The wonderful, whacky world of Dingdong Maicai: the ‘flora and fauna shop’
Recently, Dingdong Maicai (叮咚买菜), a domestic O2O app focused on fresh produce, has launched a new seafood product: a set of two live companion crabs for just ￥18.8 ($2.6). These aren't your typical fresh ingredients; Dingdong has marketed them as ornamental pets, even giving them names—one is called Sodium Chloride, and the other Monosodium Glutamate. They also come with a display box and a care guide.
Dingdong Maicai logo and tagline ‘Freshness delivered in 29 minutes.’
A set of two live companion crabs sold on Dingdong Maicai. Image: Dingdong
A care guide for companion crabs sold on Dingdong Maicai. Image: Dingdong
According to Dingdong Maicai, these companion crabs are easy to care for and not picky eaters—they can eat whatever you eat, making them a low-cost, hassle-free pet. This is especially appealing for those seeking daily companionship without the trouble of cats or dogs. As soon as these little creatures hit the shelves, they sold out instantly. Getting one became as difficult as winning the lottery, reminiscent of the frantic grocery shopping days during Covid when people used massage guns to grab items on Dingdong.
Interestingly, these crabs can even become pets for your pets. Early buyers reported that while they found the crabs somewhat amusing, their cats were absolutely captivated. The cats wouldn't leave the display box, spending the entire night watching ‘Crab TV.’ This discovery of the crabs as ‘my pet's pet’ made them so popular that they sold out instantly. The product description for the companion crabs has since changed from ‘edible when fried’ to watch under adult (pet owner) supervision.’
Notes sharing cats are obsessed with the live companion crabs in the box. Images: Xiaohongshu
In addition to companion crabs, Dingdong Maicai has sold other quirky items like jade snails, golden horned frogs, turtle eggs, pearl oysters, and small turtles.
Jade snails as pets, oysters with pearls, and small turtles sold on Dingdong. Images: Dingdong
Initially, Dingdong Maicai ventured into the flower and plant market, gaining a reputation for affordable, high-quality blooms. As their offerings expanded, regular fresh flowers no longer satisfied Dingdong's creative team. They began introducing various unique and exotic plants, turning them into trendy desk ornaments for young people.
The Grass Head Doll is a popular product on Dingdong Maicai. After about four days of watering, it sprouts "hair" that you can style yourself. With its hair grown out, the doll humorously resembles a weary office worker. Images: Dingdong
Dingdong Maicai also introduced a product called ‘No Bananas Green’ (sounds as the same as ‘No Anxiety’ in Chinese). The slogan was, ‘Work without going crazy? Don't be anxious, relax.’ These bananas are not only edible, decorative but can also be shared with colleagues. Images: Dingdong
Not long ago, Dingdong Maicai launched an adorable potted cactus called the Fox Tail Cactus. The cactus is covered with soft white fur, resembling the tail of a little fox or a cat. Images: Dingdong
Dingdong Maicai continuously introduces various exotic ingredients to satisfy the discerning tastes of Chinese consumers.
Dingdong Maicai has also introduced the ‘Durian of the Vegetable World,’ the stinky vegetable from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan. When used in egg stir-fry, it adds a strong, aromatic flavor with a unique Dai ethnic taste. Image: Dingdong
Dingdong also sells farm-raised crocodile meat for ￥49.9 ($6.9) yuan per 200 grams. The meat is delicious, suitable for stir-frying and grilling, with a texture more firm than chicken. Images: Dingdong
Chinese consumers have a wide array of options when it comes to O2O shopping for fresh produce. From the early days of MissFresh (每日优鲜) to current platforms like Hema(盒马), Xiaoxiang Supermarket from Meituan (美团下的小象超市), Pupu Supermarket (朴朴超市), and ALDI, along with the high-end membership store Sam's Club, which has garnered a loyal following locally. The reopening of offline wet markets offering quality products at lower prices has further increased the options. Dingdong Maicai must carve out its own positioning to become consumers' preferred choice.
Amid the stiff competition, Dingdong Maicai faces pressure to be profitable. Last year, the platform withdrew from Sichuan and Chongqing and closed multiple stations in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Despite achieving annual profitability for the first time last year under the Non-GAAP standard, the platform still needs to identify its path for sustainable growth.
Dingdong Maicai's product range caters to various household needs, ranging from traditional fresh produce to prepared dishes. From quirky plants and pets, to exotic ingredients, Dingdong Maicai continues to broaden its business scope, striving to identify a unique growth path in the highly competitive fresh food industry.
Anyone who has spent time in China is likely to have noticed how elaborate the packaging can be relative to similar products in Western countries. Goods are wrapped up as if for high tea in the depths of a Heilongjiang winter - one may have to make their way through four or five layers of intricate wrapping before reaching a tasty morsel buried deep inside. The perceived status, discovery or safety from fanciful packaging trumps any environmental concerns for most consumers.