China Cheese Market Overview, 2027

Cheese is not part of China’s culinary tradition, except for some ethnic minorities living near the borders, like the Mongols and Tibetans. Indeed, a few decades ago, Inner Mongolia was the largest consumer and producer of cheese. It was popular at the time to travel and buy cheese as a souvenir to carry home. Aside from that, cheese was still considered rare in China. In comparison to the lengthy history and deeper culture of cheese in other countries, China's cheese market is still emerging, with foreign brands accounting for 4/5 of the most popular cheese brands in China. Certainly, the cheese business is ushering in China's golden time of expansion, owing to the growing popularity of dairy products among Chinese consumers. On the other hand, despite the fact that Chinese consumers have had greater opportunities to travel, notably to Europe, to discover new culinary tastes, stinky cheese is still quite rare in China and was even prohibited by the Chinese government until 2017 due to bacteria problems. Chinese customers favor soft and mild cheeses over more pungent kinds. In China, for example, consumption of Mozzarella has increased by more than 180% in the last two years. Some well-known brands in China Cheese Market are Laughing Cow, President, Anchor, Hochland, Danone, and Bongrain. Bongrain Foods Co. Ltd. is the leading player in China Cheese Market.

According to the report, China Cheese Market Overview, 2027 the market is anticipated to add USD 0.67 Billion by 2027. Cheese has gained popularity in China in recent years, with 32% of the Chinese population attempting to improve their diet of healthful dairy products. Furthermore, as previously said, Chinese parents are more involved and cautious than ever before when it comes to dairy products for their children. Cheese is a natural source of calcium and protein, so parents understand how it can help their children's health, weight, and muscular building. But cheese isn't just for kids. The National Institute of Nutrition and Health's 2018 report on the need for Chinese residents to consume more dairy products is an excellent source of nutrients: The country has been suffering an elevated rate of calcium deficiency. Cheese is increasingly regarded as a need for both children and the elderly. Furthermore, Chinese youth who have studied or lived abroad are the primary cheese eaters in China. Aside from health concerns, the rapidly expanding middle class, as well as Chinese people's openness and admiration for Western cuisine, are causing them to try various dishes with cheese inside.

Cheese products aimed for children are the most popular cheese offerings in China. Among the dairy giants with cheese products focused at children are Liyi, Mengniu Dairy, and Bright Dairy. Those born in the 1980s and 1990s are starting to have children, and they are looking for more nutritious diets for them. Most cheese products marketed to children boast their high calcium and protein content, and they also come in stick form or on a stick (like an ice lolly) for simpler child eating. This new generation of cheese consumers will be another important customer segment to tap into in the future.

China has a 1.41 billion-person population, with 723 million men and 687 million women. There are 254 million people under the age of 14 in the entire population. The population is made up of people aged 15 to 64. There are 887 million city dwellers and 522 million rural dwellers. China's GDP in 2021, according to the World Bank, will be USD 17.73 trillion, with a 1% inflation rate and a per capita income of US$125563. (2021). The key reasons driving the expansion of the China cheese market are rising per capita and per capita consumption of cheese. The average volume per person in the Cheese section in 2021 was 0.37kg. China Cheese is expected to cost between US$ 7.54 and US$ 6.31 per kilogram in 2022. China's Cheese exports totaled $164k in September 2022, while imports totaled $58.6M, resulting in a $58.4M trade deficit.

According to several research findings, first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen have much higher cheese penetration rates than other regions. However, cheese consumption is steadily expanding across the country. By 2021, the penetration rate of cheese in first-tier cities had climbed to 38.0%, while it had reached 30.6% in provincial capital cities such as Nanjing, Xiamen, and Hangzhou.

In 2022, the SAMR and the People's Republic of China's National Health Commission (NHC) will establish new national standards for the cheese sector to encourage the standardized development and competitiveness of cheese products in China. Meanwhile, the Dairy Association of China (DAC) has unveiled a Three-Year Action Plan for Cheese Innovation and Development to Improve Dairy Industry Competitiveness (2023-2025). As a result of the aforementioned policies, the Chinese cheese sector is expected to flourish with greater standards, offering better and safer goods to local consumers.

Supermarkets and hypermarkets dominate the China Cheese Market due to the convenience of having all products in one place and a huge selection at the same time. Hypermart, Jiajiayue, Carrefour, Wu-Mart, Freshhema, Lianhua, Walmart, RT-Mart, and China Resources Vanguard are among China's major hypermarkets and supermarkets. CR Vanguard is China's largest grocery chain, with 3,234 locations around the country. Tmall, Jd.com, Taobao, and Pinduoduo are among the biggest e-commerce sites for cheese brands. In fact, China's tech-savvy populace is continually connected online, and with the ability to purchase grocery products online and have them delivered right to their home, it is now necessary for any brand to use e-commerce platforms.

The higher fat content of cheese is expected to be one of the noticeable features among other constraints restricting the global dairy industry's growth potential. Cheese consumption is restricted among the obese population due to the negative health effects of higher fat content.

Covid-19 Impact:

During the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, the business was severely disrupted due to changing demand. The worldwide lockdowns prompted the foodservice industry to close, cutting demand for all processed food goods dramatically. Furthermore, costs are likely to reduce as high-quality products become less desirable. In contrast, increased adoption of low-cost varieties at wholesale prices from retail shops for home cooking is expected to balance the supply chain. Following the pandemic, the Cheese market is likely to benefit from the re-establishment of the foodservice sector and renewed cheese processing capacity.

Considered in this report

• Geography: China
• Historic year: 2016
• Base year: 2021
• Estimated year: 2022
• Forecast year: 2027

Aspects covered in this report

• China Cheese market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Product

• Mozzarella
• Cheddar
• Feta
• Parmesan
• Roquefort
• Others

By Source

• Animals
• Plants

By Type

• Natural
• Processed

By Distribution Channel

• Supermarkets/Hypermarkets
• Convenience Stores
• Specialty Stores
• Online retail
• Others

Intended audience

This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to Cheese industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.