China’s Pre‑Prepared Meal Boom: Multi‑Billion‑Yuan Growth, Policy Backing, and Calls for Transparency
The Chinese food market has been quietly undergoing a transformation that may soon reshape how millions of people across the country—and increasingly abroad—think about dinner. At the heart of this shift is the rapid rise of 预制菜, literally “pre‑prepared dishes,” a category that includes anything from semi‑finished stir‑fries and simmered soups to fully cooked meals that can be reheated at home or in a restaurant kitchen. In the span of just a few years the sector has exploded from a niche convenience product to a multibillion‑yuan industry, spurred by changing lifestyles, advances in food‑processing technology, and a government that has begun to treat the sector as a strategic priority.
12 September 2025
In 2021, estimates placed the market for pre‑prepared dishes in China at just over 300 billion yuan. By 2023 that figure had climbed to roughly 516 billion yuan, and a year later the industry was valued at 485 billion yuan despite the slight dip caused by broader economic headwinds. Analysts now project that the market could surpass 749 billion yuan by 2026, a trajectory that would put the sector on a path to a 500‑billion‑yuan size as early as 2025. The growth curve has been driven by a confluence of forces. Urban Chinese consumers, pressed for time by longer commutes and demanding work schedules, have embraced the “lazy economy” that promises a quick, home‑cooked feeling without the labor. The COVID‑19 pandemic accelerated this trend, as restaurant closures and community lockdowns forced families to look for reliable, shelf‑stable options that could be stored in refrigerators and cooked with minimal effort.
The industrial dimension of 预制菜 is equally important. Traditional dishes are being re‑engineered into standardized, semi‑finished products that can be mass‑produced while retaining a semblance of their original flavors. This shift has attracted a broad swathe of investors—from agricultural producers and food processors to e‑commerce platforms and logistics firms—all eager to tap a market that promises both scale and repeat purchases. To support this expansion, cold‑chain logistics have become a critical backbone, enabling products to travel long distances while retaining quality and safety. While impressive strides have been made, the sector still wrestles with gaps in a fully integrated, cost‑effective cold‑chain network.
Policy support has kept pace with industry enthusiasm. In March 2022, the Guangdong provincial government rolled out a “Ten Measures” plan aimed at accelerating a high‑quality pre‑prepared dishes industry in the province, a move that signaled regional commitment to the sector. The same year, on June 2, the China Cuisine Association published the first group standard for pre‑prepared dishes (T/CCA 024‑2022), laying a baseline for production and safety. By October 2022, research labs were already trialing new pre‑treatment and cooking technologies designed to preserve colour, texture, aroma, and nutritional content while reducing the intensity of sterilisation—a key step in balancing food safety with consumer expectations of taste. The national government’s endorsement became explicit in 2023 when the industry was mentioned in the Central No. 1 Document for the first time, an official acknowledgment that elevated 预制菜 from a commercial curiosity to a strategic development direction. Yet that same year also exposed a glaring lack of comprehensive industry standards, prompting calls for clearer definitions and more rigorous oversight.
The conversation around what exactly qualifies as a “pre‑prepared dish” has become a lightning rod on social media. A cascade of complaints erupted after a high‑profile dispute involving live‑streaming entrepreneur Luo Yonghao and the restaurant chain Xibei, where patrons alleged they had been served fully cooked, reheated meals presented as freshly made. Online users demanded “预制菜强制明示” – mandatory disclosure of pre‑made items – arguing that paying premium prices for what they believed was home‑cooked food was a breach of trust. The debate has sharpened the distinction between dishes that are partially pre‑processed (such as pre‑washed vegetables or pre‑cooked sauces finished on site) and those that are entirely manufactured off‑site and simply reheated. The latter, especially when marketed as fresh, has been vilified as deceptive, prompting a chorus of calls for transparent labeling and stricter regulation.
Safety and nutritional quality remain at the forefront of both consumer concerns and industry challenges. While sophisticated processing techniques—ranging from blanching and colour‑preserving additives to microwave drying, extrusion puffing, and low‑temperature sterilisation—have improved the taste and shelf‑life of pre‑prepared dishes, questions linger about pesticide residues, illegal additives, and the hygiene standards of production facilities, particularly for meat‑based products. Long‑term consumption of highly processed meals can also lead to nutritional deficits, as high‑temperature treatments may strip vitamins and alter protein digestibility. In response, research institutes have begun exploring greener, low‑impact processing of by‑products and the development of “medicinal” pre‑prepared foods that aim to retain more of the original nutritional profile.
The industry’s momentum has not slowed. In March 2025, researchers turned their attention to aquatic products, developing de‑gutting, descaling, and portioning techniques suited for chain restaurants, central kitchens, and food‑distribution centres. Simultaneously, companies such as Zhuhai Gree Pre‑prepared Dishes Equipment Technology Development Co. have been rolling out new equipment designed to streamline production. The same month, the “2024 Spring Young Chef Workshop” took place, underscoring a growing emphasis on culinary talent that can bridge traditional cooking expertise with modern, scalable food technologies.
Beyond the kitchen, the rise of 预制菜 carries broader societal implications. For urban dwellers, it offers a pragmatic solution to time scarcity, allowing families to enjoy a semblance of home‑cooked meals without the extensive prep work. For the broader food system, it promises a more efficient allocation of resources—potentially reducing waste by delivering portion‑controlled servings that keep perishable ingredients from spoiling. Yet, critics warn that an over‑reliance on pre‑made meals could erode household cooking skills and diminish the cultural relevance of traditional culinary practices.
Regulators are now tasked with balancing encouragement of innovation against the need for consumer protection. As the industry expands, there is a pressing demand for clear national standards that define what constitutes a pre‑prepared dish, set limits on additives, and mandate transparent labeling. Such frameworks would not only safeguard public health but also help maintain consumer trust—a commodity as valuable as any ingredient.
In sum, the story of China’s pre‑prepared dishes is one of rapid evolution driven by convenience, technology, and policy, tempered by a public that demands honesty and safety. As cold‑chain networks mature, processing methods become more refined, and regulatory contours take shape, 预制菜 is poised to become a permanent fixture on Chinese tables and perhaps, eventually, on menus around the world. The challenge ahead is ensuring that the promise of convenience does not come at the expense of quality, nutrition, or the very authenticity that makes food such a vital part of culture.
