Our shoppers are comfortable looking to social media and cooking apps for meal inspiration and, given the newness still held by many imported species, this is a key source of meal prep guidance.
Online inspiration
Chinese consumer deep dive"I watch TikTok and try to learn recipies they show."
Researchers note that, when using their phones, video-format social media apps such as TikTok, RedNote and Bilibili are among the most popular. On the cooking apps side, Xia Chu Fang (literally ‘Go Cooking’) is a platform for consumers to upload and share their own recipes.
‘I watch TikTok a lot and sometimes try to learn the recipes they show,’ said one shopper, while another explained that ‘salmon is a common ingredient for me, but having more ways to cook it and clear information about quality and freshness will motivate me to buy more
The convenience gap
An important finding from the shopper research is the fact that Chinese consumers are looking for greater convenience in their fish dinners. It is also noteworthy that price was rarely mentioned.
Although this is of course a factor, the regularity with which Chinese people eat fish means that it is a staple. Freshness and health benefits appear to outweigh cost – at least in this qualitative study.
Convenience – a segment that has grown massively across multiple markets in recent years – is a missing ingredient in the Chinese seafood shopping experience.
While there is still a focus on looking the fish in the eye (an eye that should be full and not protruding), researchers say there is a need for ‘semi-processed’ products that retain freshness while offering a more convenient, smaller portion size.
Current packaging makes it almost impossible for an individual or small family to buy a portion of fresh fish that can be eaten in one meal, write the researchers, suggesting that products that are pre-scaled and gutted but retain internal organs (or vice versa) would appeal in particular to seafood beginners who find completely unprocessed fish too tricky.
More detailed packaging (as mentioned previously), is also a convenience factor, speeding up the process by which consumers can judge freshness, quality and what meal that product would suit.
Selling specific parts for specific meals (fillets for pan frying, the head and tail for soup) is another suggestion that offers convenience to the consumer – no need to buy, prepare and store the whole fish for different needs – while also maximising value.
"If the package had a QR code I could scan for cooking tips, that would be great!"
The industry could also take note of practices used in other higher-value products, conclude researchers, with comments backed by shoppers.
‘I would really like more information on the packaging, such as fishing time and sea area,’ stated one. ‘Cooking fish feels monotonous, so I’d love to explore more recipes. If the package had a QR code I could scan for cooking tips, that would be great!’
Another added that packaging could serve to improve trust. ‘Fish packaging could follow steak packaging. Sometimes we eat raw fish, which can raise health concerns. If the package says it’s sashimi grade, then I’ll eat it raw. The rest should be cooked well.’