Latest available report from Research and Markets showed that China frozen food market is expected to reach US$52.1 billion in 2027 with a CAGR of 11.9% from 2021 to 2027.
In China, consumers of frozen food have expanded to include not only white collar workers but also the general consumers who buy frozen food due to its convenience and ease of preparation. With the current lockdowns and restrictions in mobility, frozen food has become one of the most popular grocery items stocked by households in urban city centres like Beijing and Shanghai.
The rapid development of cold chains across cities in China also helps manufacturers to expand their frozen food portfolio to cater to growing demand, and be assured and confident that their products reach consumers in ‘good’ condition.
China is famous for their wide range of regional cuisines now being made into frozen food, and these add up to its wide categories of frozen fish/seafood, meat, ready meals, potato products, bakery products, pizza and others.
According to the report, frozen fish/seafood holds the lion’s share in the Chinese frozen food industry, as it allowed consumers to store these products longer than when its fresh, over a period of time while not affecting its taste and quality.
Meanwhile, millennials in China currently have a more dynamic lifestyle with less time available for cooking. Hence, the convenience of frozen food is one of the critical factors to keep propelling the frozen food industry growth over the forecast period. Also, most Chinese families now own refrigerators which enable them to stock chilled and frozen foods follow. In the future, product innovations and logistic infrastructure evolution are expected to boost the sector further.
Frozen food can now be ordered online as well as offline, with the latter still accounting for the bulk of purchases. Online purchasing is expected to gain more market share in China by 2027.
