Rising income and affluence have led meat consumption to grow consistently in China. But what meat do they love the most and why? And how is China meeting its growing demand for meat? As a seasoned meat importer into China, Oceanus shares some facts that will help you understand the Chinese meat market better.
China may no longer be the most populous country in the world (India took the reign in 2022), but it still dominates the consumption of meat.
In 2021, the Chinese consumed almost 100 million tons of meat — 27 % of the world’s total, which is about twice the amount that Americans consumed.
Sixty per cent of that meat consumed (57 million tons) was pork. Coming in second was poultry (25 million tons), the cheapest meat in China, followed by beef (9 million tons).
However, various factors, including a trend towards healthier eating and rising affluence, will shift meat preferences in China in the coming decade. The growth projection for poultry (2022-2032) is estimated at 17.1%, and beef at 11.2% versus pork at 1.0%. However in absolute terms, the love for pork is unlikely to be overshadowed any time soon.
However, various factors, including a trend towards healthier eating and rising affluence, will shift meat preferences in China in the coming decade. The growth projection for poultry (2022-2032) is estimated at 17.1%, and beef at 11.2% versus pork at 1.0%. However in absolute terms, the love for pork is unlikely to be overshadowed any time soon.
To supplement local meat production, China has been importing fresh and frozen meats from countries such as the United States, Brazil, New Zealand and Australia.
China became the world’s largest meat importer in 2019. In 2022, it imported 43% more than Japan, the second largest meat-importer.
However, the process of importing meat into China is strict and tightly controlled. First, not only the importing country has to be approved by the Chinese authorities, but also at the individual factory level. Each shipment is digitally authenticated. Moreover, distributing companies are assigned a quota for meat imports.
Fortunately, Oceanus’ subsidiary, Sino Foods, comprises teams of people with decades of experience. Every month in 2023, Sino Food brought in about 1,800 tons of pork, poultry and beef on behalf of pre-approved meat exporters from sources as diverse as Brazil, Spain, Denmark and the USA.
Pork has always been at the heart of Chinese cuisine and culture. Attend a wedding, religious rite, or business opening in China, and you’re likely to see an entire roast suckling pig laid out on the table to signify prosperity and good luck.
Since China liberalised its economy (including the agricultural sector) in the late 1970s, pork consumption has risen more than sevenfold.
The out-sized demand for pork means any fluctuation in prices can have a destabilising effect on China’s economy. For instance, when disease wiped out huge populations of pigs in 2007, there was an 87% price surge. Pork prices influence China’s inflation rate so much that the country’s Consumer Price Index has even been dubbed the “China Pork Index”.
Sino Foods imports not only into China but also South East Asia. Our wide distribution network means that we can find the best prices for meat exporters in Asia, protecting their stock from massive price fluctuations.
China is hardly a monolith when it comes to culinary preferences. After all, it’s a vast country and taste buds and cuisine are shaped by factors like geography, climate, income, culture, ethnicity and religion.
Think of the mouth-watering spicy barbecued mutton skewers, grilled goat’s legs and mutton pie that people in the north of China love. Contrast that with the crispy crackling of roast pork, fragrant steamed sea bass, or juicy, charred BBQ pork typically from the south.
According to Statistica, people in China’s south-western regions like Chong Qing and Sichuan consume the most pork, while those in Xinjiang and Ning Xia consume the least. It’s no surprise then that Shenzhen in the Guangdong province of southern China is the country’s hub for meat imports – where Sino Foods has been operating since 2021.
Like most Asians, the Chinese are fans of offals and they can’t get enough of it. This stems from a tradition of “nose-to-tail” eating, where every part of an animal is creatively used to make delicious and nutritious dishes.
Of course, being more affordably priced makes them very attractive too. In 2022, China imported US$2.72 billion in edible offal, making it the largest importer in the world. Most of the offals came from the USA, Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands and France.
Here’s how chicken and pork offcuts might be served in China:
● BBQ chicken neck
● stir-fried chicken/pork liver with vegetables like pickled mustard greens
● charcoal-grilled chicken hearts
● pork intestines hot pot
● pork lung in chilli sauce
● coagulated pig/chicken blood “tofu” broth with vegetables
SinoFoods imports chicken legs, wings and feet into China, amongst others.
China’s voracious appetite for meat looks set to grow. Just its frozen food market alone is expected to more than double to hit the US$56.01 billion mark in 2030.
What’s worth noting is that Chinese consumers prioritise healthiness and product safety, as well as quality and taste, much more than pricing when it comes to meat consumption. This stands in contrast to consumers from the United Kingdom, United States, Germany and the Netherlands.
As a long-time distributor of imported meats to China, we can attest to the stringent standards in place. It explains why we are constantly sourcing for partners to bring in quality meats at prices that can please both consumers and producers. Our work in China perfectly aligns with our mission to create an efficient and resilient global food marketplace, where food trade can flow without friction.