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** Financial gossip
Author of Financial Gossip
If you haven't eaten the fragrant and lingering aftertaste, you must have heard of it.
In recent years, various convenience foods such as Zihai pot have risen in China. As an important part of the "stay-at-home economy", they have become a "life-saving straw" for many people during the epidemic.
Among them, "home food" such as self-hi pot and snail noodles is simply "suitable for all ages", with the characteristics of simple operation and affordabilityOne brand even saw a 1,200% surge in sales even after it went on sale.
However, consumers' tastes are ever-changing, and any kind of food cannot escape the fate of "being left out after being red". Many netizens began to reflect on whether these self-congratulatory pots that had "swept thousands of armies" were "frauds"?
Today, the author will take you to take stock of the ever-changing convenience food industry in recent years, to see which "big brands" have taken the lead in this wave of consumer war, and which former kings have become street rats.
"Suitable for all ages" epidemic help,
The sales of "home food" have soared by 1200%.
In the past two years, there has been one thing on various Kuaishou live broadcasts and Weibo, that is, Zihi Pot! It doesn't need a stove, it doesn't use gas, it only needs a bowl of water, and it can be out of the pot in three minutes. The operation is as simple as making instant noodles, suitable for all ages, and is loved by everyone.
Especially during the new crown epidemic, the self-hilarious pot has become a "lifesaver" for many people. I can't go to the restaurant, it's too late for takeout, and the adults and children in the family have to eat.
Xiaolongkan Zihi pot as an example, on the morning of February 17, 2020, it was launchedIn just 10 minutes, more than 10,000 boxes were sold! That's 1,200% higher than the same period the year before! It's simply a hit in the "hot style"!
Looking at another brand, Dalongyi, the sales volume reached 32 million yuan in 7 days, a year-on-year increase of 300%. This wave took advantage of the epidemic and directly blew up the sales data!
In the final analysis, the popularity of these self-hilarious pots is still made by you and me relying on consumers.
I remember that when the epidemic first broke out, it was not recommended for everyone to eat out, and they could only cook at home. But the problem is that not everyone knows how to cook or is in the mood to prepare three dishes and one soup carefully. A box of self-hi pots thrown into boiling water will soon provide a hot meal, which is convenient and satisfying.
Even some "exquisite diners" who are more particular about eating also choose to satisfy their hunger. After all, the takeaway brother is also quarantined at home, and he can't order takeout at all. In contrast, although the taste of Zihai pot is not excellent, it is cheap, sufficient, and acceptable.
This is the reason why Zihai Pot was able to quickly occupy the "home food" market during the epidemic.
Looking at Haidilao, the catering overlord, it relies on seizing the market in the early stage and the product quality is excellent. Industry data shows that Haidilao self-heating hot pot was only launched in 2017, and its sales volume reached 4 in 20184.9 billion yuan, an increase of more than 600%! In the first half of 2019, that number rose to 34.1 billion. Looking at this growth rate, the annual sales target of 7 billion is just around the corner!
Therefore, the key factor for Haidilao's self-heating hot pot to continue to succeed in the market is its brand strength and product strength as a veteran restaurant company. Coupled with its patient layout of channels and smooth upstream and downstream collaboration, various factors have made it an early leader in this field.
I have to say that the addition of old players such as Haidilao has also prompted the entire Zihai pot market to drum in a more professional direction. For us consumers, this also means that the quality and safety of the products will be more guaranteed. After all, catering companies don't make fun of our bodies.
So I personally feel that although there are many cutting-edge players in Zihai Pot, the old manufacturers are still dominant. When you choose to be self-hiking, you should also consider their brand strength, don't just try to be cheap!
Also being "taken care of" by the epidemic is another traditional delicacy - snail noodles. This Guangxi specialty snack has also become the favorite of many "otaku" because of its convenient storage and hot food.
As early as 2014, Liuzhou, Guangxi, the hometown of snail noodles, had the first producer of snail flour in real bags. In just a few years, by 2018, the number of local related e-commerce stores has reached an astonishing more than 5,000! This speed is comparable to that of the year's self-hi pot, which directly increased the output value of snail noodles to 3 billion yuan. In the Kuaishou live broadcast, 300,000 boxes can be sold in 2 minutes, and Mo Xiaoxian and Zihai Pot are selling 1 billion against the trend!
It can be seen that due to the impact of the epidemic and home, consumers' demand for convenience food has increased. This provides a rare opportunity for the development of originally niche delicacies such as self-hi pot and snail noodles. Quickly occupied the market and achieved breakthrough growth of products from scratch.
In this special period, convenience food has taken on an important function of home dining, which can be said to be the "booster" of brands such as Zihai Pot. Otherwise, based on the quality of these foods alone, it is difficult to open up popularity and market scale in ordinary times.
Of course, the benefits of the epidemic are only short-term. With the gradual lifting of the lockdown in the city and the resumption of restaurants, consumers have a wider range of choices.
Many consumers believe that the growth rate of foods such as Zihai Pot will drop to a more normal level. But at least during this special period, they can be said to be "suitable for all ages" and have played an important role in alleviating the dining problems of many people.
Yesterday was rampant, but now no one cares, and it is ruined by self-congratulation!
Anything is red and there will be a period of decline, and Zihai Pot is no exception.
Industry data shows that in 2022, the sales of major Zihai pot brands will drop sharply to about 800 million, a plummeting of 20% compared with the previous peak of the epidemic. There used to be a box of self-hi pot that was hard to find, but now it is in a state of continuous discount on the e-commerce platform, and the price is greatly reduced** to maintain sales.
What's going on here? The author has studied it in detail for the following reasons:
The most important thing is the cost performance of Zihi pot, which is often criticized. Maybe at first, everyone only looked at the freshness, but over time, the problem of not cost-effective was exposed. Whether it is a vegetarian pot or with some meat, one serving per person starts at least 10 yuan, but the amount is very small, and usually an adult can't eat enough for one serving. In contrast, a pack of instant noodles for 2 yuan is enough for one person to fill his stomach.
Many netizens complained that a box of self-hi pot meat was sold for 30 yuan, but the minced meat inside was only a few pieces, and the rest were all cheap goods such as greens or vermicelli. Whoever puts it in the bowl is stuffed between their teeth!
In addition, the taste of the self-hi pot is single and lacks variety. Most of the self-hi pots have only a few flavors, such as spicy hot pot, teppanyaki pork rice, etc. Over time, consumers will feel tired and have no new ideas. What's more, the taste of self-heating food cannot be compared with fresh ingredients, which is also a minus for Chinese people who have always paid attention to food.
Of course, the Zihai pot brand has sprung up like mushrooms after a rain, and the fierce competition in the market is also an important reason. Consumers are "kidnapped" by various new brands, and before they can fully adapt to brand one, brand two launches new products. In addition, the product itself is too homogeneous, and it is difficult to form brand loyalty, which eventually leads to "aesthetic fatigue" of consumers and the market enters a downturn.
Therefore, there are inevitable reasons for the self-hi pot to go from short-term red fever to long-term decline. It satisfies people's temporary demand for freshness, but fails to create lasting product power and brand power. Coupled with the problem of ** and taste, consumers eventually "abandoned" this type of product. Even the occasional launch of new flavors will not change its market woes.
Traditional convenience foods such as instant noodles and quick-frozen dumplings have maintained a stable user base due to their cost-effectiveness and convenience advantages. So there is still a long way to go if the self-hilarious pot wants to shine again.
A pre-made dish that dominates the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner
Will it be the next self-congratulatory pot?
At present, another food is quietly occupying the table of the public's Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, that is, pre-made dishes.
What is Pre-Prepared Food? As the name suggests, it is a variety of dishes that have been processed in advance and vacuum-packed, and can be eaten hot at any time after being stored in the refrigerator. In the past two years, the sales of prefabricated dishes have grown rapidly, and the sales of some prefabricated dishes have increased by as much as 50% year-on-year!
Pre-made dishes are convenient and fast, and are very suitable for the Chinese "Chinese New Year's Eve Rice" food tradition. During the Chinese New Year, many people will choose semi-finished products such as pre-made dishesWith a few seasonal vegetables, you can quickly put together a sumptuous reunion dinner, which is beautiful and affordable.
For example, the most popular prefabricated "Buddha jumping over the wall" in the supermarket, roast goose, sauerkraut fish, etc., are all must-have signature dishes for family gatherings. It is also more cost-effective than ordering takeaway Chinese New Year's Eve**, and it is also more festive.
Seeing the prospect of prefabricated dishes, relevant industrial policies are also encouraging. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said that it would increase its support for the prefabricated food industry and guide more investment in. Of course, capital has also smelled business opportunities and has laid out the field of prefabricated dishes.
Guangzhou Restaurant, Quanjude and other catering companies have launched their own prefabricated food products, which are sold in major supermarkets. And food companies such as Three Squirrels and Jinling Hotel are also digging into the prefabricated vegetable market.
From our consumer point of view,Pre-made dishes are indeed very convenient, and they are also in line with the modern life concept of "time is money". But as a food, the freshness and taste of pre-made dishes are still a little worrying.
After all, the ingredients inside are all processed in advance, and they are not as fresh as we make and eat them ourselves. If the quality control is not strict enough, the fishy smell of the meat may be stronger, and the freshness of the vegetables will also be reduced.
In addition, it is difficult to ensure the consistent taste of each product in mass production, and if you are unlucky, you may not be able to buy a pre-made dish that tastes less authentic and tasty. Therefore, there is still a certain distance between pre-made dishes and the traditional Chinese New Year's Eve meal.
Now it seems that the development prospects of the prefabricated food industry are good, but there are also certain uncertainties. It depends on whether the brand can break through technical problems such as freshness, truly achieve standardized production, and don't become the next self-congratulatory pot.
Write at the end
In the convenience food industry, the main focus is the "traffic war", with the old and the new changing, and the competition is fierce. As consumers, we should be rational while chasing the upstarts. After all, any kind of food has its limitations, and what really stands up is its quality, taste and comprehensive strength of brand operation.
In this era of "digitalization", food companies should make good use of new tools such as big data to truly provide safe, nutritious and delicious products from the perspective of consumers. Build a loyalty program to form a deep bond with consumers, rather than relying on short-term "influencer effect".
It is believed that with the further maturity of relevant technologies and concepts, China's convenience food will definitely show a more diversified and scientific development trend. At that time, consumers can also enjoy a richer "stay-at-home food experience".
Do you consume this convenience food regularly? How does it feel? Feel free to leave your comments.
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