Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market experiences strong stimulation and maintains low-level growth
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- Figure 1: Best- and worst-case forecast for sales value of instant noodles, China, 2014-2024
- Figure 2: Market segmentation of instant foods by value share, China, 2019
- New technologies drive future growth
- Companies and brands
- Leading instant noodle brands lose market share to innovative entrants
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- Figure 3: Leading companies of instant noodles, by value share 2018-2019
- Figure 4: Leading companies of instant noodles, by volume share 2018-2019
- Self-heating foods market consolidates and highlights importance of brand power
- Improved functionality and safety in instant foods
- The consumer
- High-frequency consumers tend to be high earners or parents
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- Figure 5: Consumption frequency of instant foods, December 2019
- Instant noodle consumers sensitive to regional flavours
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- Figure 6: Flavour preference of instant noodles, December 2019
- Instant noodles are versatile while self-heating rice is popular during lunch and hotpot during dinner
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- Figure 7: Consumption occasion, by category, December 2019
- Online platforms attract frequent and educated users
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- Figure 8: Purchase channel of instant foods, December 2019
- Self-heating food companies may differentiate with exotic flavours, fresh meat/seafood, and healthy meals to engage disloyal customers
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- Figure 9: Brand penetration of self-heating foods, by gender, December 2019
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- Figure 10: Must-have ingredients in self-heating foods, by gender, December 2019
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Turn convenience stores’ service into product advantages
- The facts
- The implications
- Develop healthier versions for the late night snacking occasion
- The facts
- The implications
- Develop exotic featured flavours to drive popularity of self-heating rice
- The facts
- The implications
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- Figure 11: Circus Bento Japanese Curry Beef, China, 2019
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- Figure 12: Japanese self-heating bento boxes
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Market sees healthy rebound and steady projection
- Self-heating foods gain market share with high-velocity growth
- Technology drives price point
- Coronavirus: an unexpected catalyst
Market Size and Forecast
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- Healthy rebound after dip in instant noodles
- Rosy projections for the future
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- Figure 13: Best- and worst-case forecast for sales value of instant noodles, China, 2014-2024
Market Drivers
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- Adoption of more product formats drives robust market growth
- Local cuisines utilise new channel to extend their influence
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- Figure 14: Haohuanluo x NetEase Music advertisement
- Technological improvements bring more possibilities
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- Figure 15: Nissin All-In Noodles, Japan, October 2019
- Increased acceptance of high price
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- Figure 16: Peyoung Chow Mein with Gold Powder, Japan, May 2019
Market Segmentation
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- Instant noodles
- Self-heating hotpot
- Self-heating rice
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- Figure 17: Total value segmentation of instant foods by value share, China, 2018-2019(E)
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Instant noodles leaders lose market share
- Self-heating market consolidates with strong brand power
- Innovation in health revolution
Market Share
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- Instant noodles: leadership is unshakable but players lose share
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- Figure 18: Leading companies of instant noodles, by value share 2018-2019
- Figure 19: Leading companies of instant noodles, by volume share 2018-2019
- Tingyi secures position with introduction of high-end products
- Uni-President continues premiumisation strategy
- Jinmailang recreates fresh handmade noodles in instant noodles
- Self-heating foods: brand loyalty establishes leadership
- Haidilao’s unwavering leadership in self-heating industry; Uni-President is frontrunner in self-heating rice
- Zihaiguo and Moxiaoxian emerge as dark horses
- Sanquan
Competitive Strategies
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- Sponsorship of trending TV shows
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- Figure 20: Examples of Zihaiguo’s TV sponsorships
- Limited-edition offers featuring cartoon characters
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- Figure 21: Nissin Gudetama Chow Mein Noodles, Japan, November 2019
- Figure 22: Limited-edition Ramen Talk collaborations
- Strong IP image to create dialogue with young users
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- Figure 23: Examples of Zihaiguo self-heating products
- Figure 24: Shizuren advertisement
- Partnering with authoritative organisations for healthy image
Who’s Innovating?
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- Instant noodles continue on health revolution
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- Figure 25: Average nutritional value of new instant noodle product launches, china 2015-2019
- Health benefits in instant noodles
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- Figure 26: Advertisement of Peyoung ScalpD hair loss ramen
- Figure 27: Acecook Mi Samurai pork ribs flavoured instant noodles, Vietnam, 2019
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- Figure 28: Ramen Talk x 999 collaboration, China, 2020
- Nutritious yet sustainable noodles
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- Figure 29: Trident Seafood Protein Noodles, USA, 2019
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- Figure 30: NamZ NoodleZ, Singapore, 2019
- Exotic flavours in self-heating foods
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- Figure 31: Uni-President Tom Yum Kung Self-heating Hotpot, China, 2019
- Utilising self-heating technology to upgrade instant noodles
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- Figure 32: Zishan Yihua Ramen, China 2018
- Inspirations for safer heating mechanisms
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- Figure 33: Self-heating ekiben
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- Figure 34: 42 Degrees Company Self-Heats Coffee, USA
- Figure 35: HeatGen self-heating can, USA
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Self-heating rice for lunch and hotpot for dinner
- Online platforms attract heavy users and educated consumers
- Low brand loyalty in self-heating foods due to homogeneity
Consumption Frequency
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- Regional cuisine drives heavy consumption of instant foods
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- Figure 36: Consumption frequency of instant foods, December 2019
- Young females develop interest in instant foods
- Busy careers and families lead to frequent consumption
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- Figure 37: Consumption frequency of instant foods, heavy users, by family structure, December 2019
- Figure 38: Mild Beef Flavoured Instant Noodles, Brazil, 2019
Flavour Preference in Instant Noodles
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- Red meat leads, sweet and sour vegetables follow
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- Figure 39: Flavour preference of instant noodles, December 2019
- Noodles target regional flavour preferences
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- Figure 40: Flavour preference of instant noodles, select flavours, by region, December 2019
Consumption Occasion
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- Variety in instant noodles attract heavy users for breakfast
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- Figure 41: Consumption occasion, by category, December 2019
- Gender influences on consumption occasion
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- Figure 42: Consumption occasion of instant noodles, by gender, December 2019
- Figure 43: MissZero Protein Noodle, China, 2019
- Satiating quality of rice makes it an ideal meal replacement
- Self-heating hotpot: an indulgent dinner
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- Figure 44: Consumption occasion of self-heating hotpot, by user classification, December 2019
Purchase Channels
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- Convenience of online platforms attract heavy users
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- Figure 45: Purchase channel of instant foods, December 2019
- Young females have stronger brand connection
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- Figure 46: Purchase channel of instant foods, select channels, select gender and age, December 2019
- Online platforms attract highly educated users
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- Figure 47: Purchase channel of instant foods, select channels, by education level, December 2019
Brand Penetration of Self-heating Foods
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- Category leaders emerging
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- Figure 48: Brand penetration of self-heating foods, by gender, December 2019
- Low differentiation and product choice in self-heating foods lead to low loyalty
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- Figure 49: Brand penetration of self-heating foods, by brand users, December 2019
The Ideal Self-heating Meal
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- Meat for males, vegetarian for females
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- Figure 50: Must-have ingredients in self-heating foods, by gender, December 2019
- Premiumisation with seafood
Meet the Mintropolitans
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- MinTs are heavy users of instant noodles
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- Figure 51: Flavour preference of instant noodles, by consumer classification, December 2019
- MinTs sample the self-heating market more widely
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- Figure 52: Brand penetration of self-heating foods, by consumer classification, December 2019
- Busy careers lead to instant foods for lunch
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- Figure 53: Consumption occasion, as lunch, by category, by consumer classification, December 2019
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 54: Total market value of instant Noodles, China, 2014-2024
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Appendix – Market Segmentation
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- Figure 55: Value segmentation of instant foods, China, 2018-2019
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Appendix – Methodology and Abbreviations
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- Methodology
- Fan chart forecast
- Abbreviations
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