Menu Insights - China - September 2014

INTRODUCTION
In this report we answer the key questions:
Definition and report coverage
Methodology
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Market drivers, trends, innovations
Healthy grains and oats are gaining traction
Experiential consumption
The consumer
Upscale taste
Figure 1: Eating at different venues, July 2014
Strong flavoured dishes are hard to replicate in home cooking
Figure 2: Interest in food preparation methods, July 2014
Proud of local culture and specialities
Figure 3: Interest in Chinese cuisines, July 2014
Interest in affordable global culinary
Figure 4: Interest in international cuisines, July 2014
Target groups overview
Figure 5: Target groups, July 2014
Customisation leads to more healthy dining
Figure 6: Factors influencing purchase decision in restaurants, July 2014
Exclusiveness
Figure 7: Attitudes towards eating habit, July 2014
Glossary of goodness and the right nutrition for different period
Figure 8: Interest in benefits from daily diet, July 2014
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Original and uniqueness gives ethnic foodservice operators an edge
The facts
The implications
Light portions, light flavours and veggies to feed the demand of sophisticated Chinese women
The facts
The implications
How to target Chinese men as rising causal diners
The facts
The implications
Farm to table trend and seasonal elements for wealthier diners
The facts
The implications
TREND APPLICATIONS
Trend: Guiding Choice
Trend: Make it Mine
Trend: The Big Issue
MARKET DRIVERS, TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS
Key points
Overview of current restaurant trends in China
Western-style
Chinese-style
Asian-style
Burger and pizza trends – the rise of artisan restaurants
The modern hypothesis: Rainbow clan (balanced lifestyle)
Healthy grains and oats are gaining traction
Attractive health food labels (with functional and nutritional benefits)
Moving towards fragmentation and character-driven
Eco-friendly marketing and sustainable lifestyle elements to re-energise foodservice image
Seasonable ingredients for menu innovation - farm to table trend
Fusion trend – East meets West
Fashion brands crossover
O2O (online to offline) development
Digital marketing strategies
Experiential consumption
THE CONSUMER – EATING AT DIFFERENT VENUES
Key points
Upscale taste
Figure 9: Eating at different venues, July 2014
Chinese-style for men, foreign-style for women
Figure 10: Eating at different venues – Fine dining, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 11: Eating at different venues – Other restaurants, by demographics, July 2014
Nutritious, delicious and fast
Figure 12: Eating at different venues – casual dining, by monthly personal and household income, July 2014
THE CONSUMER – INTEREST IN FOOD PREPARATION METHODS
Key points
Strong flavoured dishes are hard to replicate in home cooking
Figure 13: Interest in food preparation methods, July 2014
Figure 14: Next most popular interest in food preparation method – Eating out, by gender and age, July 2014
Figure 15: Agreement with the statement ‘Dishes with strong flavours that are seldom cooked at home are more worthy of ordering when eating out’, by monthly personal incomes, July 2014
Steamed and boiled dishes make the affluent and parents tick
Figure 16: Interest in steamed and boiled preparation methods, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 17: Interest in steamed preparation methods, by city, July 2014
Popularity of coffee shops made baked goods peak among women
Figure 18: Interest in baked preparation methods and eating at different venues – coffee shops, by gender and age, July 2014
THE CONSUMER – INTEREST IN CHINESE CUISINES
Key points
Proud of local culture and specialities
Figure 19: Interest in Chinese cuisines, July 2014
Figure 20: Most popular interest in Chinese cuisines – Rank 1, by demographics, July 2014
Fusion elements to gain local acceptance
Does fish outweigh meat and poultry?
Cantonese culinary – a mix of Western and oriental taste
Figure 21: Interest in benefits from daily diet, by interest in Chinese cuisines, and interest in benefits from daily diet, July 2014
The problems of Vegetarian dishes
Figure 22: Interest in benefits from daily diet, by interest in Chinese cuisines, and Factors influencing purchase decision in restaurants, July 2014
THE CONSUMER – INTEREST IN INTERNATIONAL CUISINES
Key points
Interest in affordable global culinary
Figure 23: Interest in international cuisines, July 2014
Japanese cuisines and the Korean influence
Figure 24: Interest in international cuisines – Asian cuisines, by demographics, July 2014
How do European cuisines roll out in tier two and three cities?
Figure 25: Interest in international cuisines – Italian, Spanish, German, by demographics, July 2014
Time for Greek, Spanish and Vietnamese eateries
Figure 26: Interest in international cuisines – Greek, Spanish, Vietnamese, by gender and age, July 2014
American cuisine – Brazilian and Mexican roll out in street food format
Figure 27: Interest in international cuisines – Brazilian and Mexican, by demographics, July 2014
THE CONSUMER – TARGET GROUPS OVERVIEW
Figure 28: Target groups, by demographics, July 2014
Traditional Eaters
Rising Casual Diners
Adventurous Foodies
Affluent Class
THE CONSUMER – FACTORS INFLUENCING PURCHASE DECISION IN RESTAURANTS
Key points
Customisation leads to more healthy dining
Figure 29: Factors influencing purchase decision in restaurants, July 2014
Mix and match creates sophisticated flavours for Adventurous Foodies
Figure 30: Factors influencing purchase decision in restaurants, by target groups, July 2014
Seasonal for the affluent
Men need more guidance on food choices
THE CONSUMER – ATTITUDE TOWARDS EATING HABIT
Key points
Exclusiveness
Figure 31: Attitudes towards eating habit, July 2014
Figure 32: Agreement with the statement “dishes with authentic/traditional flavour taste better than fusion food (eg Pad Thai made with Italian noodles) by monthly personal income, July 2014
Less is more
Figure 33: Agreement with the statement “Ordering dishes with smaller portions (eg a smaller set meal set, main course of half portion) is better for the health, by gender and age, July 2014
Figure 34: Attitudes towards eating habit, by target groups, July 2014
Digital platforms engage with dining experience
Figure 35: Attitudes towards eating habit, by gender and age, July 2014
THE CONSUMER – INTEREST IN BENEFITS FROM DAILY DIET
Key points
Glossary of goodness and the right nutrition for different period
Figure 36: Interest in benefits from daily diet, July 2014
Skincare and beauty matters
Figure 37: Interest in benefits from daily diet, by target groups, July 2014
Figure 38: Interest in benefits from daily diet, by target groups, July 2014
Catering for men
Figure 39: Interest in benefits from daily diet, by gender and age, July 2014
APPENDIX – THE CONSUMER – DINING HABITS
Figure 40: Eating at different venues, July 2014
Figure 41: Eating at different venues – Casual dining, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 42: Eating at different venues – Fine dining, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 43: Eating at different venues – Other restaurants, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 44: Eating at different venues – Other situation, by demographics, July 2014
APPENDIX – THE CONSUMER – EATING HABITS
Figure 45: Interest in food preparation methods, July 2014
Figure 46: Most popular interest in food preparation method – Eating out, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 47: Next most popular interest in food preparation method – Eating out, by demographics, July 2014
APPENDIX – THE CONSUMER – DINING HABITS
Figure 48: Interest in Chinese cuisines, July 2014
Figure 49: Most popular interest in Chinese cuisines – Rank 1, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 50: Next most popular interest in Chinese cuisines – Rank 1, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 51: Most popular interest in Chinese cuisines – Rank 2, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 52: Next most popular interest in Chinese cuisines – Rank 2, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 53: Most popular interest in Chinese cuisines – Rank 3, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 54: Next most popular interest in Chinese cuisines – Rank 3, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 55: Interest in benefits from daily diet, by interest in Chinese cuisines – Rank 1, July 2014
Figure 56: Interest in benefits from daily diet, by most popular interest in Chinese cuisines – Rank 2, July 2014
Figure 57: Interest in benefits from daily diet, by next most popular interest in Chinese cuisines – Rank 2, July 2014
Figure 58: Interest in benefits from daily diet, by most popular interest in Chinese cuisines – Rank 3, July 2014
Figure 59: Interest in benefits from daily diet, by next most popular interest in Chinese cuisines – Rank 3, July 2014
APPENDIX – THE CONSUMER – DINING HABITS
Figure 60: Interest in international cuisines, July 2014
Figure 61: Interest in international cuisines – Asian and African, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 62: Interest in international cuisines – Japanese, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 63: Interest in international cuisines – Korean, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 64: Interest in international cuisines – Thai, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 65: Interest in international cuisines – Vietnamese, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 66: Interest in international cuisines – Indian, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 67: Interest in international cuisines – Turkish, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 68: Interest in international cuisines – European, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 69: Interest in international cuisines – Italian, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 70: Interest in international cuisines – Spanish, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 71: Interest in international cuisines – Greek, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 72: Interest in international cuisines – French, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 73: Interest in international cuisines – German, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 74: Interest in international cuisines – American, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 75: Interest in international cuisines – Mexican, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 76: Interest in international cuisines – Brazilian, by demographics, July 2014
APPENDIX – THE CONSUMER – ATTITUDES TOWARDS DAILY DIET
Figure 77: Interest in benefits from daily diet, July 2014
Figure 78: Most popular interest in benefits from daily diet – Functional benefits, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 79: Next most popular interest in benefits from daily diet – Functional benefits, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 80: Interest in benefits from daily diet – Nutritional benefits, by demographics, July 2014
APPENDIX – THE CONSUMER – FACTORS INFLUENCING PURCHASE DECISION IN RESTAURANTS
Figure 81: Factors influencing purchase decision in restaurants, July 2014
Figure 82: Most popular factors influencing purchase decision in restaurants, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 83: Next most popular factors influencing purchase decision in restaurants, by demographics, July 2014
APPENDIX – THE CONSUMER – ATTITUDES TOWARDS EATING HABITS
Figure 84: Attitudes towards eating habit, July 2014
Figure 85: Agreement with the statement ‘Health benefits of the dishes are the top priority when considering what to order’, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 86: Agreement with the statement ‘The calorie content of food is more important than flavours when ordering dishes’, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 87: Agreement with the statement ‘Ordering dishes with smaller portions is better for the health’, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 88: Agreement with the statement ‘Sharing my dining experiences is an enjoyable thing’, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 89: Agreement with the statement ‘Spending time in planning a meal out is worthwhile’, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 90: Agreement with the statement ‘Restaurants offering exclusive recipes/dishes are appealing to me’, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 91: Agreement with the statement ‘Recommendations from people I know is an important information source when deciding where to eat out’, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 92: Agreement with the statement ‘Appealing special offers from a restaurant can encourage me to revisit’, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 93: Agreement with the statement ‘Eating out is more convenient than cooking at home’, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 94: Agreement with the statement ‘Compared to having a separate serving, sharing dishes is a good way to try a wider variety of flavours’, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 95: Agreement with the statement ‘Dishes with authentic/traditional flavour taste better than fusion food’, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 96: Agreement with the statement ‘Dishes with strong flavours that are seldom cooked at home are more worthy of ordering when eating out’, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 97: Agreement with the statement ‘Online restaurant reviews/recommendations are not reliable’, by demographics, July 2014
APPENDIX – FURTHER ANALYSIS
Figure 98: Target groups, July 2014
Figure 99: Target groups, by demographics, July 2014
Figure 100: Eating at different venues, by target groups, July 2014
Figure 101: Interest in food preparation method-eating out, by target groups, July 2014
Figure 102: Interest in international cuisines, by target groups, July 2014
Figure 103: Interest in benefits from daily diet, by target groups, July 2014
Figure 104: Factors influencing purchase decision in restaurants, by target groups, July 2014
Figure 105: Attitudes towards eating habit, by target groups, July 2014