The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) has surveyed the market for meat-based snacks in China and found it continuing to expand, driven by growing consumer demand for products that offer good quality, great taste, and nutritional value. Thai meat-based snacks are seen as having sales opportunities, but must initially focus on chicken- and fish-based products, as China still prohibits imports of processed beef and pork from Thailand.
Ms. Sunanta Kangwankunkij, Director-General of the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) under the Ministry of Commerce, disclosed that she has instructed commercial attachés stationed in various countries around the world to accelerate the expansion of markets for Thai goods and services, in accordance with the policy of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Supajee Suthumpun. Most recently, she received a report from Mr. Chanwit Ruangchaithaweeesuk, Director of the Trade Promotion Office (TPO) in Kunming, People's Republic of China, on the findings of a survey into the situation of the meat-based snack industry in China, which is expanding continuously, as well as the opportunities for exporting Thai meat-based snacks to Chinese consumers.
The commercial attaché reported that the meat-based snack industry is becoming one of the fastest-growing segments of the processed food sector in China. This is due to China's vast consumer base and a shift in consumer behavior away from a focus purely on convenience toward placing greater importance on quality, taste, and nutritional value — giving rise to a health-conscious consumption trend, such as demand for low-sugar, low-fat products containing dietary fiber and probiotics within the meat-based snack category. There has also been diversification in product development, including items made from beef, chicken, and duck, as well as various component ingredients, in order to open up markets for new flavors.
In 2025, the market value of China's snack industry stands at 1,180,400 billion yuan and is projected to rise to 1,237,800 billion yuan by 2027. The factors driving this growth are not limited to the large population and rising purchasing power alone, but also relate to Chinese consumer behavior toward eating health-oriented snacks and an increasing trend of purchasing products online. Among the factors that lead Chinese consumers to favor meat-based snacks, taste ranks first, followed by reasonable pricing, while they also place importance on the quality of raw materials and the absence of preservatives, additives, artificial colors, or synthetic fragrances. Beef is the most widely used raw material in production, followed by chicken, duck, and pork.
"Given that the meat-based snack industry in China shows a trend of continued growth — reflecting a market driven more by product quality than by convenience — this represents a significant opportunity for Thai products to enter the Chinese market, such as dried meat, shredded pork, pork floss, or seasoned chicken, owing to their strength in offering a wide variety of flavors. However, at present China does not yet permit imports of processed beef and pork products from Thailand; only products made from chicken and chicken-derived ingredients, and fish from Thailand, are permitted for import. As a result, Thai operators wishing to sell products in the Chinese market may wish to consider first expanding into chicken- or fish-based snack products. Thai fish-based snacks, in particular, are a new product category with strong potential in the Chinese market. Operators may consider differentiating their products by introducing new flavors that reflect Thai identity, such as tom yum goong. Nevertheless, the importation of meat products from abroad is subject to numerous restrictions, and operators should carefully study China's import regulations and standards in order to prevent potential business losses in the future," said Ms. Sunanta.
