Most popular plant-based alternative food products China 2024, by type

According to a survey conducted by Rakuten Insight in February 2024, among the respondents in China who had consumed plant-based food, around 86 percent said they had tried plant-based milk made of soy, rice, almond, oat, or other alternatives. The second and third most popular types of plant-based alternatives were dairy product substitutes and meat substitutes, with 54 percent and 52 percent of respondents, respectively, having consumed them.

Awareness of plant-based substitutes among Chinese consumers

“Plant-based alternative” is a new concept in China; there are still a considerable number of Chinese consumers who do not know what plant-based alternatives really are. However, consumers who were familiar with plant-based foods were usually willing to try them. In fact, most of them consumed plant-based foods regularly. The belief that plant-based products were healthier was the most common reason for eating plant-based alternatives.

Large plant-based milk consumer base in China

Since lactose intolerance is a common phenomenon in China, plant-based milk has been widely accepted by Chinese consumers. Although oat milk is popular worldwide as a milk alternative, it is a relatively new category in China’s plant-based milk market, where soy milk has long held dominance. Chinese people have a long history and tradition of drinking soy milk because they believe that it is rich in both nutritional value and therapeutic effects.