China Meal Replacements Market Report 2021
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Report Summary
“An increasing overweight population and the growing prevalence of health issues create opportunities for functional meal replacements which can help consumers manage weight as well as health issues in light of increasing health awareness. With a high priority on healthy eating after the COVID-19 outbreak, meal replacements also have the opportunity to fit into daily consumption by creating more flexibility and providing more varieties in the form of modernised solutions that go beyond serving functional purposes.”
– Roolee Lu, Senior Research Analyst
This report covers the following issues:
- Latest new product trends and noteworthy marketing activities
- Product penetration and consumption interest
- Purchase journey and implications on information channel choices
- Consumption purpose across different consumer groups and desired attributes
- Major barriers to further increase consumption
Table of Contents
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Key Issues covered in this report
- Covered in this report
- Excluded
- Definition
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- The market
- Companies and brands
- The consumer
- Oatmeal is the most penetrated product type while milkshake powder is still niche
- Figure 1: Meal replacement consumption, 2021
- Supplementing nutrition outperforms replacing main meals
- Figure 2: Consumption purpose, 2021
- Healthy ingredients can also deliver tasty flavours
- Figure 3: Choice factor, 2021
- Utilise rising short video platforms to popularise new products
- Figure 4: Information channel, by purchase behaviour, 2021
- Balanced nutrition should be the communication focus
- Figure 5: Desired features/services, 2021
- Consumer education needed to convince consumers of effectiveness
- Figure 6: Consumption barriers, 2021
- What we think
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Issues and Insights
- Renovate traditional meal replacements to fit into daily consumption
- The facts
- The implications
- Figure 7: belVita light meal recipe, China, 2021
- Figure 8: Earlybirds This is a snack., UK, 2019
- Create more flexibility under healthy eating trends
- The facts
- The implications
- Figure 9: MISSZERO 14-day calorie control plan, China, 2021
- Figure 10: Product examples of sauces, seasonings and spreads from SharkFit, China, 2021
- Provide a customised solution rather than a single product
- The facts
- The implications
- Figure 11: Smeal’s meal replacement plans designed for different purposes, China, 2021
- Figure 12: Personalised Co. Personalised Protein, UK, 2021
- Renovate traditional meal replacements to fit into daily consumption
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The Market – Market Factors
- Growing importance of healthy eating in the post-COVID-19 period
- Figure 13: Change of life priorities – higher priority, 2020
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- Figure 14: Product examples of Tian Yuan Zhu Yi, China, 2021
- Opportunities under the rise of exercising and fitness occasions
- Figure 15: Top 3 leisure spending priorities after COVID-19, 2020
- Increasing overweight rates in China result in weight management solutions
- Standardisation under the first group standard for meal replacements
- Figure 16: Product page of Quaker Smart Calories, China, 2021
- Capital heats up the market
- Growing importance of healthy eating in the post-COVID-19 period
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Key Players – Marketing Activities
- Utilise crossovers to break through
- Figure 17: Product examples of crossovers from FFIT8 , China, 2020
- Figure 18: Product examples of Wonderlab X Heytea, China, 2020
- Specialised platforms/apps extend profession into meal replacements
- Figure 19: KEEP Food flagship store and Boohee official flagship store on Tmall, China, 2021
- Penetrate into younger generations with the celebrity effect halo
- Figure 20: Celebrity endorsements for SharkFit, Bio-E and Quaker, China, 2021
- Utilise crossovers to break through
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New Product Trends
- Explosive NPD with nutritional & meal replacement drinks
- Figure 21: New meal replacement product launches, China, July 2016 – June 2021
- Figure 22: New meal replacement product launches, by subcategory, China, July 2016 – June 2021
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- Figure 23: Product examples of meal replacement from different subcategories, China, 2021
- Bottle becomes the most prevalent packaging type among meal replacement drinks
- Figure 24: new meal replacement product launches in nutrition drinks & other beverages, by packaging type, China, 2016-2021
- Figure 25: Product examples of meal replacements in bottle, China, 2020-2021
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- Figure 26: Product examples of Wonderlab’s portable chubby bottle, China, 2021
- Strengthen connections with consumption occasions
- Figure 27: Quaker Smart Calories, China, 2021
- Figure 28: Product examples of milk tea flavoured meal replacements, China, 2020-2021
- Fit into consumers’ dietary habits by revolutionising staple foods
- Figure 29: Product examples of MISSZERO Calorie Control Cuisines, China, 2021
- Figure 30: Product examples of Diutang Fish Noodles, China, 2021
- Explosive NPD with nutritional & meal replacement drinks
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The Consumer – Meal Replacement Consumption
- Most consumers show interest in having again after trying
- Figure 31: Meal replacement consumption, 2021
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- Figure 32: Meal replacement consumption – have tried, and interested in having again, by gender an age, 2021
- Oatmeal is the most beloved product type followed by protein/nut bar
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- Figure 33: Wang Bao Bao Yogurt and Fruit Baked Oatmeal, China, 2020
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- Figure 34: Meal replacement consumption – have tried, and interested in having again, by education, 2021
- Milkshake powder and meal replacement beverages are still niche
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- Figure 35: Meal replacement consumption – interest rate of having again after trying, 2021
- Most consumers show interest in having again after trying
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Consumption Purpose
- Nutrition supplement ranks first among consumption purposes
- Figure 36: Consumption purpose, 2021
- Satisfying hunger between meals outperforms replacing main meals
- Figure 37: Consumption purpose, by city tier, 2021
- Market opportunity in specialised nutrition given diversified functional demand
- Figure 38: Consumption purpose – select items, by gender and age, 2021
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- Figure 39: Maxine’s BURN Bars, China, 2021
- Nutrition supplement ranks first among consumption purposes
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Choice Factor
- Nutrition is the key but flavour also matters
- Figure 40: Choice factor, 2021
- Highlight calories and satiety for weight management products
- Figure 41: Choice factor, by select consumption purpose, 2021
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- Figure 42: Smeal Noto Meal Replacement Milkshake, China, 2021
- Price is not that important after conversion to meal replacement users
- Figure 43: Choice factor, by select consumption purpose, 2021
- Nutrition is the key but flavour also matters
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Information Channel
- Shopping websites/apps are also the most important information channels
- Figure 44: Information channel, 2021
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- Figure 45: Information channel, by purchase behaviour, 2021
- Short video platforms have become the third information channel
- Figure 46: Information channel – select items, by age, 2021
- Specialised and professional channels can be utilised for promoting functional meal replacement
- Figure 47: Information channel – select items, by select consumption purposes, 2021
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- Figure 48: Tian Yuan Zhu Yi X DX Doctor light-calorie low-fat whole wheat bread, China, 2021
- Shopping websites/apps are also the most important information channels
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Desired Features/Services
- Nutrition facts should be the communication focus…
- Figure 49: Desired features/services, 2021
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- Figure 50: New meal replacement product launches, by claim category, China, July 2016 – June 2021
- …with ‘plus’ and ‘minus’ features both desired
- Figure 51: Desired features/services, by select consumption purposes, 2021
- Utilise product-related services to engage consumers who follow the trend
- Figure 52: Desired services, by select consumption purposes, 2021
- Nutrition facts should be the communication focus…
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Consumption Barriers
- Main meals cannot easily be replaced by meal replacements
- Figure 53: Consumption barriers, 2021
- Helping consumers sustain their consumption habits is the key
- Figure 54: Consumption barriers – agree, by meal replacement consumption, 2021
- Figure 55: SharkFit seven-day light diet full meals, China, 2021
- More consumer education needed in light of consumer scepticism
- Main meals cannot easily be replaced by meal replacements
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Appendix – Methodology and Abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
- Methodology
About the report
This market report provides in-depth analysis and insight supported by a range of data. At the same time, introductory and top-level content is provided to give you an overview of the issues covered.
Market
Mintel provides a range of market information, frequently through the category level, including market size and forecasting, complete with market drivers that illustrate the forces that shape a category or market.
Consumer
Mintel’s proprietary consumer research provides our analysts with the attitudinal and behavioral data used to provide valuable insight to topical issues.
Brand/Company
Mintel provides overviews of the top brands and manufacturers, and uses consumer research to explore attitudes and reactions to brands, as well as insight into what will resonate with consumers.
Data
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*databooks not available with UK B2B Industry reports.
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