The taste of independence: new products and marketing tapping into the solo dining trend
As of today, there are 240 million singletons in China, along with over 92 million people living alone, according to latest national statistical data. 'Solo dining' has become a trendy topic for people who readily embrace the self-care routine of 'enjoy something good when being alone'. On China's leading lifestyle and trend-finding app RED/Xiaohongshu, #WhatToEatAlone has garnered nearly 16.5 billion views and 2.68 million posts related to solo dining.
Images showcasing a trendy creation form of food plog (photo blog) featuring graffiti style. People record moments of ‘solo dining’ by using graffiti-style plog to add delight to daily life. Images shared by the user @西瓜伏加特 on Xiaohongshu/RED
According to iiMedia Research data, the market size of convenience food (instant noodles + self-heating foods + ready meals) in China reached ¥596.1 billion ($82.1b) in 2022, and it is projected to exceed 1 trillion yuan by 2026. To capitalize on the business bonanza arising from the trend of 'solo dining,' brands are introducing new instant food products and employing innovative marketing strategies to enhance their visibility and reputation in China's highly competitive market. Below are some examples happening in China's convenience market over the past couple of years.
Innovative Products
People usually believe instant food and RTC food are lacking in freshness, but brands are working to quell these perceptions! In May 2023, Baixiang launched coriander instant noodles, featuring a condiment pack filled with five fresh cilantro bunches. It employed FD (Freeze-Drying) technology to preserve the natural flavour, texture, colour, and nutritional value of cilantro.
Baixiang coriander instant noodles. Images: Xiaohongshu/RED
In December 2023, Hema launched two frozen instant noodle flavours: Original Chicken Soup and Pickled Vegetable Shredded Pork. Using the quick-freeze technology to lock in freshness, Hema freezes the prepared soup base, noodles, and toppings together. Consumers only need to open the bag, heat it until boiling, and it's ready to eat—no additional water is required, and there are no seasoning packets.
Hema frozen instant noodles. Images: Xiaohongshu/RED
When was the last time you enjoyed a proper balanced meal? For many young people, the busyness of life has made sitting down to a meal with fresh vegetables a luxury. Ever wished you could ingest vegetables in just 1 second? ITO EN (伊藤園) , a renowned Japaness food and berverage company, has answered that with their 'superpower' vegetable powder. This innovative product condenses vegetables into a convenient powder form, packed into small stick-shaped packages. These packages can be carried anywhere and opened at any dining occasion. Sprinkle the powder on any food at mealtime to supplement your nutrients without altering the original dining experience.
ITO EN (伊藤園) vegetable superpowder. Images: ITO EN official
Have you ever struggled with overly complicated cooking instructions? Gathering and preparing all of the ingredients for a dish can also be time-consuming. If you're a Takoyaki lover, you can't miss this! The brand Da Duofu(大多福)'s Takoyaki DIY Kit is designed for cooking homemade takoyaki. The kit includes all the necessary ingredients and a complete set of tools and materials for making takoyaki. There are video tutorials on its official flagship store and on the Douyin platform. With easy-to-follow instructions, consumers can effortlessly relish the taste of takoyaki at home.
Da Duofu(大多福)'s Takoyaki DIY Kit. Images: Da Duofu official
Marketing Initiatives
Impressive innovations of convenience food are often not enough on their own, and typically need solid marketing campaigns to build awareness and encourage trial. Following are some interesting marketing campaigns launched by convenience food brands from China.
It is notable that Baixiang experienced robust sales growth in recent years, achieving nearly 100% growth in sales and securing top sales on e-commerce platforms in 2022. Meanwhile, the brand continues its active marketing activities, focused mainly on targeting young consumers.
In November 2022, the first-in-industry ‘Instant Noodle Factory’ pop-up store was launched, attracting young people to visit to get an immersive experience. As of the end of 2023, ‘Baixiang Instant Noodle Factory’ has swept across 34 cities in China and become trendy as a new local photogenic spot. The store displays scaled-down replicas of various areas found in an instant noodle factory. When customers visit, they can walk through each stage of the instant noodle production process. Furthermore, they can delve into the company's history at the Baixiang History Museum. By leveraging this physical presence, Baixiang enriched the consumer experience and promoted brand culture.
Baixiang Instant Noodle Factory. Images: Xiaohongshu@活动创意库
In December 2022, herbal tea brand, Wanglaoji, and the emerging instant noodle brand, Choubao, collaborated on the 'Ji Xiang Zhuanng' (吉装箱) gift box, meaning 'a box filled with luck' in Chinese. The box features Wanglaoji's custom herbal tea cans and Choubao's Liuzhou river snails rice noodles with a distinctive soup. By combining spicy river snails rice noodles with refreshing herbal tea, the collaboration reinforces the value of each product, connecting both products to cultivate consumption habits. A follow-up marketing campaign encouraged consumers to share lucky events in their daily lives, sparked extensive discussions on social media.
Choubao x Wanglaoji collab. Images shared by Choubao's official account on Xiaohongshu/RED
Wrapping up
Convenience food brands provide consumers with innovative products that are not just tasty and quick, but also considered fresh, nutritious, and easy to prepare! In terms of marketing strategies, brands build awareness by connecting with consumption scenarios. They communicate unique selling points (USPs) and brand culture through youthful marketing activities to effectively engage with younger audience.
