New Zealand food and beverage companies are set for further success in the Chinese market as consumers favour more products with natural ingredients, according to a report by global market intelligence agency Mintel.
Research Director Laurel Gu says latest research shows that with a reputation for a strong focus on natural ingredients, New Zealand “could see great success by tapping into Chinese consumers’ healthy lifestyle, particularly within snacking occasions.” This applies also to Australian companies.
The Mintel report shows that food is the leading product for Chinese consumers to buy online from Australia and New Zealand, followed by baby food and products. It says that while importing products is hugely popular in China, it seems that when buying these items online, Australia and New Zealand are often front of mind.
“New Zealand is seemingly a favourite for Chinese shoppers to purchase baby food and products from, with 22% of those who have bought imported products doing so online, followed by Australia (20%).”
It also says 15 per cent of Chinese online consumers have bought alcoholic drinks from New Zealand. Beauty and personal care products were purchased by 9 per cent of online consumers.
Gu says: “Along with rapid urbanisation and higher disposable income, Chinese consumers are now among some of the world’s biggest spenders. Chinese consumers are becoming increasingly sophisticated while remaining influenced by the reputations of source countries. We see a lot of growth opportunity for brands in Australia and New Zealand to target Chinese consumers.