Latest industry data shows that China's instant food market presented a pattern of "stable leading players and innovative breakthroughs" in the second quarter of 2025. Instant noodles continued to lead with a market share of nearly 50%, while categories such as self-heating food and hot pot seasonings sought breakthroughs through scenario upgrading. Meanwhile, the linkage between domestic and international markets has injected new vitality into the industry.
Leading Categories Strengthen Position, Price Upgrading as Core Driver
According to data from Mashangying Brand CT, instant noodles not only accounted for nearly half of the instant food market in Q2 2025 but also saw a year-on-year increase of 0.68% in market share, further consolidating their status as the core category. This performance benefits from the steady rise in prices: the price index of instant noodles has remained above 101.8 for nearly a year, reaching a high of 102.14 in February 2025, making it one of the few categories with steady price growth. Enterprises have realized value enhancement through "refined" adjustments to product specifications. For example, the average unit weight of non-combo instant noodles decreased from 134g in Q1 2024 to 128g in Q2 2025, which, combined with quality upgrades, has driven reasonable price increases.
Among sub-categories, canned luncheon meat emerged as the biggest surprise, achieving a year-on-year sales growth of 5.91% and a 0.19% increase in market share, becoming the only category with "dual growth". This reflects the continuous rise in demand for convenient ingredients. In contrast, the market share of self-heating hot pot and self-heating rice has dropped below 1%, putting greater competitive pressure on small and medium-sized categories.
Scenario Revolution Reshapes Demand, Hot Pot Seasonings and Instant Food Upgrade Synergistically
Camping and home-staying scenarios are driving innovative transformations in instant food and supporting categories. Monitoring data from Sohu.com shows that in 2024, orders for hot pot and barbecue ingredients for home consumption increased by over 35% year-on-year, with 70% being semi-finished ingredients. To adapt to outdoor scenarios, "Chatuxiong" launched camping hot pot sets integrating pre-washed vegetables and pre-mixed soup bases, while Hema packaged hot pot ingredients with disposable stoves to solve the freshness preservation and operation pain points of outdoor cooking.
In home scenarios, the trend of matching consumption between hot pot seasonings and instant food is prominent. Brands have launched "single-serve hot pot sets" that combine self-heating hot pot bases, small portions of meat rolls, and vegetable packs, simultaneously driving the innovation of small-sized basic condiments such as soy sauce. Meituan consumption data shows that the repurchase rate of instant food products with "secret seasoning packs" is 22% higher than that of ordinary products, confirming the role of seasoning upgrades in enhancing consumer experience.
Global Market Flourishes, China's Instant Food Exports Grow Briskly
Both domestic and international instant food brands are accelerating their global layout. According to Xiamen Customs data, from January to August 2024, the export value of ready-to-eat noodles from Fujian Province reached 246 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 21.94%, ranking among the top three in China. The products are exported to Southeast Asia, North America and other regions. Private enterprises have become the main force in overseas expansion, accounting for over 70%. They have broken the traditional perception of Chinese instant food overseas by improving production technology to achieve nutritional upgrades.
The international market also performed strongly. Data from South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs shows that South Korea's instant noodle exports exceeded 1.2 billion US dollars for the first time in 2024, surging 31% year-on-year to a record high. This global demand boom provides a reference for Chinese instant food enterprises. Xiamen Customs has launched targeted services to help enterprises avoid overseas technical barriers and accelerate their expansion into the international market.
Industry analysts point out that the instant food industry will show a differentiated pattern in 2025, with "leading players focusing on value and small-to-medium players focusing on scenarios". The quality upgrading of instant noodles will complement the scenario-based innovation of hot pot seasonings and instant food, while the continuous development of overseas markets is expected to become a new engine for the industry's growth.
