{"id":13067,"date":"2024-11-30T12:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-30T12:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/?p=13067"},"modified":"2025-04-23T08:55:44","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T08:55:44","slug":"how-big-is-chinas-market-for-plant-based-foods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/how-big-is-chinas-market-for-plant-based-foods\/","title":{"rendered":"How big is the Chinese market for plant-based foods?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Chinese market for plant-based foods is growing as environmental, health and ethical concerns increase among Chinese consumers. While vegetarianism has deep roots in China, a number of modern trends are transforming the market for plant-based foods and the food and beverage market as a whole<\/h2>\n

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Historical background of plant-based diets in China<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The consumption of vegetarian food in China is not a modern phenomenon. Buddhism, which entered China around 2,000 years ago, has had a significant influence, as many Buddhists in China practice vegetarianism as an extension of the religion\u2019s teachings on compassion and non-harm.<\/p>\n

Temples across China often run vegetarian restaurants, and traditional Chinese vegetarian dishes often aim to replicate the texture and taste of meat using ingredients like tofu, wheat protein, and mushrooms. This has given rise to a rich tapestry of vegetarian dishes that form an integral part of the Chinese culinary landscape.<\/p>\n

However, meat consumption has long been a sign of status in China, and per capita consumption has shot up since the reform and opening up movement of the late 1970s started to push up people\u2019s incomes. According to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, China is the largest consumer of meat in the world (understandable given its population size), and meat consumption has increased five-fold over the past 30 years.<\/p>\n