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Salty Snacks - China - February 2013

INTRODUCTION
Definition
Abbreviations
Report structure
 CONSUMER RESEARCH
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
Figure 1: China salty snack retail sales, by volume and value, 2007-12
The forecast
Figure 2: China salty snack retail sales, by volume, 2007-17
Figure 3: China salty snack retail sales, by value, 2007-17
Companies
Figure 4: Company retail market share of salty snacks, by volume and value, 2010-11
Market segmentation
Figure 5: China retail volume sales and value of salty snacks, by category, 2007-12
Issues
Changing demographic spurs need for broader appeal
Figure 6: Frequency of consuming salty snacks, by age, December 2012
Brands navigating in fragmented market
Figure 7: Top retail channels of buying salty snacks in the past 6 months, December 2012
Market struggles to offset seasonal dependence
Figure 8: Top ten occasions of eating salty snacks, December 2012
Food safety is sector’s Achilles’ heel
Figure 9: Selected general attitudes towards salty snacks, December 2012
CHANGING DEMOGRAPHIC SPURS NEED FOR BROADER APPEAL
Key points
Nuts, seeds dominate salty snacks due to health, tradition
Figure 10: Retail volume and value sales of salty snacks, by category share, 2007-12
Figure 11: Frequency of consuming salty snacks, by type, December 2012
Figure 12: Frequency of consuming salty snacks, by age, December 2012
Young consumers driving growth of potato-based and other salty snacks
Figure 13: Retail volume and value sales of salty snacks, by category, 2007-12
Figure 14: Frequency of consuming salty snacks, by age, December 2012
Demographic shift presents challenges for snacks other than nuts and seeds
Figure 15: Population of China, breakdown by age, 2000 and 2010
Healthy choices rising in importance as population ages
Figure 16: General attitudes towards salty snacks, by age, December 2012
Figure 17: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, by age, December 2012
Figure 18: Eating salty snacks as a treat, by age, December 2012
Opportunities to broaden acceptance through healthier snacks
Figure 19: Top 11 claims on new salty snacks products, by category, China, 2010-12
Figure 20: Orion Corp Snack sales in China, 2006-11
Figure 21: Agreement with the statement “I prefer fried over non-fried snacks”, by age and gender, December 2011
Figure 22: Top three ingredients consumers are most likely to choose as part of a typical grocery shop, by age, December 2012
What it means
BRANDS NAVIGATING IN FRAGMENTED MARKET
Key points
Fragmented market making it difficult for brands to stand out
Figure 23: Company retail market share of salty snacks, by volume and value, 2010-11
Figure 24: Snack food SKUs* on Yihaodian.com, February 2013
Figure 25: Top retail channels for buying salty snacks in the past 6 months, December 2012
Speciality chains attract key salty snack user groups
Figure 26: Buying salty snacks from salty snack food speciality outlet in the past 6 months, by age and gender, December 2012
Figure 27: Frequency of consuming salty snacks, by gender, December 2012
Figure 28: Breakdown of Shanghai Laiyifen Co Ltd revenue, by product segments, 2009-11
Wide choice and one-stop shopping strengthen speciality stores’ appeal
Figure 29: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by gender, December 2012
Speciality chains have potential to improve customer loyalty
Figure 30: Attitudes towards salty snacks, December 2012
Figure 31: Laiyifen total payables and pre-sale value of vouchers and gift cards, 2010-11
Rampant expansion suggests threat of a future quality problem
Opportunities for chains to thrive on better quality
Figure 32: General attitudes towards salty snacks, December 2012
What it means
MARKET STRUGGLES TO OFFSET SEASONAL DEPENDENCE
Key points
Salty snack sales show seasonal fluctuations
Figure 33: Shanghai Laiyifen revenue breakdown*, by month, 2009-11
Figure 34: Top ten occasions for eating salty snacks, December 2012
Potential to expand usage of salty snacks as accompaniments
Figure 35: Locations of buying salty snacks in the past 6 months, by retail and food service channels, December 2012
Figure 36: Eating salty snacks as an accompaniment (eg with dessert), by age and gender, December 2012
Figure 37: Purchase of Orion potato chips in the last three months, by gender, December 2011
Figure 38: China’s US walnut imports, by volume and value share, 2010-12
Pairing with beverages can help spur consumption during lull
Figure 39: Average monthly temperature (°C) of 31 cities* in China, 2007-11
Figure 40: Production and sales volume of carbonated soft drinks, beer and Laiyifen sales, by month, Jan-Dec 2011-12
Figure 41: Time of day salty snacks and carbonated soft drinks are consumed, December 2011* and December 2012**
Figure 42: Occasions salty snacks and beer are consumed on, February 2012* and December 2012**
Workplace snacking offers opportunities to increase usage
Figure 43: Occasions for eating salty snacks, by time of day and occasion, December 2012
Figure 44: Agreement with the statement “I eat them as a meal replacement”, by gender, December 2012
Convenient packaging to spur usage among office workers
Figure 45: New product launches in the salty snacks* market in China, by closure type, 2010-12
Figure 46: New product launches in the China salty snacks* market, by packaging type, 2010-12
What it means
FOOD SAFETY IS SECTOR’S ACHILLES’ HEEL
Key points
Food safety remains a key challenge for salty snacks
Figure 47: Agreement with the statement “The quality of local brand salty snack is concerning”, by gender, age and income, December 2012
Credibility of Qiaqia Food under threat following quality woes
Premium products can benefit from food safety concerns
Figure 48: Agreement with the statement “Premium salty snacks are worth paying extra for”, by income, December 2012
Figure 49: Prices of selected brands of pistachios, February 2013
Figure 50: China’s pistachio imports volume share and unit price, by country, 2010-12
How misrepresentation can undermine trust
Figure 51: Ajisen (China) Holdings interim revenue, 2009-first half 2012
Figure 52: California almond exports to China/Hong Kong, 2007/08 -2011/12*
Potential for organic to deliver confidence but better regulation is needed
Figure 53: Agreement with the statement “thinking about products with specific claims regarding origin or production process. How likely are you to pay a premium price for food or beverages labelled”, March 2012
Figure 54: Categories of “organic” food bought in the last 12 months, March 2012
Figure 55: Top 10 claims in new salty snacks* products, China, 2010-12
What it means
THE FUTURE OF THE MARKET
Figure 56: China salty snack retail sales, by volume, 2007-17
Figure 57: China salty snack retail sales, by value, 2007-17
Figure 58: China salty snack retail sales, by volume and value, 2007-17
Methodology
APPENDIX – MARKET SIZE, SEGMENTATION AND SHARE
Figure 59: China retail sales of salty snacks, by volume and value, 2007-17
Figure 60: China retail sales of salty snacks, by volume, best case/worst case, 2012-17
Figure 61: China retail sales of salty snacks, by value, best case/worst case, 2012-17
Figure 62: China retail volume sales and value of salty snacks, by category, 2007-12
Figure 63: China retail volume sales of salty snacks, by category share, 2007-12
Figure 64: Company retail market share of salty snacks, by volume and value, 2010-11
APPENDIX – FREQUENCY OF EATING SALTY SNACKS
Figure 65: Frequency of eating salty snacks, December 2012
Figure 66: Frequency of eating salty snacks, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 67: Frequency of eating nuts (peanuts, almonds, macadamia, etc), by demographics, December 2012
Figure 68: Frequency of eating nuts (peanuts, almonds, macadamia, etc), by demographics, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 69: Frequency of eating seeds, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 70: Frequency of eating seeds, by demographics, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 71: Frequency of eating potato chips, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 72: Frequency of eating potato chips, by demographics, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 73: Frequency of eating other root vegetable chips, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 74: Frequency of eating other root vegetable chips, by demographics, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 75: Frequency of eating popcorn, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 76: Frequency of eating popcorn, by demographics, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 77: Frequency of eating other puffed foods (puffed wheat/potato snacks), by demographics, December 2012
Figure 78: Frequency of eating other puffed foods (puffed wheat/potato snacks), by demographics, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 79: Occasions of eating salty snacks, by frequency of eating nuts (peanuts, almonds, macadamia, etc), December 2012
Figure 80: Occasions of eating salty snacks, by frequency of eating nuts (peanuts, almonds, macadamia, etc), December 2012 (continued)
Figure 81: Occasions of eating salty snacks, by frequency of eating seeds, December 2012
Figure 82: Occasions of eating salty snacks, by frequency of eating seeds, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 83: Occasions of eating salty snacks, by frequency of eating potato chips salty snacks, December 2012
Figure 84: Occasions of eating salty snacks, by frequency of eating potato chips, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 85: Occasions of eating salty snacks, by frequency of eating other root vegetable chips, December 2012
Figure 86: Occasions of eating salty snacks, by frequency of eating other root vegetable chips, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 87: Occasions of eating salty snacks, by frequency of eating popcorn, December 2012
Figure 88: Occasions of eating salty snacks, by frequency of eating popcorn, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 89: Occasions of eating salty snacks, by frequency of eating other puffed foods (puffed wheat/potato snacks), December 2012
Figure 90: Occasions of eating salty snacks, by frequency of eating other puffed foods (puffed wheat/potato snacks), December 2012 (continued)
APPENDIX – OCCASIONS OF EATING SALTY SNACKS
Figure 91: Occasions of eating salty snacks, December 2012
Figure 92: Most popular occasions of eating salty snacks, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 93: Next most popular occasions of eating salty snacks, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 94: Other occasions of eating salty snacks, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 95: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by most popular occasions of eating salty snacks, December 2012
Figure 96: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by next most popular occasions of eating salty snacks, December 2012
Figure 97: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by other occasions of eating salty snacks, December 2012
APPENDIX – LOCATIONS OF BUYING SALTY SNACKS IN PAST 6 MONTHS
Figure 98: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, December 2012
Figure 99: Most popular locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 100: Next most popular locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 101: Other locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 102: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by frequency of eating nuts (peanuts, almonds, macadamia, etc), December 2012
Figure 103: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by frequency of eating nuts (peanuts, almonds, macadamia, etc), December 2012 (continued)
Figure 104: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by frequency of eating seeds, December 2012
Figure 105: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by frequency of eating seeds, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 106: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by frequency of eating potato chips, December 2012
Figure 107: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by frequency of eating potato chips, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 108: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by frequency of eating other root vegetable chips, December 2012
Figure 109: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by frequency of eating other root vegetable chips, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 110: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by frequency of eating popcorn, December 2012
Figure 111: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by frequency of eating popcorn, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 112: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by frequency of eating other puffed foods (puffed wheat/potato snacks), December 2012
Figure 113: Locations of buying salty snacks in past 6 months, by frequency of eating other puffed foods (puffed wheat/potato snacks), December 2012 (continued)
APPENDIX – ATTITUDES TOWARDS SALTY SNACKS
Figure 114: Attitudes towards salty snacks, December 2012
Figure 115: Most popular attitudes towards salty snacks, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 116: Next most popular attitudes towards salty snacks, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 117: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by frequency of eating nuts (peanuts, almonds, macadamia, etc), December 2012
Figure 118: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by frequency of eating nuts (peanuts, almonds, macadamia, etc), December 2012 (continued)
Figure 119: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by frequency of eating seeds, December 2012
Figure 120: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by frequency of eating seeds, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 121: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by frequency of eating potato chips, December 2012
Figure 122: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by frequency of eating potato chips, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 123: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by frequency of eating other root vegetable chips, December 2012
Figure 124: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by frequency of eating other root vegetable chips, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 125: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by frequency of eating popcorn, December 2012
Figure 126: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by frequency of eating popcorn, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 127: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by frequency of eating other puffed foods (puffed wheat/potato snacks), December 2012
Figure 128: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by frequency of eating other puffed foods (puffed wheat/potato snacks), December 2012 (continued)
Figure 129: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by most popular occasions of eating salty snacks, December 2012
Figure 130: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by next most popular occasions of eating salty snacks, December 2012
Figure 131: Attitudes towards salty snacks, by other occasions of eating salty snacks, December 2012
APPENDIX – MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS CONSIDERED WHEN BUYING SALTY SNACKS
Figure 132: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, December 2012
Figure 133: Most important top ranked factors considered when buying salty snacks, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 134: Next most important top ranked factors considered when buying salty snacks, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 135: Most important second ranked factors considered when buying salty snacks, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 136: Next most important second ranked factors considered when buying salty snacks, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 137: Most important third ranked factors considered when buying salty snacks, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 138: Next most important third ranked factors considered when buying salty snacks, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 139: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, by frequency of eating nuts (peanuts, almonds, macadamia, etc), December 2012
Figure 140: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, by frequency of eating nuts (peanuts, almonds, macadamia, etc), December 2012 (continued)
Figure 141: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, by frequency of eating seeds, December 2012
Figure 142: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, by frequency of eating seeds, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 143: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, by frequency of eating potato chips, December 2012
Figure 144: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, by frequency of eating potato chips, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 145: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, by frequency of eating other root vegetable chips, December 2012
Figure 146: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, by frequency of eating other root vegetable chips, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 147: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, by frequency of eating popcorn, December 2012
Figure 148: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, by frequency of eating popcorn, December 2012 (continued)
Figure 149: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, by frequency of eating other puffed foods (puffed wheat/potato snacks), December 2012
Figure 150: Most important factors considered when buying salty snacks, by frequency of eating other puffed foods (puffed wheat/potato snacks), December 2012 (continued)
APPENDIX – GENERAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS SALTY SNACKS
Figure 151: General attitudes towards salty snacks, December 2012
Figure 152: Agreement with the statements ‘I only choose the healthy options of salty snacks’ and ‘I tend to pay attention to calorie content when buying salty snacks’, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 153: Agreement with the statements ‘I am concerned about how healthy salty snacks are’ and ‘Sometimes it is not easy to find a place to buy quality salty snacks’, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 154: Agreement with the statements ‘Local brand salty snacks tastes as good as imported brands’ and ‘The quality of local brand salty snack is concerning’, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 155: Agreement with the statements ‘Reduced fat/calorie salty snacks don’t taste as good as regular salty snack’ and ‘Premium salty snacks are worth paying extra for’, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 156: Agreement with the statements ‘I like to try new and exciting flavours’ and ‘I eat them as a meal replacement’, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 157: Agreement with the statement ‘The quality of salty snack sold in supermarket is not as good as those sold in salty snack speciality outlets’, by demographics, December 2012
Figure 158: General attitudes towards salty snacks, by most popular occasions of eating salty snacks, December 2012
Figure 159: General attitudes towards salty snacks, by next most popular occasions of eating salty snacks, December 2012
Figure 160: General attitudes towards salty snacks, by other occasions of eating salty snacks, December 2012

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