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What’s the Next Growing Trend of Children’s Snacks in China?

Food safety, comprehensive nutrition and fun are three major demands for children snacks in China. Considering the current competition intensity and consumption demand, Kantar suggested that enterprises can invest more on snack with safe and premium ingredients, as well as products endowed with fun.

According to the data sourced from Ministry of Education, the number of pre-school students and elementary school students (3-12 years old) amounted to 159 million in China in 20181. China Research Center for Children's Industry stated that the children consumption market is around 3,900-5,900 CNY billion, in which snack food represents a significant part of the overall consumption2. On the Global New Retail Submit 2021 held in Shanghai on May 19, Wang Yudie, senior research manager of Kantar, shared her opinions on the development trend of children snacks in China. After investigation and research, Kantar summarized the three major demands for children snacks in China’s market:

1. Food safety is the priority

Food safety and hygiene are the primary standards for all children snacks. Basically, it should not lead to digestive diseases or any other side effects. 72% parents always worry if the food and beverage consumed by their children is safe enough. Such concern increased by 15% compared with 2018.

2. Comprehensive nutrition is significant

87% parents said they always choose food products whose functions/features have passed scientific certification. In 2021, many noteworthy health hot-spots appears, including more professional nutritional ingredients (like small molecule nutrients) and comprehensive nutrition support for each age. All of these prove the growing awareness and significance of comprehensive nutrition.

3. Snack food is endowed with fun

As revealed by Kantar research, 35% parents often purchase food that make their children happy. They prefer products that can well combine taste, play experience, and package design. Such product can be more attractive for young children and also promote family time.

How to win the market?

Product differentiation is one of the key strategies to win the competition. Kantar concluded six development directions for snack food innovation as follows:

  • Safe and delicious

  • Reduce the use of negative ingredients such as sugar and salt

  • Natural nutrition

  • Nutrition supplement

  • Energy supply

  • Fun

Considering the current competition intensity and the consumption demand, Kantar anticipates that the market will see more opportunities for “safe and delicious” and “fun”.

Safe and delicious

Nowadays more and more enterprises apply premium ingredients into their products. For example, Uncle Toby’s Roll-Ups are made from fruits and are free of artificial color, so it is much preferred by parents. Nestle Pure Life purified water for children uses high-quality water source and has an upgraded package design, so as to encourage children to drink water outside.

Fun

In some cases, snack is more than food but somewhat a toy that produce fun, which could be best exemplified by Zhiweiguan and Made in Nature co-branded pastry box. Except for pastry in the box, a mini shadow play stage can be made with the kit inside. Undoubtedly it will bring more fun to kids and make them experience Chinese culture when consuming food.

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