Truffle is regarded as one of the top ingredients in Europe, ranking alongside caviar and foie gras as the "Three Kings of Gastronomy." Due to its extremely demanding growing conditions, the global annual yield of truffle is very limited, making its price exorbitantly high, comparable to gold. Hence, it is also known as the "Black Diamond" on the dining table.

In recent years, truffle, once labeled as a "luxurious" and "niche" rare ingredient, has been penetrating the Chinese food market at an astonishing speed. Insiders related to the China Food Exhibition have learned that truffle-related products are expected to make frequent appearances, becoming the focus in the high-end ingredient sector and attracting the attention of many food companies.

Truffle Breaks Through Traditional Categories, and Diverse Scenarios Stimulate Consumption Growth

The cross-category integration of traditional festive foods and high-end ingredients has become a key path for the popularization of truffle flavor. In 2019, Jin Hua Food Group pioneered the "Truffle Custard Mooncake," breaking the relatively monotonous product form of traditional truffle foods and becoming the first mooncake brand in the industry to launch such products. Since its launch, it has consecutively won the championship in truffle-flavored mooncake sales for three years. Subsequently, Jin Hua Food Group continued to delve into the food sector, constantly seeking breakthroughs and innovations by applying truffle to various pastries, including mooncakes, zongzi (rice dumplings), egg rolls, biscuits, and cheese pastries.

This innovation not only added rich taste layers to mooncakes but also led the trend of adding truffle in the baking industry, expanding the application scope of truffle from exquisite dishes on the dining table to packaged food. According to analysts from iiMedia Research, this innovation has provided new ideas for other food companies, encouraging more enterprises to explore the application of truffle in different food categories and promoting the diversification and creativity of truffle food. The China Food Exhibition has noted that numerous companies will showcase their innovative applications of truffle in various food products, further driving this trend.

In 2024, truffle has extended from mooncakes and zongzi to baking, snacks, condiments, and other sectors. As China gradually becomes the largest exporter of truffles, the application of truffle is no longer limited to high-end catering but has become widely used in multiple categories, including leisure snacks, convenience foods, ice cream, fast food, and even condiments. For example, Lays launched truffle-flavored chips, which, despite being priced twice as high as regular products, are still in high demand; Guanhua Meidian's truffle siu mai, with its "freshness" as the hallmark, has become a phenomenal product in Cantonese dim sum, offering consumers an unprecedented taste experience.

From mooncakes to snacks, after the "everything-goes-with" trend of truffle, the consumption scenarios of truffle food have expanded from single festival gifts to daily high-frequency demands. Truffle-flavored ready-to-eat snacks have become the new favorite for office afternoon tea, while truffle condiment sauces are used in home cooking to enhance the value of home-cooked dishes.

From "Delicious" to "Healthy Eating": Health and Functional Demands Highlight the Nutritional Attributes of Truffle

With the increasing health consciousness, the new generation of consumers not only pursue "eating enough" and "eating well" but also focus on dietary structure and nutritional balance, aiming for healthy and tasteful eating. Amid the wave of healthy consumption, truffle food, with its natural and nutritious characteristics, deeply meets consumers' demands for healthy food. On the other hand, truffle has a unique and highly recognizable aroma. As a high-end ingredient, its distinctive flavor can inject new vitality into food R&D. It can not only spark conversations and enhance product value and competitiveness but also arouse consumers' curiosity and desire to consume.

With the growing demand for healthy and high-quality ingredients, truffle, as a premium ingredient, continues to see increased demand in the high-end catering and gourmet markets. Especially in China and other emerging markets, the demand for high-end ingredients like truffle is gradually rising, signaling the huge potential of the truffle market. Market research by the China Food Exhibition has revealed that the display of truffle-related products will not only attract professional audiences but also spark the interest of ordinary consumers in healthy and high-quality food.

The "breakthrough" of truffle is essentially a two-way drive of consumption upgrading and industrial innovation. With the continuous improvement of residents' consumption levels and the increasing supply, the democratization of high-end ingredients has become a new direction for the expansion of the truffle food market. Data shows that by 2030, China will add 80 million new middle-class and above population.

In recent years, more dishes, baking, and snacks have begun to adopt truffle flavor. This trend does not reflect a reduction in quality but rather rational consumption. In an increasingly competitive low-price market, large manufacturers face higher compliance costs. Therefore, the democratization of high-end food has become a new development direction, aiming to meet consumers' pursuit of a high-quality life. The success of Jin Hua demonstrates that only by solidifying product foundations through technological research and development and driving scenario innovation through consumer insights can one maintain a leading position in this high-end competition. In the future, truffle may evolve from a "flavor label" to a "quality symbol," driving China's food industry to climb to the higher end of the global value chain. Observations from the China Food Exhibition show that this trend is becoming increasingly evident, providing new directions and ideas for industry development.

If you would like to learn more about the food industry, please visit the SIAL China website for more information.

Source: iiMedia Network

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