Marketing new products and flavours to China’s evolving consumer

This is our first episode of Season 2 in the Live Lounge Podcast Series, and the first of our new Mini-Lounge format. Mini-Lounge is a three-way discussion about a detailed business topic impacting business in China today.

This podcast discusses, ‘Marketing new products and flavours to China’s evolving consumer’. The panel explores some of the latest trends and tactics to reach Chinese consumers in the food and beverage industry.

Three-way expert panel:
Joel Bacall, Associate Director of The Silk Initiative (Host)
Jennifer Jiang, China Country Manager, Simplot Australia
Polly Zhang, Co-Founder, JOVA Health

Order of play (minutes):
02:00 Latest trends in foods and flavours
06:04 Taking inspiration from Chinese medicine (Polly)
07:48 How to adapt the ingredients list for China (Joel/Polly)
09:52 Ingredients that consumers care about (Jennifer)
11:23 Colouring of foods including John West Salmon (Jennifer)
12:45 The difference between a trend and a fad in China (Joel)
13:30 Juice cleanse fad (Polly)
14:27 The dirty bun, Blue Sprite and Korean Spicy Instant Noodle fads (Jennifer)
15:50 Fad is not always bad (Jennifer)
16:22 Yoghurt strategies and purchase drivers (Joel)
16:58 Arousing curiosity (Joel)
18:00 Trying new ideas (Joel/Polly)
19:20 'White Rabbit' flavoured lipstick (Jennifer)
20:00 Future trends in China (Joel/Polly)
20:32 Seasonality and everything natural (Polly)
21:21 Personal successes and failures – Startup view (Polly)
22:27 Social media channels (Jennifer)
23:57 The biggest challenges looking forward for F&B in China (Jennifer)
25:10 Where we went wrong with John West (Jennifer)
27:50 Future for health brands (Jennifer)

Chapters

• 2:00 Latest trends in foods and flavours
• 6:04 Taking inspiration from Chinese medicine (Polly)
• 7:48 How to adapt the ingredients list for China (Joel/Polly)
• 9:52 Ingredients that consumers care about (Jennifer)
• 11:23 Colouring of foods including John West Salmon (Jennifer)
• 12:45 The difference between a trend and a fad in China (Joel)
• 13:30 Juice cleanse fad (Polly)
• 14:27 The dirty bun, Blue Sprite and Korean Spicy Instant Noodle fads (Jennifer)
• 15:50 Fad is not always bad (Jennifer)
• 16:22 Yoghurt strategies and purchase drivers (Joel)
• 16:58 Arousing curiosity (Joel)
• 18:00 Trying new ideas (Joel/Polly)
• 19:20 'White Rabbit' flavoured lipstick (Jennifer)
• 20:00 Future trends in China (Joel/Polly)
• 20:32 Seasonality and everything natural (Polly)
• 21:21 Personal successes and failures – Startup view (Polly)
• 22:27 Social media channels (Jennifer)
• 23:57 The biggest challenges looking forward for F&B in China (Joel/Jennifer)
• 25:10 Where we went wrong with John West (Jennifer)
• 27:50 Future for health brands (Jennifer)