On June 20th, the 2nd Summit on Supply Chain, Flavor Solutions, and Innovative Applications in the Pre-prepared Food Industry was held in Guangzhou. This conference was guided by the China Condiment Association, organized by the Pre-prepared Food Flavor Industry Branch of the China Condiment Association, and co-organized by the Liangzhilong·China Food Ingredient E-commerce Festival Organizing Committee and the Dealer Branch of the China Condiment Association. It was also strategically partnered with Unilever Food Solutions, and received special support from the Dalian Pre-prepared Food Industry Association, Dalian Food Industry Association, and Hubei Condiment Association.

The conference was attended by Bai Yan, Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Condiment Association; Tan Yinggang, President of the Hubei Condiment Association; Yao Peng, Secretary-General of the Pre-prepared Food Flavor Industry Branch of the China Condiment Association and Head of the Chain Channel at Unilever Food Solutions; Liu Huaqiang, Project Director of Wuhan Shihedao Network Technology Co., Ltd. and the Liangzhilong·China Food Ingredient E-commerce Festival; Zhuang Chen, a renowned Chinese food critic, Flavor Promotion Ambassador of the China Condiment Association, and Executive Chairman of the China Snack Committee; Yang Fan, Executive Vice President of the Dealer Branch of the China Condiment Association and Chairman of Changsha Sixiaolong Commercial and Trade Development Co., Ltd.; Ou Yubin, Chairman of Fujian Haiwenming Marine Technology Development Co., Ltd.; Qiu Lifei, Chairman of Beihai Hongfang Aquatic Products Co., Ltd.; Meng Xiangren, Vice President of the Pre-prepared Food Flavor Industry Branch of the China Condiment Association and Vice President of the Tourism and Culinary College at Yangzhou University; Tang Xin, Executive President of the Hongcan Industry Research Institute; Fan Wei, Deputy General Manager of Dalian Ruichi Food Co., Ltd.; Zhu Junya, Executive Deputy General Manager of Dalian Jinkui Group; Yue Peng, General Manager of Sichuan Dandan Pixian Bean Paste Group Co., Ltd.; Liu Hongbo, General Manager of Qianjiang Xiaofeige Condiment Co., Ltd.; Zhao Xiaoxi, General Manager of Tianjin Dingyan Commercial and Trade Co., Ltd.; Liu Wei, General Manager of Hubei Zhengdachu Food Co., Ltd.; Liu Gerui, General Manager of Zhongshan Torch Industry Investment Group Co., Ltd.; Guo Huaxian, Chairman of Sichuan Hehegu Food Co., Ltd.; Li Ku, Deputy General Manager of the Protein Nutrition and Flavor Technology Center at Angel Yeast Co., Ltd.; Bi Chongliang, North China Regional Manager of Gaishi Food Co., Ltd.; as well as over a hundred other relevant executives from pre-prepared food production and processing enterprises, pre-prepared food flavor solution providers, pre-prepared food ingredient enterprises, chain restaurants, commercial and trade circulation, takeout, e-commerce, cold chain technology and equipment, warehousing, logistics, investment, and scientific research institutions across the country.

Speech at the Conference

Bai Yan, Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Condiment Association, attended the 2nd Summit on Supply Chain, Flavor Solutions, and Innovative Applications in the Pre-prepared Food Industry and delivered a speech.

With the rapid changes in the food and beverage market and household kitchen consumption, pre-prepared food, as a convenient and quick food option, has garnered increasing attention and experienced rapid development. The release of the Central Document No. 1 in 2023 and the subsequent issuance of the "Notice on Strengthening Food Safety Supervision of Pre-prepared Food and Promoting High-quality Industrial Development" jointly published by six departments including the State Administration for Market Regulation have clearly defined the scope of pre-prepared food products at the national level and regulated the raw and auxiliary materials, pre-processing techniques, storage, transportation, sales requirements, and consumption methods of pre-prepared food. This indicates that while the pre-prepared food industry is welcoming market development opportunities and gaining policy support, it is also facing new requirements for comprehensive supervision.

The concept of pre-prepared food is not entirely new; convenience foods, canned foods, and frozen foods that have existed for a long time can all be understood as pre-prepared foods. Pre-prepared food refers to the process of transforming the preparation and cooking of culinary dishes into food processing and ultimately presenting it to consumers in a packaged form. Pre-prepared food satisfies specific consumption needs in particular scenarios, and as consumption patterns, consumer groups, and consumer behavior change, the scope of these scenarios is gradually expanding. However, it cannot completely replace or disrupt the existence of other scenarios.

The pre-prepared food industry has garnered significant attention, with various stakeholders actively positioning themselves in this sector. By the beginning of this year, the number of pre-prepared food-related enterprises in China had reached over 60,000, with the market size continuously expanding and demonstrating robust growth momentum. Simultaneously, it has effectively driven the development of upstream and downstream supply chain enterprises. After several years of initial exploration, the pre-prepared food industry and market are gradually becoming more rational and calm. Enhancing product quality, improving industrial standards, and achieving high-quality growth have become the inevitable direction for the development of the pre-prepared food industry.

As the "soul" of Chinese cuisine, condiments play a crucial role in the development of the food and beverage industry and the pre-prepared food industry. Only when ingredients and condiments are perfectly combined can consumers be provided with delicious dishes. The high-quality development of the pre-prepared food industry is inseparable from the flavor innovation and application of condiments.

Yao Peng, Secretary-General of the Pre-prepared Food Flavor Industry Branch of the China Condiment Association and the Head of the Chain Channel at Unilever Food Solutions, delivered a speech on behalf of Zhou Yingjie, President of the Pre-prepared Food Flavor Industry Branch of the China Condiment Association and Vice President of Retail Food North Asia at Unilever. He said: In recent years, pre-prepared food has been increasingly integrated into consumers' lives, and the overall pre-prepared food market has demonstrated robust growth momentum and significant market potential. On one hand, as market education continues to mature, pre-prepared food is being recognized and accepted by more and more consumers due to its unique advantages. On the other hand, we also observe that in addition to the continuous improvement of the relevant industrial standard system, consumer demands for healthy and convenient food are also constantly escalating. Industry professionals in the pre-prepared food sector are continually innovating to provide more diversified and personalized products to meet the diverse needs of the market. Apart from continuously enhancing product quality and ensuring safety, flavor innovation is the key to future development.

Liu Huaqiang, Project Director of Wuhan Shihedao Network Technology Co., Ltd. and the Liangzhilong·China Food Ingredients E-commerce Festival, said in his speech: With the development of society and the improvement of people's living standards, pre-prepared food has become a symbol of dietary culture in the new era, satisfying modern people's pursuit of high-quality life with its characteristics of convenience, speed, health, and deliciousness. The combination of pre-prepared food products and condiments has greatly enriched the product line, promoted industry development, and facilitated transformative innovation in the food and beverage industry.

Initiative Action

Since its launch, the "Developing New Quality Productive Forces and Promoting High-Quality Development" initiative in the condiment industry has received widespread attention from the industry. Through open recruitment within the condiment industry, the organizing committee has selected a new batch of 13 outstanding representative enterprises. At the event, the organizing committee awarded the "Developing New Quality Productive Forces and Promoting High-Quality Development" certificate to this new batch of participating enterprises, guiding them to deepen innovation in their professional fields and contribute to the high-quality development of the industry in the future.

Report Release

2024 White Paper on the Development of Aquatic Pre-prepared Food Industry Release Ceremony

The "2024 White Paper on the Development of Aquatic Pre-prepared Food Industry" was jointly released by the Pre-prepared Food Flavor Industry Branch of the China Condiment Association, Unilever Food Solutions, and Hongcan Web. At the event, Tang Xin, Executive Dean of Hongcan Industry Research Institute, shared the report on the "2024 White Paper on the Development of Aquatic Pre-prepared Food Industry," presenting insights into the market size of the pre-prepared food industry and the key challenges it currently faces.

Thematic Sharing

Meng Xiangren, Vice President of the Pre-prepared Food Flavor Industry Branch of the China Condiment Association and Vice Dean of the Tourism and Culinary College of Yangzhou University, Ou Yubin, Chairman of Fujian Haiwenming Marine Technology Development Co., Ltd., Chou Lifei, Chairman of Beihai Hongfang Aquatic Products Co., Ltd., Bi Chongliang, North China Regional Leader of Gaishi Food Co., Ltd., and Li Ku, Deputy General Manager of the Protein Nutrition and Flavor Technology Center at Angel Yeast Co., Ltd., delivered professional speeches respectively on the topics of "Analysis of the Current Status and Development Path of Pre-prepared Food Industrialization from a Multi-Industry Perspective," "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall: From Fuzhou to the World," "The Development and Application of Shrimp Paste in the Food and Beverage Industry," "Focusing on the Subdivision Track: Pre-prepared Cold Dishes Are 'Heating Up'," and "Yeast Extract Enables Flavor Upgrades in Pre-prepared Food." They shared insights into professional technological innovation, how to implement standardization, branding, and digital development in pre-prepared food, and flavor solutions for pre-prepared food, providing new development ideas for participants.

Roundtable Forum

During the roundtable discussion, five guests, including Tan Yinggang, President of the Hubei Condiment Association, Zhuang Chen, a renowned Chinese food critic and delicious food promotion ambassador of the China Condiment Association, Yang Fan, Chairman of Changsha Sixiaolong Trading and Development Co., Ltd., Fan Wei, Deputy General Manager of Dalian Ruichi Food Co., Ltd., and Liu Xuan, Marketing Director of Sichuan Dandan Pixian Bean Paste Group Co., Ltd., engaged in a dialogue centering on topics such as long-term development opportunities for pre-prepared food, the inheritance and innovation of local classic cuisine, the nationwide promotion of regional flavors, global awareness in production and operation, and Chinese-Western fusion innovation. These discussions brought new insights to the participants.

This conference brought together numerous industry professionals from the condiment industry and related fields of pre-prepared food to jointly explore the application and innovation of flavor solutions for condiments and pre-prepared food. Pre-prepared food aligns with modern consumers' fast-paced and diversified dietary needs through its convenience and variety. In the future, it will require collaboration and enhanced cooperation within the industry to collectively propel the pre-prepared food industry towards sustainable development, adhering to the principles of food safety, nutritional balance, and health, and ultimately winning consumers' trust and support with high-quality products and excellent services.