Everything aligned for plant-based protein just two years ago in China, but things haven’t panned out the way they were tracking. Plant-based dairy has fared better than meat, here’s why…

"If you protect yourself from the sun, you will be whiter than others. If not, you will be uglier," so said a sun hat advertisement last month on Douyin from the multi-billion dollar Chinese sun protection brand, Beneunder.

It was March 2021 when the EU-China agreement protecting geographical indications (GIs) came into force. This aimed to recognise and protect around 200 distinct agri-food producing regions. It included well known specialties such as Feta, Prosciutto di Parma, Irish whiskey, Münchener Bier and Ouzo from Europe and Pixian Bean Paste, Anji White Tea, Panjin rice and Anqiu Ginger from China.

If you're living in a developed country, there's a chance you may have seen a few robots since the pandemic began. In the US, labour shortages, coupled with robots being covid-free has driven the recent adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered robots for everything from coffee delivery to making fresh, hot pizzas and customised hamburgers in minutes from deep inside a vending machine.

Health has long been one of the most important trends in China. Horrific smog in 2013 drove China-based researchers to conclude that Beijing's pollution made the city almost "uninhabitable for human beings." The soupy air was an unmistakable reminder of the importance of staying healthy. This, coupled with numerous food scandals, more sedentary lifestyles and the lasting Chinese tradition of being proactive about health, brought health further to the fore. That year, health was the number one concern for wealthy Chinese, mirroring findings across many consumer groups in China.

China has almost achieved another lofty goal: becoming a high income economy against all odds. This represents further opportunities for brands

Eileen Gu ticks so many boxes - both obvious and not so obvious - which enable her to resonate with Chinese consumers

Recent security concerns with WeChat is likely to see B2B comms change to alternative channels in China

Sustainability is becoming a key requirement of doing business in China - both due to consumer-pull and Beijing-push

Magnum's brand has grown in China on the back of strong marketing campaigns every summer, yet "double standards" are likely to hit the brand this year

It’s been three weeks since Singles’ Day smashed records with sales topping $116 billion just from Alibaba and JD. At China Skinny, we’ve been busy analysing the results and trends – many of which apply to year-round marketing strategies to reach and connect with Chinese consumers.

Tomorrow is the night that Chinese believe the full moon is at its brightest, shining on farmers for the mid-Autumn harvest. To celebrate, many of China’s 1.4 billion people will have hung lanterns and gifted sweet mooncakes filled with red-bean or lotus-seed paste. It is also the beginning of the much-anticipated 8-day national holiday.

Milk: that white gold that strengthens your bones and teeth, can improve your skin and even lower the risk of obesity. In China, renowned doctors and even the Government have advocated drinking milk to build the body’s immune system to help fend off the dreaded COVID-19.

There are signs that the long, cold coronavirus winter may be subsiding as the green shoots of spring appear, as many Chinese commentators have so eloquently put it. Since 20 February, the number of railway passenger trips has picked up with an average daily increase of 60,000 as Chinese return to work.

Wandering though the library of a Chinese primary school, don’t be surprised if you encounter a 6-year old dusting up on their DNA-editing knowledge. The “Third-Generation Gene Editor CRISPR,” has made the list of recommended books for Chinese kids in elementary and middle schools, along with a host of subjects including quantum computing, drones and aerospace.

Eight weeks ago, Versace, Coach, Givenchy, Calvin Klein, Fresh and Asics were forced to publicly apologise after labelling Hong Kong (among other regions) as independent countries.

Last Thursday, China’s State Council Information Office (SCIO) published a white paper: Equality, Development and Sharing: Progress of Women’s Cause in 70 Years Since New China’s Founding. “The founding of the PRC in 1949 ushered in a new era for women in China, changing their social status from an oppressed and enslaved group in the past thousands of years to masters of their own fate…” the paper began.

In 2012 in the city of Wuhu, Anhui, a former street vendor and motorcycle taxi operator named Liaoyuan Zhang, left his job selling nuts to start his own nut company. In just 65 days, the company – Three Squirrels – became the top selling nuts brand on Tmall and within a couple of years, was said to be the top-selling food brand online. On Singles’ Day last year, it took less than 10 minutes to sell ¥100 million ($14.2 million) worth of snacks. The recently-listed company now has a market cap of close to $3 billion.