Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
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- Figure 1: Definition of East, South, West, North and Middle consumer groups
Executive Summary
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- The market
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- Figure 2: Retail market value of instant noodles in China, 2010-20
- Companies and brands
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- Figure 3: Value share of top 10 companies in instant noodle market, 2012-14
- The Consumer
- Ramen is the most popular type of noodle among consumer
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- Figure 4: Noodle types preferred, October 2015
- Instant noodles become a snack for Chinese consumers
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- Figure 5: Occasions of eating noodles, October 2015
- Noodles with traditional/local flavours win more consumers
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- Figure 6: Preferences towards flavours and cooking method, October 2015
- Safety is the key factor to emphasise when marketing healthy packaged noodles
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- Figure 7: Healthy packaged noodle product, October 2015
- High earners are open towards trying new brands
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- Figure 8: Attitudes towards instant noodle brands, by household income, October 2015
- Health and taste come first as something consumers would be willing pay more for
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- Figure 9: Factors that consumers are willing to pay more for, October 2015
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- How can noodle brands target young consumers?
- The facts
- The implications
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- Figure 10: Examples of fun packaging in instant noodle products, Japan and China, 2014-15
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- Figure 11: Examples of instant products which contain a fun element in product packaging, Japan and China, 2014-15
- How can instant noodle brands respond to consumers’ higher eating standards?
- The facts
- The implications
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- Figure 12: Examples of instant noodle products which are enriched with vegetable or grains, USA and China, 2014
- What are the regional differences in people's noodle eating habits and purchase factors?
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Instant noodle market remained flat
- Consumers’ fast-moving pace of life and the development of prepared meals may impact the instant market
- Packet instant noodles account for higher value share but have lower growth
Market Size and Forecast
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- Instant noodle market remained flat
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- Figure 13: Retail market value of instant noodles in China, 2010-15
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- Figure 14: Retail market value of instant noodles in China, 2010-20
Market Factors
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- Consumers’ busy lifestyles may hinder retail growth
- Competition from prepared meals
- Targeting consumers who are reluctant to give up junk food
Market Segmentation
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- Packet instant noodles account for higher value share but with lower growth
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- Figure 15: Retail market value of instant noodles in China, by segment, 2010-14
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Instant noodle market is dominated by four leading companies
- Instant noodle brands launched premium ranges to build a good image
- Still room for instant noodles to grow in China
Market Share
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- Instant noodle market is very consolidated
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- Figure 16: Value share of top 10 companies in instant noodle market, 2012-14
Competitive Strategies
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- Instant noodle brands launched premium ranges and charged a higher selling price
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- Figure 17: Revolutionary instant noodle products from Master Kong and Uni-President, 2014
- Nissin ended its collaboration with Jinmailang
Who’s Innovating?
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- Instant noodles
- Decline in new launches in 2015
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- Figure 18: New product launches in the China instant noodle market, by launch types, 2011-15
- Convenience-related claims still top the list
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- Figure 19: Top product claims in the China instant noodle product launch, 2011-15
- Figure 20: Selected claims in instant noodle product launches, by country, 2011-15
- Opportunities to launch products with organic claim
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- Figure 21: Examples of instant noodle products with organic claims, Israel and UK, 2014-15
- The market looks for more flavour innovations
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- Figure 22: Top product flavours in China instant noodle product launch, 2011-15
- Figure 23: Examples of instant noodle products focusing on refreshing benefit, Japan, 2015
- Packaged noodles
- Packaged noodle market is more active in terms of new product launches
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- Figure 24: New product launches in the China packaged noodle market, by launch types, 2011-15
- ‘No additives/preservatives’ ranks as the most popular claim
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- Figure 25: Top product claims in China packaged noodle product launches, 2011-15
- Room for promoting more products with “minus” claims
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- Figure 26: New packaged noodle products with ‘minus’ claims, China, 2011-15
- Figure 27: ‘Minus’ claims in packaged noodle product launch, by country, 2011-15
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Instant noodles becomes a snack for consumers
- Safety is the key consideration factor for healthy packaged noodles
- Consumers’ conservative attitudes limit activity in instant noodle market
- Health and taste are the top two product features that consumers would like to pay more for
Preferred Noodles Types
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- Ramen is the most popular noodles
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- Figure 28: Noodles types preferred, October 2015
- An opportunity to win over young consumers
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- Figure 29: Noodle types preferred, by age, October 2015
- Wealthy people like to try unique noodle types
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- Figure 30: Noodle types preferred, by monthly household income, October 2015
- Region has an impact on consumer eating preferences
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- Figure 31: Noodles types preferred, by region, October 2015
Occasions of Eating Noodles
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- Instant noodle becomes a snack for Chinese consumers
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- Figure 32: Occasions of eating noodles, October 2015
- Small packaged instant noodles offer scope to fulfil consumer needs
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- Figure 33: Share of small packaged instant noodle in total instant noodle launches in China, 2015
- Instant noodle market is still led by young consumers
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- Figure 34: Occasions of eating instant noodles, by age, October 2015
- An opportunity to promote premium noodle products
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- Figure 35: Occasions of eating instant noodles, by personal monthly income and household monthly income, October 2015
Preferences when Eating Noodles
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- Consumers from the north and inland areas are more likely to rely on noodles as staple
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- Figure 36: Preferences towards daily eating habits, by region, October 2015
- Demographic differences in noodle preferences
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- Figure 37: Preferences towards noodle types, October 2015
- People like to stock up and make noodles at home
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- Figure 38: Preferences towards purchase habits, October 2015
- Hot noodles with traditional/local flavours win more consumers
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- Figure 39: Preferences towards flavours and cooking method, October 2015
Healthy Packaged Noodle Products
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- Safety is the dominant factor for healthy packaged noodles
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- Figure 40: Healthy packaged noodle product, October 2015
- ‘Organic’ and ‘imported’ claims are vital to high earners
- Consumers want noodles with “minus claims”
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- Figure 41: Examples of noodle products which have obvious “minus claims” on their package, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, 2015
- Regional differences can influence people’s health standard as well
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- Figure 42: Healthy packaged noodle products, by region, October 2015
- Chilled and international noodles have limited impact
Preferences when Eating Instant Noodles
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- Instant noodles packed in sachets/packs are more welcomed by consumers
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- Figure 43: Attitudes towards product package, by region, October 2015
- Consumers’ conservative attitudes limit instant noodle market
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- Figure 44: Attitudes towards instant noodle brands, by household income, October 2015
- Most consumers like to cook instant noodles by boiling them and eat them with personalised side dishes
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- Figure 45: Attitudes towards cooking instant noodles, October 2015
Factors that Consumers Would be Willing to Pay More for
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- Health and taste add scope for trading up
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- Figure 46: Factors that consumers are willing to pay more for, October 2015
- Side dishes well placed to fulfil consumer needs
- “Organic” and “manufactured by a famous restaurant” are key to charging a premium
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- Figure 47: Factors that consumers are willing to pay more for, by household income, October 2015
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- Figure 48: Examples of instant products which are designed to resemble flavours of famous restaurants, Japan, 2014-15
Meet the Mintropolitans
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- Mintropolitans are more likely to eat Udon
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- Figure 49: Noodle types preferred, by consumer classification, October 2015
- Opportunities for healthy package noodle products
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- Figure 50: Healthy packaged noodle product, by consumer classification, October 2015
- Instant noodles manufactured by famous restaurants have yet to take off
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- Figure 51: Factors that consumers are willing to pay more for, by consumer classification, October 2015
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 52: Retail value sales of instant noodles in China, 2010-20
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Appendix – Methodology and Abbreviations
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- Methodology
- Fan chart forecast
- Mintropolitans
- Why Mintropolitans?
- Who are they?
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- Figure 53: Demographic profile of Mintropolitans vs Non-Mintropolitans, by gender, age and personal income
- Figure 54: Demographic profile of Mintropolitans vs Non-Mintropolitans, by marital status, city tier and education level
- Abbreviations
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