How China's Quiet Plant-Based Revolution Will Help Us Create A New Food Industry Norm

Earlier this month, LIVEKINDLY Collective debuted two new plant-based meat brands, Giggling Pig and Happy Chicken. These are our first brands created in-house, and we formulated both in China, specifically for that market. Why China? Appetites are changing in the country, so the opportunity for growth in the alternative-protein sector there is huge. We know this, in part, by looking at China’s fast-food industry.?

In May 2020, KFC tested plant-based nuggets in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Shanghai. In the latter, pre-sale coupons, mandatory for participating in the trial, sold out within one hour. A month later in China, KFC, alongside Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, forged partnerships with an alternative protein company. Fast forward to 2021, and McDonald’s is stepping up its plant-based options there, too. In March, the chain added plant-based pork to breakfast menus in the same trio of cities as above.

On a broader scale, China’s plant-based protein industry is predicted to be worth $14.5 billion by 2025. For us, entering that market with Giggling Pig and Happy Chicken is both an exciting opportunity and a strategic move. We want to create a movement, bring change, and build a company big enough to challenge the plant-based ambitions of some of the world’s biggest food corporations. China is a key component in reaching that goal.?

It’s important to note that the country pioneered plant-based meat long before the rest of the world. “China was cooking with ingredients like seitan, tofu, and tempeh well before it was mainstream,” says Joanna LiuQiao, our regional director of Greater China at LIVEKINDLY Collective. “We understand what works and doesn’t work for this market, and our new brands are high-quality and tailored to local consumer tastes.”

These days, young consumers are driving the country’s plant-based meat boom. They are increasingly self-aware and open to healthier food choices. That’s why we are marketing Giggling Pig and Happy Chicken towards young Millennials and Gen-Zers.?

But it’s not just young people steering a change in China.?

In yet another sign that this market is progressing quietly and quickly; the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology issued the first standard for plant-based meat products on the same day as our launch: June 25. The standard , which outlines guidelines for things like labeling, transportation, packaging, and storage, shows that the country is taking the plant-based meat industry seriously.

By supporting alternative protein, China is shaping attitudes and propelling sustainable trends forward. As the second-biggest global economy, the impact of doing so should not be underestimated. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. I was honored to speak recently with Paul Polman, former Unilever CEO and founder of Imagine, in front of 4,000 attendees at the Food and Beverage Innovation Forum in Hangzhou, one of the most influential food industry events in Asia. We discussed the potential of alternative protein, and how we can make plant-based meat the go-to in China and around the globe.?

To achieve our ultimate goal and make plant-based meat the new norm, it’s crucial we work within powerful countries that are driving change with other like-minded industry leaders. We’re a collective, after all. And that means collaboration, unity, and above all, joint cooperation. I truly believe that together we can transform the food system and use business as a force for good.?