Frozen Vegetables in China: A Market on the Cusp of Growth

In recent years, growing consumer focus on food safety and rising consumption awareness have led to greater spending on food. As a type of frozen food, quick-frozen vegetables are set to gain wider acceptance, thanks to their rich nutrition, year-round availability, additive-free nature, and easy processing—boasting immense market potential. Today, various quick-frozen vegetables (pre-cut broccoli, carrots, green beans, corn kernels, etc.) are available in supermarket frozen sections. While consumption upgrades may drive more acceptance, their prices remain relatively high: over 20 yuan on Tmall, with imported ones even pricier. Yet the domestic market potential for quick-frozen vegetables is huge. Compared to fresh produce, they offer more stable prices (less affected by climate) and standardized processing—factors favored by chain restaurants. Advances in cold chain logistics and fresh food e-commerce are opening up new markets, giving China’s quick-frozen vegetable industry unprecedented opportunities. Sustained growth, however, requires innovation: increasing R&D to develop more high-quality varieties will expand the market and boost consumer acceptance.