Vegetarians in China have maintained a 17.2% growth from 2015 to 2020. At present, China has the largest vegetarian population in the world - more than 20 million people. China is undoubtedly the fastest growing plant-based products in the world market.
By 2022, China’s middle-class population will reach 550 million, 1.5 times the population of the United States. Chinese people consume 41 kilograms of meat per capita each year, which is twice the global average and accounts for 28% of world meat consumption. However, China uses a lot of antibiotics in animal husbandry and seafood farming. Chinese consumers, especially the middle class Put food safety as the most important consideration, and gradually reduce and abandon animal food, which also promotes the rapid development of plant protein and other sustainable protein products in China from the other side. At the same time, the Chinese government plans to reduce China's meat consumption by 50% by 2030, reduce carbon emissions and prevent obesity. This has made more plant-based and sustainable industry participants more interested in the Chinese market and listed China as the main target market. Almost all experts predict that China's plant-based and sustainable industries will usher in the world's fastest development in the short term.
The Future of food is Plant-Based and sustainable
The gloal COVID-19 pandemic has once again aroused public concern to long-standing vulnerabilities and shortcomings in the traditional food supply chain. According to statistics, nearly 30% of people in the world will reduce or completely abandon traditional animal-based food. From meat lovers, flexitarians to vegans, all consumers are looking for delicious but sustainable alternative protein. These new alternative products can bring better health, less environmental impact and a more harmonious natural ecology.
The concept of plant-based lifestyle as popular and healthy one has gradually taken root in the modern people, and driving the rapid development of the plant-based industry. In 2019, the global plant-based food market was valued at $18.5 billion, and it has grown at a growth rate of 15.0% since 2019. It will reach $40.6 billion in 2025 and $74.2 billion in 2027.
At the same time, in order to attract more normal meat-eaters to join the sustainable food supply chain, there have been endless new alternative proteins created through cultured and fermented technology, which maintain the same structure and taste as animal protein, but remove the unsustainability of traditional protein. With the commercialization of new technologies, these products are expect to serve at ordinary meals in the near future.
