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China rice protein market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.61 % to reach US$15.374 million by 2027, from US$6.292 million in 2020. China is the worlds world's largest meat consumer. However, China has a long tradition of plant-based diets as well. While seaweeds and tofu have been featured in traditional Chinese cooking for quite some time, the weight-loss culture and health are steering the interest of the present-day Chinese consumers (especially the urbanites) towards a more plant-centric diet. Furthermore, the profusion of campaigns powered by celebrities is also influencing Chinese consumers to adopt a plant-based diet.
Additionally, back in 2016, the government of China delineated a set of new dietary guidelines to reduce the quantity of meat consumption by half. Furthermore, there has also been a recommendation to consume between 40g to 75g of meat daily. Thus, such initiatives from the government to improve public health and simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions will be a reasonable driving force that will steer the preference for plant-based protein consumption among Chinese consumers.
The popularity of rice protein and its plethora of applications has gained traction in China. For example, Axiom Foods Inc., a Los Angeles- based plant protein manufacturer, acquired its fourth patent for its organic brown rice protein called Oryzatein® in July 2018. It is the first patent for Axiom Foods, a Chinese company that creates new plant-based products using cutting-edge technologies. In this way, it has influenced the world's food supply networks for the better and raise awareness.
Moreover, with the outbreak of African swine fever in 2019, which affected Thailand, Vietnam, and China, the pork supply became quite unstable, and consumers moved away from pork. Thus, Right Treat, based out of Hong Kong, came up with a pork alternative called Omnipork that opened new possibilities for meat alternatives. The company recently announced plans to enter mainland China. As per Right Treat, this plant-based pork alternative comprises non-genetically modified soy, pea protein, rice, and shiitake mushrooms. Moreover, it is also free of cholesterols, hormones, and cholesterols, and it contains significantly lower fewer calories. Taco Bell China, in December 2019, launched a limited-edition taco made with plant-based mince pork.
Additionally, a new food tech startup based in China called Zhenmeat launched its plant-based analogues in 2019 that are tailored to the Chinses cuisine. It ranges from dim sums to mooncakes. The company launched its products not only to cater to vegans or vegetarians but also to woo meat-eaters. Their range of products is made out of a mixture of plant proteins, which include soy, pea, and fungus-based proteins, as well as that which is derived from brown rice. When most of the available alternative meat products are catered to the western pallet palate, Zhenmeat has created an entirely new room for innovation in plant-based meat products that are oriented towards the oriental preferences of food, taste, and flavour.
Moreover, the two biggest Silicon Valley plant-based food-tech startups, Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, planned to scale their operations in mainland china by beginning production in 2020. Therefore, being a massive meat consumer, the Chinese market is open to sampling new kinds of food with health and environmental incentives. The recent outbreak of African swine fever has resulted in a massive spike in global pork consumption that has further fueled the need for alternative meat. Because of this, industry participants in the plant-based meat category will be able to aggressively innovate and expand the rice protein market during the projection period.
Key Developments:
Impact of COVID-19
The COVID-19 epidemic has severely impacted the China market for rice protein. The supply chain was interrupted as a result of COVID-19's prolonged persistence. The production of rice protein was discontinued because it was difficult to supply the manufacturers with the necessary raw materials. End-users of rice protein, including those in the sports and energy nutrition, bakery and confectionery, beverages, and dairy substitute industries, anticipate a decline in the market during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the movement of restrictions, de-globalization, loss of income, restrictions on product import and export, restrictions in the supply of raw materials, among other factors. These elements have had a detrimental effect on the market supply chain. The COVID-19 epidemic has severely impacted the worldwide market for rice protein. The supply chain was interrupted as a result of COVID-19’s prolonged persistence. The production of rice protein was discontinued because it was difficult to supply the manufacturers with the necessary raw materials.
Market Segmentation