(Key insights to be featured at China Food Expo) 

The Chinese food market is witnessing a significant transformation as frozen foods emerge as the standout growth category, while traditional instant foods face challenges. This shift reflects evolving consumer preferences and the impact of new cooking technologies on food consumption patterns.

Market Performance: Frozen Foods Take the Lead 

In the second quarter of 2025, frozen foods achieved over 1% sales growth year-on-year, making it the only category showing positive growth momentum. The category's expansion was particularly driven by hotpot ball products and frozen sausages, which led the sector's performance. This contrasts sharply with the instant food category, which experienced a 10.1% sales decline during the same period, though instant noodles demonstrated relatively better performance within this segment.

Price Dynamics and Consumer Value Perception 

Market pricing data reveals intriguing patterns across different food categories. The instant noodle sector has seen prices rise above baseline levels since August 2024, eventually pulling the entire instant food category into positive price growth territory by October 2024. Meanwhile, frozen sausages and pizzas have maintained price levels below the baseline index, indicating ongoing price optimization despite strong sales growth.

Regional Flavors Driving Instant Noodle Innovation 

Despite overall category challenges, regional flavors have emerged as a bright spot in the instant noodle segment, now accounting for nearly 18% of the category with a 1.6% year-on-year increase. Korean fire noodle flavors dominate this segment, representing almost half of all regional flavor sales—double the volume of Japanese tonkotsu flavor. Anhui board noodles have secured the third position, demonstrating the enduring appeal of authentic regional tastes in convenient formats.

The Air Fryer Revolution Transforming Frozen Food 

The remarkable growth in frozen convenience categories finds its roots in the widespread adoption of advanced cooking appliances. Over the past five years, Chinese households have purchased over 100 million air fryers, creating a massive infrastructure for convenient, high-quality home cooking. This technological foundation has enabled several significant market developments:

Frozen sausage sales recorded an impressive 30% year-on-year growth

Pizza products achieved over 50% sales growth, positioning them in the high-potential category

Product format optimization with products under 250 grams dominating over 80% of the frozen pizza market

Size-specific growth with 7-inch formats showing significantly faster growth than traditional 9-inch alternatives

Technological Innovation Driving Product Evolution 

The success of leading frozen food manufacturers demonstrates the power of continuous innovation and technological adaptation. Companies achieving growth in competitive categories have leveraged several key strategies:

Advanced freezing technologies maintaining texture and flavor integrity

Smart packaging solutions optimizing product compatibility with modern cooking appliances

Recipe optimization for air fryer preparation parameters

Rapid product iteration based on consumer usage data and feedback

Future Market Directions 

The convergence of cooking technology and food formulation continues to create new opportunities for manufacturers. Key emerging trends include:

Appliance-specific product design optimizing performance in air fryers and other modern cooking devices

Portion-controlled packaging catering to smaller household sizes and single-serving consumption

Regional flavor expansion bringing authentic local tastes to frozen formats

Health-conscious reformulation reducing preservatives while maintaining shelf stability

These transformative trends in food technology and consumer behavior will be central topics at the upcoming China Food Expo, where industry leaders will explore how technological innovation is reshaping product development, manufacturing processes, and consumption patterns across the food industry. The exhibition will showcase how cooking appliance adoption, digital consumer insights, and manufacturing advancements are collectively driving the future of convenient, quality food products in China's dynamic consumer market.

Source:m.sohu.com

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