Recently, iiMedia Research released the “2023 China Frozen Snack Food Consumption Trend Insight Report.” In the report, iiMedia Research provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of the domestic frozen snack industry and consumer behavior. According to the data, the market size of China’s frozen snack industry reached 19.13 billion RMB in 2023, with the potential to surpass 20 billion RMB by the end of the year. With new trends in dining consumption, advancements in cold chain technology, and the rise of live-streaming e-commerce, the frozen snack market is expected to continue its growth.
In this context, the development paths and trends of both traditional frozen food enterprises and emerging frozen snack brands are particularly noteworthy. How are traditional brands leveraging their advantages to effectively plan their frozen snack products? And how are emerging brands innovating and developing to carve out new consumer markets with high-quality products? This report provides answers to these questions.
Driving Industry Development Through R&D and Production
As two giants in the traditional frozen food sector, Synear Foods relies on its production advantages, operating five production bases in China with an annual output of over 900,000 tons of frozen food. Anjoy Foods, with 55 patents approved in a single year, drives brand transformation and upgrading through its strong product R&D capabilities. In der Zwischenzeit, emerging frozen snack brand Royal Tiger focuses on R&D in the frozen snack category, successfully creating blockbuster products like grilled sausages, egg tarts, paratha, and chicken rolls, with annual sales exceeding 1 Milliarden RMB. In 2022, Royal Tiger secured its position as the “King of Frozen Snacks” with the highest online sales in the frozen snack category, holding a 14.9% market share.
From innovative R&D to steady production, traditional frozen food companies and emerging frozen snack brands are working together to push the boundaries of the frozen snack category and achieve a leap in quality. Under the influence of these brands, the frozen snack industry has seen rapid growth. Data shows that 97% of respondents have purchased frozen food, with 75.9% having bought frozen snacks—far exceeding the purchase rates of traditional staple foods and frozen hot pot ingredients. The rising consumer enthusiasm for frozen snacks has made them the top segment within the frozen food industry.
Efficient Innovation and R&D: Brands Enhance Quality of Life
Through continuous innovation, more and more frozen snacks are gaining attention. From well-known products like paratha and grilled sausages to recently popular items like egg tarts, chicken rolls, and pizzas, the diverse range of frozen snacks offers personalized choices for consumers. Alongside category innovation, the trend toward extreme product innovation has become a key focus for brand development. Zum Beispiel, Royal Tiger has introduced six different series of grilled sausages, including crispy sausages, starch-free sausages, fresh meat sausages, and burst-juice sausages, with each series offering a variety of flavors to meet different consumer preferences. Shedding the label of being “monotonous,” frozen snacks are taking on a “rich and vibrant” image through brand-driven innovation.
Auf der anderen Seite, the rapid development of cold chain technology and logistics has allowed frozen snacks to overcome time and space limitations, quickly reaching consumers’ tables. Anjoy Foods, the “King of Frozen Foods,” has partnered with oTMS to achieve digital management of transportation, enhancing product competitiveness. Royal Tiger, the “King of Frozen Snacks,” has established 12 warehouses nationwide and built its own end-to-end digital system, enabling efficient order fulfillment through process automation and data visualization. The ability to quickly integrate into countless household consumption scenarios and enhance quality of life is a key reason why frozen snacks are winning widespread consumer favor.
Today, frozen snacks have become a new trend in national food consumption, reflecting a comprehensive leap in Chinese food consumption in terms of technology, culture, and science. In the future, the frozen snack industry is expected to enter an era of “category innovation, quality upgrading, technological empowerment, and flavor-centric development.” Beyond traditional brands like Synear and Anjoy and emerging brands like Royal Tiger, more and more new brands will continue exploring the numerous possibilities in the frozen snack sector.
