless household consumption scenarios and enhance quality of life is a key reason why frozen snacks are winning widespread consumer favor.
Aujourd'hui, frozen snacks have become a new trend in national food consumption, reflecting a comprehensive leap in Chinese food consumption in terms of technology, culture, and science. À l'avenir, the frozen snack industry is expected to enter an era of “category innovation, quality upgrading, technological empowerment, and flavor-centric development.” Beyond traditional brands like Synear and Anjoy and emerging brands like Royal Tiger, more and more new brands will continue exploring the numerous possibilities in the frozen snack sector.
“Health and Wellness Become Global Hot Topics: Numerous Health Foods Make Their Debut at the China International Import Expo”
As awareness and demand for health continue to rise, the health and wellness industry has become a global hotspot and a new economic growth point. Innovations and breakthroughs in products are continuously emerging. From November 5 à 10, the sixth China International Import Expo (CIIE) was held in Shanghai. The event saw an increasing number of exhibitors using the expo as a prime platform to showcase their latest achievements, with many health foods making their debut.
Nongxuanli Yijia’s Global Debut at CIIE: Meeting Chinese Consumer Demand
At Danone’s booth, Nongxuanli Yijia, a full-nutrition formula product, made its global debut, attracting a large number of spectators and inquiries. Each bottle contains 9.4 grams of high-quality milk protein, 28 vitamins and minerals, et 2.6 grams of dietary fiber. Not only does it offer balanced nutrition, but its stylish packaging, smooth taste, and diverse flavors also make dietary choices during recovery more varied.
Nongxuanli Yijia, developed by Danone Nutricia specifically for Chinese consumers, is currently the only multi-flavor liquid formula among the class I full-nutrition special medical products available domestically. The product features a comprehensive nutritional formula to meet recovery needs while offering innovative flavors and an ready-to-drink format to address the “compliance challenge” in recovery nutrition. It integrates traditional Chinese wellness concepts, with a new red date and goji berry flavor. En plus, Nongxuanli Yijia is presented in a ready-to-drink form, eliminating the need for preparation and ensuring precise dosing, making it convenient to carry and consume. More flavors are expected to be introduced to meet consumer preferences for diverse tastes.
Multiple Products Debut, Demonstrating “Dual-Drive” Strength
As a “veteran” exhibitor at the expo, Ausnutria Dairy has returned for the sixth year with its brands Kabrita, Hyproca1897, Enlit, Oz Farm, and Nutrition Care. Four brands launched new products, and two brands made their debut at the event. At the press conference, Wei Yanqing, Vice President of Ausnutria Dairy China, stated that the company uses the CIIE platform to enhance its “two-way connection” with the international market and convey its mission of “global nutrition, nurturing growth” more vividly. Ausnutria plans to continue focusing on the milk powder sector to ensure steady growth in its core business while also expanding its nutrition product range to explore new market opportunities.
Lors de l'événement, Hyproca1897 introduced “Hyproca1897·Youlan (New National Standard),” featuring rare organic milk sources from Dutch farms and covering 13 key nutrients. Enlit showcased its “Enlit Gold Diamond Edition,” focusing on digestive absorption, and Nutrition Care presented “NC Gut Health Plus Capsules” and “NC Daily Cold Chain Probiotics.” The “NC Gut Health Plus Capsules” include the patented Pylopass probiotic and other nutrients to alleviate stomach discomfort. The “NC Daily Cold Chain Probiotics” feature eight high-quality probiotics and maintain high activity through cold chain transportation. En plus, Kabrita’s popular “Yuebai (New National Standard)” and Enlit’s “Enlit Classic Edition (New National Standard)” made their debut at the expo. Ausnutria also showcased nearly 50 products collectively.
In addition to the exhibits and new products, the Ausnutria booth featured a stage area, a gourmet food section, and a “Helicobacter pylori” test area, attracting numerous visitors. The interactive experiences included Kabrita goat milk ice cream, nutritional product fashion shows, and health knowledge quizzes, providing an all-sensory nutrition and health experience.
Nestlé: Upgraded Nan Pro 3 Unveiled with Enhanced Allergy Protection
At Nestlé’s booth, 341 premium products from 16 countries were showcased. This year marks Nestlé’s sixth participation in the CIIE.
The exhibition emphasized Nestlé’s achievements in large categories, high-end products, and nutritional health. New products included the Crunch® wafers and the Australian-imported Nestlé Milo, as well as well-known Nestlé products like Perrier, San Pellegrino, and Purina, and the Italian chocolate brand Bacchi Baci. Other highlights included the “Instant 5 Minutes” and “Global Cuisine” series from Tatale, and the new limited-edition festive capsules from Nespresso.
Nestlé’s health science division introduced groundbreaking innovations, including Modulen® IBD for Crohn’s disease, Wyeth’s new national standard formula, and the first cat food to significantly reduce allergens in three weeks, Pro Plan LiveClear.
Notamment, Nestlé’s infant nutrition division unveiled the upgraded Nan Pro 3, featuring a combination of six types of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and infant bifidobacteria (B. infantis) for enhanced proactive allergy protection.
Nestlé Group Executive Vice President and Chairman and CEO of Nestlé Greater China, Zhang Xiqiang, said, “2023 marks the 37th year of Nestlé’s entry into the Chinese market. Nestlé’s commitment to China is long-term, and we are confident in further rooting ourselves in the Chinese market alongside China’s economic growth, contributing to high-quality economic development. The CIIE has witnessed important moments of signing and cooperation with many industry partners and has allowed us to present many ‘new products and new experiences’ to Chinese consumers.”
Good Nature: Over 20 Years of Functional Food Development Experience and One-Stop Brand Incubation Services
At the booth of Naturies Ora Health Manufacture Ltd of New Zealand (referred to as “Good Nature”), the high-end, technologically advanced booth design and various advanced production forms of Naturies series products drew industry attention.
According to staff, Good Nature has its own source factory in New Zealand and over 20 years of experience in developing nutritional and functional foods, including advanced health supplements, produits laitiers, functional foods, and pet foods. They offer a range of product forms such as powders, tablets, soft gels, hard capsules, boissons, and jellies, meeting diverse needs. En plus, their robust supply chain network and logistics management ensure timely delivery and manageable inventory.
For exhibitors’ concerns about local services, the company provides scientific assistance to help clients with product and brand localization services in New Zealand, including local sales, video shooting, and live streaming services.
Since entering China in 2004, Good Nature has provided a one-stop brand incubation service from “New Zealand trademark registration, product concept planning, product packaging design, Chinese regulatory review, New Zealand production, New Zealand export, logistics transportation, China customs clearance, and brand localization guidance.”
Le déclin rapide des dividendes sur Internet mobile a rendu les grandes entreprises plus rationnelles dans leur poursuite de nouvelles tendances. Lorsque les secteurs auparavant en plein essor deviennent surpeuplés, Ces entreprises tournent souvent à l'ancien, Tendances autrefois populaires, Comme l'innovation comporte des risques croissants, et les grandes entreprises deviennent plus opposées à ces risques.
Par exemple, Alipay a de nouveau lancé l'UGC (Contenu généré par l'utilisateur) Fonction de création dans sa section de compte Life, marquant encore une autre poussée dans l'espace de contenu. Meituan a présenté «Tuan May,”Reignifiant les guerres d'achat de groupes communautaires, Alors que SF Express envisage le secteur du commerce électronique en direct et est occupé à étendre sa chaîne d'approvisionnement.
Récemment, Gaode a également fixé une entreprise qui n'est ni à la mode ni nouvelle: services de courses. L'application Gaode Map a discrètement déployé le service «Gaode Miao Song» dans des villes comme Pékin, Wuhan, Et Hangzhou, Suivant un modèle d'agrégation tiers similaire à la covoiturage. Actuellement, Il ne s'intègre qu'au service de Merrand Fengniao d'Ele.me.
Selon un rapport de la recherche IIMEDIA, Le marché des services de courses intérieurs devrait atteindre 66.5 milliards RMB par 2025, Maintenir les taux de croissance des composés annuels à deux chiffres ces dernières années. L'avenir a en effet l'air brillant. Cependant, En tant qu'acteur principal dans les services locaux d'Alibaba, Les ambitions de Gaode s'étendent probablement bien au-delà de cela 66.5 Billion RMB Market.
Gaode comme l'avant-garde, Services locaux d'alibaba à la poursuite
Sans promotion à grande échelle ou un lancement complet, «Gaode Miao Song» ressemble plus à une «attaque sneak». Actuellement, Le service n'offre que deux fonctionnalités: «Aidez-moi à ramasser» et «aidez-moi à livrer,»Et il n'a pas reçu de point d'entrée principal sur la page d'accueil. Les utilisateurs peuvent accéder à la page de commande via des recherches de mots clés. Les remises sont modestes, avec une remise de premier ordre de 5 RMB, indiquant un investissement sobre par la plateforme.
Lorsqu'on lui a posé des questions sur les détails de ce service, Un porte-parole de Gaode a confirmé que «Gaode Miao Song» suivrait un modèle d'agrégation tiers pour construire un écosystème ouvert, alignement avec les informations accessibles au public. La raison de Gaode à entrer dans l'industrie des services de courses était de «répondre à la demande des utilisateurs».
Ce raisonnement n'est pas sans fondement. Comme extension de la livraison instantanée, L'industrie des services de courses peut ne pas être importante, Mais il s'aligne sur les tendances du marché et constate une fidélité croissante.
Dans les premières années, Les services de course ont été principalement utilisés dans les milieux de bureau pour les livraisons intra-villes urgentes de documents et de petits articles. Mais maintenant, La portée des services de Merrand s'est étendue à divers domaines, surtout ceux qui s'adressent à la fin des consommateurs. Les statistiques de la recherche IIMEDIA montrent que 38.4% des utilisateurs utilisent des plates-formes de courses pour ramasser ou livrer des articles oubliés, alors que 37.3% les utiliser pour acheter des articles directement.
La dépendance croissante de la génération Z - les fidèles partisans de «l'économie paresseuse» - sur les plates-formes de courses sont particulièrement remarquables. Les enquêtes indiquent que 37% des jeunes utilisateurs âgés 19-25 Utilisez des services de course au moins 1-4 temps par mois, avec la majorité située en premier- et villes de deuxième niveau. Les services qu'ils recherchent ne se limitent pas à la livraison et au ramassage, mais comprennent également des tâches émergentes comme la file d'attente au nom d'autres.
Au-delà de la réponse aux demandes des utilisateurs, Gaode a également son propre besoin d'élargir sa gamme de services.
Après la restructuration organisationnelle «1 + 6 + n» d'Alibaba, qui permet le spin-off et la liste de ses groupes d'entreprise, Groupe taotien, Cainiao, Images d'alibaba, Nuage d'alibaba, Commerce numérique international, Et le groupe de services locaux s'est tous lancé dans une course pour devenir public. La justification est simple: Après avoir quitté l'ère des ressources collectives, Ces groupes doivent se débrouiller seuls, Straper pour des évaluations élevées et plus de financement par le biais de listes publiques. Par conséquent, Les relations entre les différents groupes d'entreprise sont devenues plus complexes.
Actuellement, Alibaba Cloud et Cainiao ont pris les devants, Avoir une approbation du conseil d'administration pour procéder à leurs introductions en bourse, tandis que le groupe de commerce numérique international d'Alibaba International est également censé planifier une liste. La situation du groupe taotien est unique, Comme son autosuffisance, influence, et la position interne est incontestable, Rendre son introduction en bourse moins cruciale. Cela laisse les photos d'alibaba et les services locaux à la traîne, les deux dans un besoin urgent de rattraper.
Par rapport à d'autres groupes d'entreprise, Alibaba Local Services a vu relativement peu d'ajustements internes ces dernières années et continue de poursuivre une stratégie de concentration simultanée sur la maison, en magasin, et services de destination, avec ele.me, Gaode, et fliggy comme ses piliers principaux. Parmi ces, Gaode a été la vedette, recevoir le plus de ressources du groupe.
Des trois applications phares d'Alibaba Local Services, Gaode est en effet le plus proche des utilisateurs et a le plus de place pour l'expansion. Gaode a longtemps cessé d'être une application de carte, Et il ne se limite plus au secteur des voyages, se détendre progressivement dans divers segments de service locaux.
Le lancement de «Gaode Miao Song» n'est qu'un signal; L'expansion de Gaode et Alibaba Local Services n'a pas encore atteint son apogée.
Une décennie avec Alibaba: L'évolution de Gaode dans une «super application»
Réfléchir sur les premiers jours de Gaode dans Alibaba, Il y avait peu de lien avec les services locaux, Et même sa principale affaire de navigation ne fonctionnait pas bien.
Le dernier rapport financier de Gaode avant d'être privatisé par Alibaba (Q3 2013) a montré une perte nette de $6.7 million, avec marketing et r&D dépenses en hausse par 150% et 75% année après année, respectivement. La situation était loin d'être optimiste. À l'époque, Baidu avait déjà acquis Nuomi et l'avait fusionné avec des cartes Baidu, Et Tencent et Meituan faisaient des mouvements dans l'industrie du voyage, Laissant Gaode entouré de compétition.
Après l'acquisition, Alibaba a nommé un chiffre clé pour diriger Gaode: Yu Yongfu. En tant que cadre le plus familier avec les services locaux et l'O2O dans Alibaba, Yu a pris une décision surprenante après avoir assumé le rôle du président de Gaode: Il a coupé tous les services O2O et recentré sur la base de navigation principale de Gaode, Éviter la concurrence directe avec Baidu.
Yu a rappelé plus tard que cette décision était difficile mais nécessaire: "Si nous n'avons pas agi rapidement, Gaode serait en danger. » Il pensait que l'O2O à l'époque n'était pas encore dépassé l'inertie de la pensée du commerce électronique et manquait de véritable compréhension des besoins des utilisateurs. En stabilisant son cœur de métier et en conservant les utilisateurs, Gaode pourrait alors extraire des informations précieuses des données de voyage des utilisateurs, rendre les autres services significatifs.
Avec le recul, La décision de Yu était sans aucun doute la bonne. Baidu Nuomi s'est effondré après avoir investi 20 milliards de RMB, finalement fermé en décembre 2022, tandis que le modèle LBS + O2O amélioré de Gaode est de plus en plus réussi.
L'ouverture de l'application Gaode Map révèle désormais un large éventail de services.
Il n'est pas exagéré de dire que Gaode a le potentiel de devenir une «super application,"Ajout de WeChat, Alipay, et meituan.
Navigation, covoiturage, et les requêtes d'informations sur les transports en commun / le vol sont les bases. Caractéristiques comme la projection d'écran de véhicule électrique, Conduire un régulateur de vitesse, et les services de voiture d'entreprise sont également compréhensibles car ils relèvent des services de voyage. Mais les offres de Gaode s'étendent bien au-delà.
Comme extension des services de voyage, Gaode fournit des produits d'assurance intelligente comme «l'assurance automobile intelligente» et «Protection de voyage,»Ainsi que les services automobiles après-vente tels que le carburant à prix réduit et les lavages de voitures. En plus, Il existe divers services de style de vie apparemment sans rapport avec les voyages: recharges de téléphone mobile, livraison de médicaments, réservations de restaurants, Et même les locations de logements en ligne et les rendez-vous médicaux.
Depuis qu'il a été désigné comme un projet de base par les services locaux d'Alibaba dans 2022, Gaode a accéléré sa pénétration dans le secteur des services locaux. En août de cette année, Gaode s'est associé à Over 4,000 Apple a autorisé les revendeurs à l'échelle nationale à lancer le «Acheter en déplacement, Ramassez à proximité »Service, Continue d'explorer les «troisième scénarios de service de vie». Plus tôt, Gaode a également collaboré avec Starbucks pour lancer le service «Street Pickup», couvrant 1,000 magasins à travers le pays.
Dans la vision de Gaode, La carte n'est qu'un transporteur et une passerelle vers le trafic - une passerelle remplie de potentiel. Après tout, Le voyage n'est qu'un aspect des services de vie, connecté intrinsèquement à d'autres aspects.
Mettre simplement, Le voyage est un moyen, Alors que la consommation est l'objectif final. Lorsque les utilisateurs ouvrent Gaode pour naviguer vers une destination, Ils pourraient sortir pour dîner, socialiser, ou des vacances dans un hôtel ou un endroit pittoresque. Puisque Gaode a déjà la fonction de navigation et contrôle la source de trafic, Pourquoi ne pas capturer également le trafic en aval?
Il faut dire que l'approche de Gaode présente des similitudes frappantes avec le modèle LBS + O2O de Robin Li. Lbs (Services basés sur la localisation) implique d'utiliser la fonction de navigation de la carte pour capturer le trafic, puis la diriger vers divers services O2O. L'échec de Baidu Nuomi était dû, en partie, à son incapacité à vraiment comprendre les besoins des utilisateurs, au lieu de «créer la demande» par le biais de subventions lourdes. En plus, son timing était malheureux, coïncidant avec l'essor de Meituan.
En revanche, La situation actuelle de Gaode est beaucoup plus optimiste. Cependant, avec le précédent de Baidu Nuomi, La prudence est toujours nécessaire. Ce nouveau service de course pourrait être un test décisif pour voir dans quelle mesure les limites de Gaode peuvent être étendues.
Les services locaux de l'alibaba peuvent-ils synergie au milieu des forces commerciales complexes?
Lors de l'analyse des perspectives d'une entreprise, Deux questions clés se posent: à l'extérieur, peut-il résister à la concurrence et capturer la croissance de l'industrie? Intérieurement, peut-il concentrer les ressources de base et tirer parti de ses forces?
Le facteur externe semble gérable. Alors que l'industrie des services de courses a des acteurs nouveaux et établis, La compétition n'est pas encore mignonne, Et il y a peu de plateformes adoptant un modèle d'agrégation, Laissant Gaode avec de la place pour capturer la part de marché.
Les principaux acteurs du marché des services de courses se disent en deux catégories: plates-formes complètes comme les courses Meituan, Ele.me les courses, et groupe Dada, qui couvrent une gamme de services tels que la livraison intra-ville, Achat au nom des utilisateurs, et course de courses; et des plates-formes à service unique comme SF Intra-City, qui se concentre sur la livraison intra-ville des articles commerciaux B2B.
L'intra-ville SF domine le segment B2B, Alors que le marché C2C est très fragmenté. Groupe Dada, Soutenu par JD.com, se connecte avec de grands supermarchés et centres commerciaux et possède une base d'utilisateurs fidèles, Pendant que Meituan et Ele.me excellent dans la circulation et la livraison du dernier mile, Offrir la plus large gamme de services. La collaboration de Gaode avec Ele.me et sa plate-forme de Merrand affiliée réduit les coûts et partage les risques, bénéficier des deux parties.
Le défi interne peut être plus complexe.
Le problème de longue date pour les services locaux d'Alibaba, Et même le groupe Alibaba plus large, a été la difficulté de former une synergie en raison de la multitude de secteurs d'activité, frontières floues entre la compétition et la collaboration entre différentes équipes, et la vaste portée des services locaux, qui implique un large éventail de projets. Des changements organisationnels fréquents et des obstacles de communication entre les équipes ont également contribué à ce problème.
Prenez le secteur du commerce électronique des aliments frais, Par exemple. Au-delà des produits de courte durée comme «Cai Huashuan,»Alibaba a déployé plusieurs équipes, y compris le taoxianda, Hema, et Taocaicai, dans cet espace. Ces équipes appartiennent à différents groupes d'entreprises, avoir des lignes de rapport distinctes, et différents cadres en charge, Pourtant, ils ciblent les bases des clients qui se chevauchent et finissent par concurrencer en interne, conduisant à une diversion des ressources inutile.
La bonne nouvelle est qu'en dehors du groupe de services locaux, D'autres unités commerciales Alibaba ne se sont pas fortement aventurées dans l'espace de service des courses, Les problèmes observés dans le commerce électronique des aliments frais sont peu susceptibles de répéter. Plus important encore, Gaode a toujours adhéré à un modèle d'agrégation, Construire un écosystème ouvert qui attire le trafic et facilite les transactions via son avantage de plate-forme, Éviter les conflits d'intérêts avec les plates-formes qu'il héberge - sans ce que ces plates-formes aient un fond d'alibaba.
Le seul problème restant pour les supérieurs pourrait être l'allocation interne des ressources et l'amélioration de l'efficacité opérationnelle.
Il y a des rumeurs selon lesquelles Yu Yongfu, À ses débuts de gestion de Gaode, était très insatisfait de l'efficacité interne de l'entreprise. À ce moment-là, Gaode se concentrait simultanément sur plusieurs projets, comme la connectivité dans la voiture et les applications mobiles, nécessiter des ressources importantes. Cependant, les services back-end, comme la technologie et la finance, a eu du mal à suivre le rythme, et Yu a trouvé les longues lignes de rapport et les discussions sans but dans les réunions insupportables.
La solution de Yu était d'éliminer les réunions hebdomadaires traditionnelles, Remplacez-les par un système d'équipe de projet, et établir plus tard une structure de «comité de classe» avec des cadres supérieurs comme Chen Yonghai, Wei Dong, Dong Zhennin, et Tian Mi supervisant différents projets, un système qui persiste depuis de nombreuses années. Bien que Yu Yongfu ait maintenant une charge de travail plus lourde et ne soit plus en première ligne de la gestion de Gaode, Les règles qu'il a établies et l'accent mis sur les opérations efficaces qu'il a inculquées à l'équipe continue d'influencer chaque employé de Gaode.
En arrière, Cela fait dix ans que Gaode a rejoint la famille Alibaba. Bien qu'Alibaba n'ait pas divulgué des chiffres de revenus détaillés pour Gaode, sa croissance de la base d'utilisateurs est évidente, Et son évaluation a sans aucun doute augmenté. Gaode, qui n'était pas encore rentable quand il a rejoint Alibaba, a certainement prouvé sa valeur, dissiper des doutes sur son acquisition de primes.
Maintenant, Il est peut-être temps pour Gaode de rembourser la confiance d'Alibaba et de jouer un rôle de premier plan dans le secteur des services locaux.
The Q3 reports of pre-prepared meal companies have been released, revealing a mixed bag of outcomes.
In the pre-prepared meal sector, it’s not just specialized manufacturers that are involved; many cross-industry entrants, such as downstream restaurant businesses and upstream agricultural, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery enterprises, have also joined the fray.
Récemment, the Q3 reports of companies related to pre-prepared meals have been released. Le Catering Supply Chain Guide has categorized them based on their primary business into three major types—Aliments surgelés, Agricultural & Livestock, et Specialized—to analyze the latest performance of 21 related companies and assess the current state of the pre-prepared meal market.
Looking at the third quarter alone, most of these 21 publicly listed companies in the pre-prepared meal sector turned a profit, with only four companies reporting losses. Cependant, 13 companies experienced a decline in net profit growth. The performance varied across different types of companies.
1. Frozen Food Companies Overall Are Performing Well, with Several Reporting Increases in Both Revenue and Profit
The “Frozen Food” companies related to pre-prepared meals generally reported increases in both revenue and profit in Q3. Par exemple, Anjoy Foods (603345.SH), Qianwei Yangchu (001215.SZ), Huifa Foods (603536.SH), and Sanquan Foods (002216.SZ) all showed strong performance. En revanche, Haixin Foods (002702.SZ) lagged behind, reporting declines in both revenue and profit.
Anjoy Foods continued its growth trajectory in Q3, achieving a revenue of 3.377 milliards de RMB, en haut 17.21% année après année, and a net profit of 386 millions de RMB, en haut 63.75% année après année.
Looking at the first three quarters overall, Anjoy’s pre-prepared meal business remains strong, not only becoming the company’s largest business segment but also growing nearly 50% in revenue. According to Anjoy’s regularly disclosed operating data, its frozen food business revenue in the first three quarters of this year reached 3.109 milliards de RMB, en haut 47.46% année après année.
Huifa Foods, which had previously suffered losses exceeding 100 million RMB over the past two years, appears to be improving. In Q3, Huifa Foods reported a net profit of 601,100 RMB, en haut 102.83% année après année.
Since going public, Huifa Foods has experienced unstable profitability, with consecutive losses exceeding 100 million RMB in 2021 et 2022. Cependant, in the first half of this year, Huifa Foods reduced its losses by 44.29% année après année. Despite this, the company still reported a loss of 29.95 million RMB for the first three quarters, un 60.62% reduction compared to the same period last year.
Cependant, the contribution of pre-prepared meals to Huifa’s reduced losses appears to be limited. In the first three quarters of this year, Huifa’s revenue from Chinese dishes increased from 145 million RMB last year to 162 millions de RMB, accounting for only 10% de revenus totaux. The revenue growth in its meatball and fried products, both of which grew by over 20%, played a significant role in reducing losses, as these two business segments account for nearly 50% de revenus totaux.
Compared to Huifa Foods, which is still in the red, “Catering Supply Chain First Stock” Qianwei Yangchu is in a much better position.
In Q3, Qianwei Yangchu reported a revenue of 477 millions de RMB, en haut 25.04% année après année, marking its highest single-quarter sales, while its net profit increased by 60%. Although Qianwei Yangchu did not disclose specific revenue figures for its various business segments, it emphasized its strategy of parallel operations for both B2B and B2C segments.
In response to investor inquiries, Qianwei Yangchu stated that its C-end (consumer) division and Yuzhi Cuisine performed well in Q3. Yuzhi Cuisine focuses on customized semi-finished products for large B2B clients, while the C-end division has established good supply chains within the convenience store system, with clear business directions.
Sanquan Foods also saw its net profit increase by more than 20% year-on-year in Q3, although revenue grew only slightly by 3.03%.
For the first three quarters of this year, pre-prepared meals contributed to some performance growth for Sanquan. In response to investor inquiries, Sanquan acknowledged that frozen ready-to-cook food products, such as meat-based pre-prepared ingredients, have seen significant growth, with items like meat rolls, egg dumplings, and small crispy pork, as well as microwave and air fryer products like grilled sausages and microwave pasta, performing well.
Compared to the above four frozen food companies, Haixin Foods (“First Stock of Frozen Fish and Meat Products”) underperformed.
In Q3, Haixin reported a revenue of 400 millions de RMB, vers le bas 1.06% année après année, and a net profit of 2.4814 millions de RMB, vers le bas 92.43% année après année. For the first three quarters as a whole, Haixin’s performance was also less than satisfactory, with revenue of 1.134 billion RMB and a corresponding net profit of only 3.6721 millions de RMB, down over 90% année après année.
Haixin explained the profit changes in its Q3 report, citing three reasons: increased production costs, promotional discounts in the supermarket system, and the initial investment in seafood products not yet yielding results, leading to a decline in gross profit margin; as well as increased spending on promotional activities.
Le Catering Supply Chain Guide also noted that while Haixin increased its promotional spending, it reduced its R&D investment. In the first three quarters, Haixin’s R&D spending decreased from 12.2053 million RMB in the same period last year to 10.9618 millions de RMB.
This trend of reducing R&D spending is not unique to Haixin. Cette année, frozen food companies generally focused on cost reduction and efficiency improvement, with several companies cutting down on R&D and management expenses to optimize cost efficiency. Qianwei Yangchu, cependant, is an exception.
Specifically, Sanquan reduced various expenses, including management, R.&D, et ventes, with its sales and management expense ratios showing a downward trend.
Haixin, Anjoy, and Huifa all increased their spending on market sales while reducing management and R&D expenses. According to an investor survey report released by Anjoy, when asked about its spending plans for Q4 and Q1 next year, Anjoy stated that it would, if necessary, accelerate revenue growth by increasing promotional efforts and sales expenses.
Cependant, Qianwei Yangchu continued to increase its spending across multiple areas, with sales expenses and R&D expenses up 65.22% et 33.69%, respectivement, and management expenses up 13.54% in the first three quarters.
2. “First Stock of Pre-prepared Meals” Sees Decline in Net Profit as Beef Sales Slow Down
While frozen food companies that have entered the pre-prepared meal sector performed well, specialized pre-prepared meal player Weizhixiang (605089.SH) has seen its rapid growth in recent years come to a halt.
According to financial reports, Weizhixiang’s Q3 revenue was 202 millions de RMB, vers le bas 11.89% année après année, and net profit was 32.5289 millions de RMB, vers le bas 18.76% année après année.
Dans l'ensemble, Weizhixiang’s net profit for the first three quarters of this year was 107 millions de RMB, vers le bas 2.90% année après année. En revanche, Weizhixiang’s net profit growth rates in the same periods of 2021 et 2022 were 9.02% et 7.65%, respectivement.
Weizhixiang’s operating data revealed that declining sales of beef products have impacted profit margins.
In Q3, Weizhixiang’s beef product series generated revenue of only 81 millions de RMB, vers le bas 23.15% depuis 105 million RMB in Q3 2022.
Although the Q3 report did not disclose the specific gross profit margin for beef products, previous data shows that beef products have long accounted for more than 40% de revenus totaux, with a gross profit margin of no less than 20%. This indicates that beef products are a crucial profit source for Weizhixiang.
Weizhixiang explained that in the context of consumer downgrading, high-value products are selling less well than low-value products. As the company’s wholesale channel mainly consists of high-value beef products, overall production volume remained relatively stable, but this led to a decline in Q3 revenue.
Guotai Junan Securities also noted in its research report that Weizhixiang’s segmented product performance diverged in Q3, mainly due to weakened consumer spending power. High-ticket items like beef and shrimp saw revenue declines, while low-ticket items like poultry and pork saw revenue increases.
Weizhixiang also pointed out that the challenging environment has affected franchisees’ willingness to open new stores, leading some to adopt a wait-and-see approach, slowing down the pace of new store openings.
According to financial report data, Weizhixiang did indeed slow down store openings in Q3, with revenue from franchise store operations down 6.43% année après année. In Q3, Weizhixiang opened 91 new franchise stores, only half the number opened in the same period last year (182 stores in Q3 2022).
En plus, Weizhixiang noted that it made significant resource investments this year, and the launch of new factories in Q3 also added to costs. These factors combined to contribute to the decline in Q3 net profit.
As a specialized pre-prepared meal company heavily reliant on beef products, Weizhixiang’s ability to restore and grow profitability may depend on an overall improvement in the consumption environment.
3. Pig and Poultry Farming Affected by Cyclical Fluctuations—Can Diversification into Pre-prepared Meals Improve Profitability?
An increasing number of companies are entering the pre-prepared meal sector, hoping to gain a share of the market, including agricultural, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery enterprises, as well as meat processing companies.
Cependant, due to the decline in prices of raw materials such as pork, bœuf, and chicken in Q3, many farming enterprises, while remaining profitable, saw a decline in net profit growth.
According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, in September this year, pork and beef prices increased by 0.2% et 0.6% month-on-month, respectivement, but showed a downward trend compared to September last year, with pork prices down 22.0% and beef prices down 4.9% année après année. Notamment, pork prices have been declining year-on-year for five consecutive months from May to September this year.
Chicken prices were also sluggish in Q3. According to the “Food and Catering Chain Enterprise Procurement Market Monthly Reference (August 2023)” produced by Wangju Capital and the Hongcan Industry Research Institute, the average price of white-feathered broiler chickens in China in July was 4.15 RMB per jin, vers le bas 4.60% month-on-month and 12.26% année après année.
Leading poultry farming company Wens Foodstuff (300498.SZ) also noted that Q3 is traditionally the peak consumption season for broiler chicken products, but this year’s Q3 performance was average, with chicken prices falling short of expectations.
The fluctuations in raw material prices inevitably impact the production and operations of upstream agricultural and animal husbandry enterprises.
Longda Foodstuff, Groupe Nouvel Espoir, Fucheng Group, Tangrenshen Group, Xiangjia Group, Wens Foodstuff, Xiantan Group, Chunxue Food, Dahua Group, Haodangjia, and Yike Food are among the companies whose main businesses involve farming, abattage, or meat processing. They have all now diversified into pre-prepared meals. Financial reports show that in Q3, all 11 of these companies experienced negative net profit growth.
Parmi eux, “pig farming giant” New Hope Group (000876.SZ) reported a net loss of 875 million RMB in Q3, largely due to the sharp decline in pork prices. The company noted that in Q3 2022, pork prices were around 22 RMB, while in Q3 2023, they were only around 15 RMB.
En plus, companies like Shengnong Development (002299.SZ), Shuanghui Development (000895.SZ), and Huaying Agriculture (002321.SZ) managed to achieve positive net profit growth. Cependant, some of these companies also noted that their performance was affected by fluctuations in raw material prices.
Leading broiler chicken farming company Shengnong Development reported increases in both revenue and net profit, but it noted that its asset impairment loss increased by 85.67% year-on-year during the reporting period, primarily due to losses from the decline in beef raw material prices and provisions for the decline in value of some chicken products.
Shuanghui Development’s net profit increased by 11.62% in Q3, while revenue declined by 5.20% année après année. The company noted that although its total meat sales volume reached 840,000 tons in Q3, en haut 4.6% année après année, revenue did not grow due to the significant year-on-year decline in pork prices.
Despite the impact of raw material price fluctuations, many companies involved in farming businesses still managed to turn a profit in Q3. Among the 15 publicly listed companies included in the Catering Supply Chain Guide‘s incomplete statistics, 11 reported profits. Cependant, of these 11 profitable companies, 8 experienced a decline in net profit growth.
Agricultural and livestock enterprises’ performance is easily affected by cyclical fluctuations in farming, leading more and more of them to actively expand into pre-prepared meal processing to seek new growth opportunities.
Cependant, the Q3 reports show that the performance of companies that disclosed their pre-prepared meal revenue varies significantly.
Par exemple, “First Stock of Cattle Farming” Fucheng Group significantly reduced its pre-prepared meal production this year but still faced inventory pressure in Q3. Fucheng Group primarily conducts its pre-prepared meal business through its fast food subsidiary, and the fast food business mentioned in its annual reports refers to pre-prepared meals.
Fucheng Group’s disclosed inventory figures for Q1, H1, and Q3 this year were 93.14 tonnes, 262.28 tonnes, et 357.27 tonnes, respectivement. In the same periods in 2022, the corresponding figures were 293.99 tonnes, 409.60 tonnes, et 329.54 tonnes. The data shows that while Fucheng Group significantly reduced inventory in the first half of this year compared to last year, Q3 inventory levels exceeded those of the same period last year.
Operating data disclosed by Fucheng Group shows that its fast food production in the first three quarters decreased by 40% année après année, with fast food revenue down 52.87% année après année. According to the H1 report, Fucheng Group’s fast food production in H1 2022 and H1 2023 était 3,437.97 tons and 1,868.90 tonnes, respectivement, a decrease of 45.64%.
Chunxue Food (605567.SH), which started with poultry farming, also saw a decline in the revenue share of its pre-prepared meal business.
In Q3 2023, the revenue share of Chunxue Food’s prepared food (pre-prepared meals) business decreased from 47.98% in the same period last year to 42.96%, a slight decline. Cependant, the revenue share of fresh products jumped from 22.72% in the same period last year to 40.24%, with revenue increasing from 160 million RMB to 290 millions de RMB.
Dans 2019-2021, Chunxue’s prepared food (pre-prepared meals) business consistently accounted for more than 50% de revenus totaux. Dans 2022, prepared food revenue accounted for nearly half of total revenue, indicating that prepared food has been a significant source of revenue for Chunxue.
Whether this pattern will change remains to be seen in the Q4 performance. Cependant, Chunxue’s actions this year suggest an increased focus on its fresh products business.
The H1 report shows that Chunxue produced 66,000 tons of fresh chicken products in H1, en haut 35% année après année. En plus, Chunxue expressed optimism about the growth of fresh products, noting in its H1 report that as the structure of the main consumer population changes and people’s lifestyles improve, the market growth rate of fresh meat will gradually accelerate.
Although New Hope Group reported a loss in Q3 this year, its popular small crispy pork product continued to perform well.
In September alone, the sales of small crispy pork exceeded 140 millions de RMB. New Hope stated that the sales of small crispy pork are expected to exceed 1.4 billion RMB this year. En plus, its large intestine product has maintained stable monthly sales of 35-40 millions de RMB.
Shuanghui Development’s pre-prepared meal business also performed well, with sales exceeding 50,000 tons in the first three quarters of this year, an increase of over 80% année après année. The company plans to continue expanding its pre-prepared meal business.
Shuanghui Development revealed that it has established a professional R&D team and a team of chefs. Moving forward, the company plans to strengthen product development and market expansion in categories such as ready-to-eat dishes, semi-finished dishes, pre-cut ingredients, and convenient ready-to-eat meals.
Conclusion
Since the beginning of this year, the pre-prepared meal market has cooled down and is no longer as hot as it was in previous years. With the changing market environment, some companies have begun to adjust their business layouts. Cependant, there are still companies that choose to continue investing heavily in pre-prepared meals, especially those that have already reaped the benefits.
The Q3 reports show that while many pre-prepared meal-related companies turned a profit, net profit growth has slowed. As more players enter the market and competition intensifies, the era of wild growth and rough expansion in pre-prepared meals will eventually come to an end, and the industry’s barriers will gradually become apparent.
As the market expands, more players are entering the field, and favorable policies are continuously emerging, accelerating the transformation of the pharmaceutical O2O market.
Récemment, leading express delivery company SF Express officially entered the pharmaceutical O2O market. SF Express’s local delivery service has launched an integrated logistics solution for “Internet + Soins de santé,” covering two core medical consumption scenarios: pharmaceutical new retail and online hospitals. The aim is to enhance quality and efficiency through a multi-platform, full-link coverage model.
Instant delivery, as a crucial model for the pharmaceutical O2O sector, is a key focus for pharmacies in new retail. According to the latest data from Zhongkang CMH, the pharmaceutical O2O market grew by 32% from January to August 2023, with sales reaching 8 milliards de yuans. Platforms such as Meituan, Ele.moi, and JD dominate the market, while major listed chain pharmacies like Lao Baixing Pharmacy, Yifeng Pharmacy, and Yixin Tang continue to strengthen and optimize their online channels.
En même temps, policies are further accelerating the industry’s development. As reported on November 6, Shanghai has begun pilot programs for prescription medicine payments through food delivery platforms. Relevant departments in Shanghai have been in contact with Ele.me and Meituan, with dozens of pharmacies included in the pilot.
It is reported that in Shanghai, when ordering drugs with the “medical insurance payment” label through Meituan or Ele.me apps, the page will show that payment can be made from the personal electronic medical insurance card account. Actuellement, only some pharmacies with the “medical insurance payment” label accept medical insurance.
With the accelerated market growth, competition in the pharmaceutical O2O market is intensifying. As the largest third-party instant delivery platform in China, SF Express’s full entry will significantly impact the pharmaceutical O2O market.
Intensifying Competition
With Douyin and Kuaishou opening up to selling medicine and SF Express entering the pharmaceutical instant delivery market, the rapid development of pharmaceutical new retail is inevitably challenging traditional offline stores.
According to public information, SF Express’s newly launched pharmaceutical delivery solution covers the core medical consumption scenarios of pharmaceutical new retail and online hospitals.
From the perspective of pharmaceutical retail enterprises, SF Express’s local delivery service connects multiple systems, addressing the challenges of multi-channel operations. It adapts to operations across various platforms, including delivery platforms, in-store platforms, and pharmaceutical e-commerce platforms. The solution features a multi-capacity model with warehouse and delivery connections, assisting pharmacies in replenishment, inventory management, and eliminating intermediary steps to enhance efficiency.
Regarding the intensified competition in pharmaceutical logistics, a pharmaceutical distributor in South China told reporters that major pharmaceutical logistics companies such as Sinopharm Logistics, China Resources Pharmaceutical Logistics, Shanghai Pharmaceutical Logistics, and Jiuzhoutong Logistics still hold dominant positions. Cependant, the expansion of socialized logistics enterprises, especially those represented by SF Express and JD Logistics, cannot be ignored.
D'autre part, the increased involvement of large enterprises in pharmaceutical new retail is intensifying the survival pressure on all parties in the ecosystem. SF Express’s internet hospital services directly connect to online diagnostic platforms, offering a one-stop service for “online consultations + urgent medication delivery,” providing a more convenient and efficient healthcare experience.
The entry of giants like SF Express into the pharmaceutical O2O market is accelerating the shift of traditional pharmacies from a product-centric to a patient-centric operational model. When industry growth slows, focusing on customer traffic and value becomes crucial. A pharmacy operator in Guangdong said that while traditional chain pharmacies may face challenges, they are better equipped to handle them. Community pharmacies may face even greater impacts.
Crowded Market
Despite the accelerating online challenges, traditional pharmacies are actively responding. For the pharmaceutical retail industry, which requires ongoing development, the path for internet giants entering the market is not without obstacles.
En mars 2023, the State Council General Office forwarded the National Development and Reform Commission’s notice on “Measures to Restore and Expand Consumption,” emphasizing the vigorous development of “Internet + Healthcare” and optimizing various medical service facilities.
In addition to the continuous improvement of online processes, pharmaceutical delivery at the service end has become a key focus for optimization. According to the “China Retail Pharmacy O2O Development Report” released by Minet, it is estimated that by 2030, the scale of retail pharmacy O2O will account for 19.2% of the total market share, atteinte 144.4 milliards de yuans. A multinational pharmaceutical executive indicated that digital healthcare has immense potential for future development, and companies must determine how to use digital healthcare to provide more convenient services in the diagnosis and treatment process.
With digital transformation becoming a prevailing trend, full-channel layout has become a consensus among many retail pharmacies. Listed companies that entered O2O early have seen their O2O sales double in recent years. As the model matures, most retail pharmacies view O2O as an inevitable industry trend. Embracing digitalization helps businesses find new growth points in the supply chain, meet consumers’ immediate needs, and provide more precise health management services.
Pharmaceutical companies that have acted early and invested continuously have seen their O2O sales double in recent years, with companies like Yifeng, Lao Baixing, and Jianzhijia showing growth exceeding 200 millions de yuans. Yifeng Pharmacy’s 2022 financial report shows that it has more than 7,000 direct-operated O2O stores; Lao Baixing Pharmacy also had 7,876 O2O stores by the end of 2022.
Industry insiders point out that SF Express’s entry into the pharmaceutical O2O market is related to its current business situation. According to SF Holding’s Q3 earnings report, SF Holding’s revenue in Q3 was 64.646 milliards de yuans, with a net profit attributable to the parent company of 2.088 milliards de yuans, une augmentation en glissement annuel de 6.56%. Cependant, both revenue and net profit for the first three quarters and Q3 showed a year-on-year decline.
According to publicly available financial data, the decline in SF Express’s revenue is primarily attributed to supply chain and international business. Due to a continued decline in international air and sea freight demand and prices, business revenue decreased by 32.69% année après année.
Specifically, SF Express’s business consists mainly of express logistics and supply chain and international business. The revenue proportion of the express business has been decreasing over the past three years. Dans 2020, 2021, et 2022, the express business revenue accounted for 58.2%, 48.7%, et 39.5% of SF Express’s total revenue, respectivement. This ratio increased to 45.1% in the first half of this year.
As traditional express services’ profitability continues to erode and the express logistics industry enters a new stage of “value wars,” SF Express faces increasing performance pressure. In the midst of fierce competition, SF Express is exploring new growth opportunities.
Cependant, in the crowded pharmaceutical O2O instant delivery market, whether SF Express can capture market share from industry giants like Meituan and Ele.me remains uncertain. Industry insiders suggest that SF Express lacks advantages in traffic and pricing. Third-party platforms like Meituan and Ele.me have already cultivated consumer habits. “If SF Express can offer some subsidies on pricing, it might attract some merchants, but if it incurs long-term losses, such a business model will be hard to sustain.”
In addition to the aforementioned businesses, SF Express is also involved in cold chain logistics and live e-commerce, neither of which has exceeded 10% of its total operations. Both areas face strong competition from rivals like JD and Meituan, making SF Express’s path to success challenging.
In today’s competitive logistics industry, which has not yet reached its peak, business models are evolving. Traditional single services alone are no longer sufficient to maintain a competitive edge. To capture market share, companies need differentiated quality services. Whether logistics companies can capitalize on emerging new consumer trends to create new performance growth points is both an opportunity and a challenge.
Hunan Xuji Hotel Management Co., Ltée. (hereinafter referred to as “Xuji Seafood”) is a mid-to-high-end restaurant chain specializing in distinctive seafood, with a menu that also includes classic Hunan and Cantonese cuisine. Adhering to the principle of “eating in season, preserving freshness and original flavor,” Xuji Seafood only uses seasonal, frais, and healthy ingredients in its dishes. It is the top brand on the list of influential seafood restaurant brands in China.
Récemment, Xuji Seafood entered into a strategic partnership with Guangzhou Honghai Cloud Computing Co., Ltée. Honghai Cloud has extensive experience in digitalizing human resources management in the restaurant industry, having helped numerous restaurant enterprises such as Tasty, Xiabu Xiabu, Green Tea Restaurant, Jiumaojiu, Meet Noodles, and Tai Hing Catering Group achieve leading HR digital capabilities. Through this collaboration, Honghai Cloud will build an integrated digital HR management platform for Xuji Seafood, enabling closed-loop management of HR processes and leading the digital transformation of HR in the restaurant industry.
About Xuji Seafood
Fondée en 1999, Xuji Seafood opened its first restaurant in Changsha, established by its founder, M. Xu Guohua, who has a background in seafood supply. Xuji Seafood is committed to its mission of providing more people with the joy of healthy dining by offering higher value-for-money and fresher seafood. The company has established a management system where daily purchases match daily sales, and dishes are prepared and sold fresh. Xuji Seafood places a strong emphasis on sourcing certified raw materials from their places of origin and has implemented a stringent food safety system covering procurement, production, sales, et stockage.
Dès le départ, Xuji Seafood has focused on building a robust supply chain to ensure the quality and freshness of its seafood. The company has established its own air and sea logistics, as well as cold chain distribution, and has stationed employees at major domestic ports, as well as in Southeast Asia, Australia, North America, and Western Europe, to personally oversee seafood quality. Au fil des ans, Xuji Seafood has developed a strict selection standard and supply system for ingredients, product development, et ventes, creating its own unique cooking style in the high-end Chinese seafood dining sector, and leading the industry. Actuellement, Xuji Seafood operates more than 60 direct chain restaurants in cities like Changsha, Xi’an, Wuhan, Zhuzhou, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. It consistently ranks at the top of local food and restaurant review lists, earning widespread acclaim from diners across the country.
About Honghai Cloud
Honghai Cloud is a leading provider of next-generation integrated human resources management solutions in China, offering digital solutions that cover the full spectrum of HR functions, including organizational management, attendance, payroll, recruitment, and performance. Honghai Cloud owns full proprietary rights to its technology platform and is one of the few companies in China to deeply integrate process engines and big data engines into its HR management products. To date, sur 1,000 large and medium-sized enterprises have leveraged Honghai eHR to gain advanced digital HR management capabilities. Honghai Cloud has helped companies such as JNBY, By Creations, Meet Noodles, Jinmailang, China Electronics Technology Group, Action Education, Yiling Pharmaceutical, Poly Property, Delong Steel, and several institutes under China Railway, such as the First and Fourth Survey and Design Institutes, as well as Guangzhou Urban Planning Institute, to achieve digital transformation and upgrade their HR management systems.
En septembre 7, Chongqing Caishixian Supply Chain Development Co., Ltée.
saw workers operating in an orderly manner on the production line in a ready-meal processing workshop.
En octobre 13, the China Hotel Association released the “2023 Annual Report on China’s Catering Industry” at the 2023 China Catering Industry Brand Conference. The report noted that under the combined effects of market forces, policies, and standards, the ready-meal industry is entering a new phase of regulated development.
From upstream raw material supply in agriculture, animal husbandry, and fisheries, and processing machinery, to midstream production and manufacturing, and down to the cold chain logistics connecting catering and retail—the entire supply chain impacts the quality of the products. Catering enterprises like Xibei, Guangzhou Restaurant, and Haidilao have long-term experience in storefronts and advantages in product flavor development; specialized ready-meal manufacturers like Weizhixiang, Zhenwei Xiaomeiyuan, and Maizi Mom have achieved differentiated competition in some categories and have formed significant scale advantages; channel platform companies like Hema and Dingdong Maicai have advantages in consumer big data and can better understand consumer trends. The ready-meal sector is currently a hotbed of activity with many companies competing fiercely.
B2B and B2C “Dual-Engine Drive”
Opening a packet of ready-to-cook fish dumplings, users scan a QR code on an intelligent cooking device, which then displays the cooking time and counts down. Dans 3 minutes and 50 secondes, a steaming hot dish is ready to be served. At the Third Space Food Innovation Center at Qingdao North Station, ready-meals and intelligent devices have replaced the traditional manual kitchen model. Diners can self-select pre-packaged foods like family-style dumplings and shrimp wontons from the cold storage, with cooking devices precisely preparing the meals under algorithmic control, focusing on “intelligent” cooking.
These ready-meals and intelligent cooking devices come from Qingdao Vision Holdings Group Co., Ltée. “Different ingredients require different heating curves,” said Mou Wei, Chairman of Vision Group, to Liaowang Dongfang Weekly. The cooking heating curve for the fish dumplings was developed through multiple experiments to achieve the best taste.
“The degree of flavor restoration directly affects repurchase rates,” Mou Wei explained. Addressing the current issues of few popular ready-meals and product homogeneity, flavor restoration is a critical issue. Compared to traditional microwave or water bath reheated foods, new ready-meals produced with intelligent cooking devices maintain convenience while significantly improving flavor restoration, with stewed and braised dishes restoring up to 90% of the original taste.
“Intelligent cooking devices and digital operations not only enhance efficiency and experience but also drive innovation and evolution in the catering business model,” Mou Wei said. He believes that there is enormous catering demand in many non-catering scenarios such as scenic spots, hotels, exhibitions, convenience stores, service areas, gas stations, hospitals, stations, bookstores, and internet cafes, which align well with the convenient and fast attributes of ready-meals.
Fondée en 1997, Vision Group’s overall revenue grew by more than 30% year-on-year in the first half of 2023, with innovative business growth exceeding 200%, demonstrating a balanced development trend between B2B and B2C.
Internationally, Japanese ready-meal giants like Nichirei and Kobe Bussan exhibit characteristics of “originating from B2B and solidifying in B2C.” Industry experts point out that Chinese ready-meal companies have similarly risen in the B2B sector first, but given the changing global market environment, Chinese companies cannot afford to wait decades for the B2B sector to mature before developing the B2C sector. Plutôt, they need to pursue a “dual-engine drive” approach in both B2B and B2C.
A representative from Charoen Pokphand Group’s food retail division told Liaowang Dongfang Weekly: “Previously, ready-meals were mostly B2B businesses. We have over 20 usines en Chine. B2C and B2B channels and meal scenarios are different, requiring many changes in the business.”
“Firstly, regarding branding, Charoen Pokphand Group did not continue with the ‘Charoen Pokphand Foods’ brand but launched a new brand ‘Charoen Chef,’ aligning brand and category positioning with user experience. After entering the home consumption scene, ready-meals need more precise categorization into meal categories like side dishes, premium dishes, and main courses, further divided into appetizers, soups, main courses, and desserts to build product lines based on these categories,” the representative said.
To attract B2C consumers, many companies are striving to create popular products.
A company in Shandong specializing in ready-meals began building its own factory in 2022 after years of development. “The quality of OEM factories is inconsistent. To provide more stable and reliable ready-meals, we built our own factory,” said the company’s representative. The company has a popular product in the market—signature fish fillets. “From selecting black fish as raw material to developing boneless fish meat and adjusting the taste to meet consumer satisfaction, we have repeatedly tried and adjusted this product.”
The company is currently setting up a research and development center in Chengdu to prepare for developing spicy and aromatic ready-meals favored by young people.
Consumer-Driven Production
The “production base + cuisine centrale + logistique de la chaîne du froid + catering outlets” model mentioned in the National Development and Reform Commission’s “Measures for Restoring and Expanding Consumption” is a clear description of the ready-meal industry’s structure. The last three elements are key components connecting production bases with end consumers.
In April 2023, Hema announced the establishment of its ready-meal department. En mai, Hema partnered with Shanghai Aisen Meat Food Co., Ltée. to launch a series of fresh ready-meals featuring pork kidneys and liver. To ensure ingredient freshness, these products are processed and stored within 24 hours from raw material entry to finished product warehousing. Within three months of launch, the “offal” series of ready-meals saw a 20% month-on-month sales increase.
Producing “offal” type ready-meals requires strict freshness requirements. “Our fresh ready-meals are usually sold within one day. Protein ingredient pre-processing has the highest time requirements,” said Chen Huifang, General Manager of Hema’s ready-meal department, to Liaowang Dongfang Weekly. “Because our products have a short shelf life, the factory radius cannot exceed 300 kilometers. Hema workshops are localized, so there are many supporting factories nationwide. We are exploring a new supply model centered on consumer demand, with a focus on both independent development and collaborative creation with suppliers.”
The problem of de-smelling freshwater fish in ready-meals is also a challenge in the production process. Hema, He’s Seafood, and Foshan University of Science and Technology have jointly developed a temporary storage system that successfully removes the fishy smell from freshwater fish, resulting in a more tender texture and no fishy taste after processing and home cooking.
Cold Chain Logistics is Key
Ready-meals start racing against time as soon as they leave the factory. Selon San Ming, General Manager of JD Logistics Public Business Department, sur 95% of ready-meals require cold chain transportation. Depuis 2020, China’s cold chain logistics industry has experienced a growth rate exceeding 60%, reaching an unprecedented peak.
Some ready-meal companies build their own cold storage and cold chain logistics, while others opt to collaborate with third-party logistics companies. Many logistics and logistics equipment manufacturers have introduced specialized solutions for ready-meals.
On February 24, 2022, staff at a ready-meal company in Liuyang City’s provincial agricultural science and technology park moved ready-meal products in a cold storage facility (Chen Zeguang/Photo).
En août 2022, SF Express announced that it would provide solutions for the ready-meal industry, including trunk line transportation, cold chain warehousing services, livraison expresse, and same-city delivery. À la fin de 2022, Gree announced a 50 million yuan investment to establish a ready-meal equipment manufacturing company, providing cold chain equipment for the logistics segment. The new company will produce over a hundred specifications of products to enhance efficiency in logistics handling, entrepôts, and packaging during ready-meal production.
In early 2022, JD Logistics established a ready-meal department focusing on two service targets: cuisines centrales (B2B) and ready-meals (B2C), creating a large-scale and segmented layout.
“The biggest problem with cold chain logistics is cost. Compared to ordinary logistics, cold chain costs are 40%-60% higher. Increased transportation costs lead to product price inflation. Par exemple, a box of sauerkraut fish might cost only a few yuan to produce, but long-distance cold chain delivery adds several yuan, resulting in a retail price of 30-40 yuan at supermarkets,” a ready-meal production company representative told Liaowang Dongfang Weekly. “To expand the ready-meal market, a broader cold chain transportation system is needed. As more specialized and large-scale participants enter the market, cold chain costs are expected to decrease further. When cold chain logistics reach a level as developed as in Japan, the domestic ready-meal industry will advance to a new stage, bringing us closer to the goal of ‘delicious and affordable.’”
Towards “Chain Development”
Cheng Li, Vice Dean of the School of Food Science and Engineering at Jiangnan University, said that the ready-meal industry involves all upstream and downstream segments of the food sector and integrates almost all key technologies in the food industry.
“The standardized and regulated development of the ready-meal industry relies on close cooperation between universities, entreprise, and regulatory agencies. Only through industry-wide collaboration and effort can the ready-meal industry achieve healthy and sustainable development,” said Professor Qian He from Jiang
Il est largement connu que l'objectif principal de la plupart des entreprises aujourd'hui est simplement de survivre. Selon 2022 données, the market size of China’s fresh food front warehouse sector reached 200 milliards de RMB, with an annual growth rate of 25%.
Within this vast market, Meituan Maicai has captured a 7% share and is showing steady expansion.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and economic pressures, Meituan Maicai has maintained its presence in eight major cities: Pékin, Langfang, Shanghai, Suzhou, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Foshan, and Wuhan.
These cities are not only economically prosperous but also have immense consumer potential, comptabilité 40% of the nation’s fresh food consumption in 2022.
Amidst the fierce competition in today’s retail market, Meituan Maicai’s latest strategic moves have garnered widespread attention within the industry.
Notamment, the appointment of Zhang Jing as Vice President of Meituan, and the subsequent expansion into the Hangzhou market, mark a significant step in the company’s new phase of strategic implementation. This move represents not just geographic expansion, but also a bold demonstration of its business model and competitive strength.
Meituan Maicai’s strategy emphasizes deep cultivation and meticulous execution. Instead of pursuing blind expansion, they focus on ensuring service quality and market share stability in each region.
This approach is particularly wise during a capital winter when many internet companies have faced setbacks due to aggressive expansion. Meituan Maicai, d'autre part, has maintained healthy growth through its steady progress.
Entre-temps, although competitors like Dingdong Maicai and Pupu Supermarket are also expanding rapidly, Meituan Maicai holds an advantage in user retention and repeat purchase rates.
Data shows that Dingdong Maicai and Pupu Supermarket have market shares of 5% et 3%, respectivement. Cependant, in terms of user satisfaction and brand loyalty, Meituan Maicai stands out.
The success of the Shenzhen team exemplifies Meituan Maicai’s strategy, with the team leading the Shenzhen market to achieve a 30% growth rate for three consecutive quarters—a remarkable achievement for any retail brand.
Reevaluating the Fresh Food E-commerce Industry
Au cours des dernières années, the fresh food e-commerce industry has operated under a cash-burning, land-grabbing model. Once subsidies are reduced, users tend to revert to traditional channels like offline supermarkets, posing a significant challenge for fresh food e-commerce profitability.
Cependant, with changes in lifestyle and consumption patterns, the fresh food e-commerce industry is resurging as consumers increasingly seek high-quality living.
D'abord, market standardization has rendered price wars ineffective
Since the end of 2020, the State Administration for Market Regulation, in conjunction with the Ministry of Commerce, has issued regulations on community group buying, strictly regulating behaviors such as low-price dumping, price collusion, price gouging, and price fraud. The days of “1-cent vegetables” and “below-cost pricing” have gradually disappeared.
Deuxième, consumers are increasingly pursuing high-quality living
As lifestyles and consumption patterns evolve, consumers are prioritizing convenience, santé, et durabilité environnementale, leading to the rapid rise of fresh food e-commerce.
For consumers pursuing a high-quality lifestyle, there is a growing emphasis on the quality and safety of food ingredients, with increasing demands for daily dietary needs.
Fresh food e-commerce platforms must organically combine online and offline experiences, focusing on consumer experience and product quality to stand out in the competition.
Maintenant, industry giants are taking action. As large platforms, they possess stronger credibility and attract more premium supply sources. Moving forward, with more investment in fulfillment capabilities, high-quality products and services will elevate fresh food e-commerce to the next level.
From an industry perspective, only by moving towards a stage of healthy competition can fresh food e-commerce continue to grow. By refining business strategies and focusing on product quality and user experience, the story of fresh food e-commerce will continue to unfold.
Hema Fresh a rejoint JD.com, lancement d'un omnichanHema Fresh, en tant que nouvelle plateforme de vente au détail d'Alibaba, a toujours séduit les consommateurs avec son modèle en autogestion et ses produits frais de qualité. Cette année, pendant le festival du shopping Double Eleven, Hema Fresh franchit une nouvelle étape en lançant officiellement sa stratégie omnicanal.
L’entrée d’Hema Fresh sur JD.com représente une innovation significative dans sa stratégie de développement. Il s’agit du premier magasin Hema sur une plateforme de commerce électronique en dehors du groupe Alibaba et est également le premier magasin phare de JD.com pour une marque de produits frais..
Le magasin phare officiel de Hema vend principalement des produits de sa propre marque « Hema MAX ».,» y compris des catégories comme les collations, fruits et légumes, viande et fruits de mer, produits laitiers et boissons, céréales et produits séchés, suppléments de santé, liqueurs nationales et internationales de renom, et articles ménagers. Pour la livraison, Hema utilise principalement des services de messagerie et met l'accent sur l'efficacité de la livraison. Dans la plupart des cas, les commandes passées sur Hema peuvent être livrées le lendemain. Cependant, lors de promotions importantes avec des volumes de commandes accrus, le délai de livraison peut être prolongé. En plus du magasin phare, Hema a également lancé des magasins hors ligne dans la section « Livraison en une heure » de JD., livraison prometteuse dans les 1.5 heures et livraison de base gratuite pour les commandes supérieures à 49 yuan. L'entrée de Hema sur JD.com offre plus de choix de produits aux utilisateurs de JD et améliore la diversité et la qualité des produits sur la plateforme..
Cette décision d'Hema reflète sa stratégie de développement d'opérations globales, catégories de produits complètes, et expansion omnicanal. Hema innove continuellement dans les formats commerciaux et les catégories de produits avec des modèles comme Hema Fresh, Magasins membres Hema X, et Hema Mini, tout en recherchant davantage d'opportunités de collaboration dans les canaux. Outre JD.com, Hema a ouvert des magasins sur des plateformes comme WeChat et Douyin, élargir ses canaux de vente. Hema vise à créer une plateforme globale de services de style de vie pour répondre aux divers besoins des consommateurs..
La coopération multiplateforme d’Hema a attiré l’attention de l’industrie. D'une part, Hema et JD.com sont des concurrents, en particulier dans le secteur du commerce électronique de produits frais, où JD Daojia et Hema Fresh sont des acteurs clés. D'autre part, il y a de la place pour une collaboration entre eux. JD.com, en tant que plateforme de commerce électronique autonome et réputée en Chine, a une solide base d’utilisateurs; tandis qu'Héma, en tant que leader du nouveau commerce de détail, propose des produits frais de haute qualité et des marques indépendantes. Leur coopération peut conduire à une complémentarité des ressources et à un échange d’avantages. L'entrée de Hema dans JD.com apporte également plus de trafic et de revenus à JD., améliorer son image de marque et son expérience utilisateur.
L’entrée de Hema Fresh dans JD.com représente une transformation significative dans le domaine du commerce électronique de produits frais et une exploration précieuse dans le nouveau secteur de la vente au détail.. Cette collaboration multiplateforme offre non seulement aux consommateurs plus d'options d'achat, mais apporte également plus d'innovation au secteur de la vente au détail de produits frais.. Le développement futur d’Hema Fresh mérite d’être attendu.
As the first seafood distribution cold chain logistics project in our city, the first phase of the Jiayuguan Shunheng Smart Cold Chain Logistics Park is currently nearing completion. Once completed, the project will establish a distribution system with Jiayuguan City as the logistics hub, covering the provinces of Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinjiang. This will enable the people in the Northwest region to enjoy high-quality seafood products.
The Jiayuguan Shunheng Smart Cold Chain Logistics Park project has a total investment of 250 millions de RMB, covering a total area of 78,325 square meters with a building area of 27,509.85 mètres carrés. The project is being constructed in two phases. The cold chain smart logistics park construction project includes a live seafood holding center, four trading centers, and two seafood preservation warehouses. The live seafood holding center can temporarily house seafood such as abalone and lobster from coastal cities and distribute them through a visual ecological distribution system. The trading center can accommodate over a hundred merchants for transactions, expanding sales networks both locally and in other provinces. The seafood preservation warehouses can store 80,000 tons of chilled and frozen seafood, providing ample supply and strong support for market demand. The project is centered around the Rongcheng Marine Aquaculture Industry Distribution Hub in Shandong and uses the Fujian Distribution Operation Center as a fulcrum, connecting key cold chain logistics bases in Xining, Lanzhou, and Urumqi. It aims to explore the establishment of a seafood trading platform and marine economy industry chain in the Northwest region.
Guo Xianwei, General Manager of Jiayuguan Shunheng Cold Chain Development Co., Ltd., stated that Jiayuguan Shunheng Cold Chain Fu Yu Seafood, leveraging the resources of Fujian Shunheng and Shandong Shunheng, will deliver fresh seafood from coastal cities to the Hexi Corridor area. With Jiayuguan as the center, seafood will be distributed across Gansu, Xinjiang, and Qinghai provinces, allowing people in the Northwest to enjoy fresh, high-quality seafood. En plus, return cold chain vehicles can transport local agricultural products such as onions and peppers from Jiayuguan to eastern coastal cities.
Upon completion and full operation, the project is expected to generate an annual sales revenue of over 80 millions de RMB, comprehensively enhancing the supporting services for the seafood industry in the Northwest region.