China and the Meatless Meat Revolution

Chinese food image: Ruthy Yang

For some time now, fake, faux, or imitation meat has been available in many European countries. KFC stores, for example have been offering variations of their menu based on vegetarian ingredients for some time.

Very loosely speaking, this is not necessarily new for China. The Buddhist culture has popularised tofu in varying forms. If you have ever wandered in to your local Asia part of town and the Tofu shops there or maybe your local deli, you will know what we mean.

Other than that Green Monday, a Hong Kong producer has had a vegetarian pork substitute product on the market since late 2018.

However, it is fair, we think, to say, China and Asia are largely pork loving countries. There has never really been any serious attempt to supplant pork as the meat of choice in China. This relationship was tested during the African Swine Flue Epidemic when pork prices in China rocketed sky high and beyond. [pun intend]

It was probably this that tempted foreign brands to chance their arm with Impossible Foods, KFC / Cargill and Starbucks / Beyond Meat and Papa Johns /Starfied announcing plant based meat variations to their product line from early 2020. Green Monday’s Omnipork increased its popularity selling well on Tmall and Hotels.

In another corner of then world a NZ company – Sunfed – has been having great success with Chickenless Chicken on their local [NZ ] market since around 2017. June 20^th this year, [2020] they launched Boarless Bacon. Not a pig insight- other than those tasting it maybe!

By coincidence-perhaps- on the same day a Beijing startup Zhen meat also launched its porkless fried pork tenderloin – aka bacon- and crayfish – both vegetable based.

We are updating our original indepth China imitation meat story on our “Tea and Chocolate Bar,” coming soon-ish. Meantime, for more about Zhenmeat, please follow the Caixin Story.

To talk about launching your brand in China and what is needed for success, please don’t be shy about asking.

Introducing Everlyne YU

China Website Baidu Optimisation

In 2003 Everlyne Yu co-founded WPBeijing Marketing Studio with Englishman Peter Bic, now known as Bic Brands.

She began Uengager, as a SaaS MarTech company focused on customer engagement in 2017.

Hello, Nihao, I’m Everlyne

“I love to talk about and help people understand the amazing ways MarTech and SaaS can work to strengthen your business engagement with Chinese consumers.
I know you have questions or want to talk about your brand or business in China so please, drop me a line opposite. If you prefer live chat, call and talk to me live, in person direct.“

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Everlyne is also a key note speaker, lecturer and KOL on MarTech in China. She is CEO of Uengager, business development officer for Bicyu.

Everlyne hs been privileged to work with a variety of international organisations, from VW, Cushman Wakefield, Sodexo, Bristol Myers Squibb to local Chinese firms such as Midea, and OK Order.

If you’re looking for guidance, tips, advice on any aspect of starting or growing a business in China or training, coaching your existing China marketing team for excellence, be sure to check out Uengager. Home page and base for Everlyne Yu. Read her short bio – opposite left – or contact her direct – below – for a free, heart to heart chat.