Overseas searches for kitchen categories have increased several times, and Chinese tool exports have led to "fusion"
On May 30, 2022, data from an e-commerce platform showed that the kitchen category is becoming one of the fastest-growing and most potential categories on the e-commerce platform, and some sub-categories are particularly growing. The business opportunity detector shows that in the past 360 days, the search volume of Japanese chef knives sub-category has increased by more than 500% year-on-year.
Kitchen utensils cover many sub-categories, such as air fryers, ice machines, food processors, juicers, coffee machines and other small kitchen appliances, as well as knives, tableware, baking utensils, food preservation products, storage and other kitchen tools. Third-party data shows that the U.S. kitchenware market will reach $250 billion in 2023, and the European market will grow to $232 billion in 2022. According to a survey by overseas institutions, 54% of American consumers said they would continue to cook at home even after the epidemic. In addition, the global penetration rate of small household appliances reached 25.6% this year, and is expected to increase to 35.5% in 2025. As high-efficiency, energy-saving, power-saving and environmentally friendly small appliances continue to penetrate into the kitchens of young European and American consumers, the purchase and use of small kitchen appliances will become more and more common in the future.
In addition to home use scenarios, dining out, commercial gatherings or restaurant procurement are also commercial scenarios worth paying attention to in the kitchenware category. The main types of commercial customers include fast food and casual restaurants, full-service restaurants, cafes, bars, street food, and government and enterprise customers. and canteens in schools and hospitals. The global foodservice market is expected to grow to $4.2 trillion in 2027, and the American Restaurant Association expects total restaurant industry sales to exceed $1.2 trillion in 2030. In addition, according to the survey results of FE&S Magazine, compared with 2021, nearly half of the catering operators will increase their budget investment, which also reflects the gradual revival of the catering industry and the continuous demand for commercial kitchen equipment. growing trend.
Fighting for overseas kitchens: Chinese knives "fusion"
Different from domestic usage scenarios, in the kitchens of many overseas families, various cooking tools are dazzling, and usually the configuration of kitchen knives may reach ten. Foreign cooking pays attention to special knives, so consumers will also buy knives with different functions to meet their cooking needs. On the e-commerce platform, chef knives, bread knives, meat cleavers, paring knives, steak knives, kitchen scissors and other types of knives meet the diverse needs of consumers around the world. According to OEC data, in 2020, the total global transaction value of kitchen knives and other items was 289 million US dollars, of which the United States was the largest importer, while China was the largest exporter of kitchen knives.
Prying "frozen" overseas kitchens: the global dividend of ice machines
In Western countries, the habit of "drinking ice water" has been around for a long time, making ice machines a special presence in overseas families. Whether it is a sip of ice when sweating profusely, or cold beer and coffee at a gathering of friends, the ice machine is indispensable. According to Global Market Insights (GMI) forecast, the global ice machine market is growing at an annual growth rate of 5.5% and is expected to reach $2.5 billion in 2027. Commercial refrigeration equipment is also an indispensable product for every institution or enterprise that provides food services. According to the research of the American Association of Catering and Kitchen Industry (MASFI), the annual growth rate of commercial refrigeration and ice-making equipment reaches 6.1%.
According to data from an e-commerce platform, the free-standing ice maker is one of the fastest-growing kitchen appliances in the United States this year. Although ice makers are just-in-demand items all year round overseas, they still show obvious seasonal trends in different seasons. From June to August each year, the number of searches on the North American site for ice machines surged, while the search peak for the Australian site was concentrated between November and January of the following year. At present, many Chinese sellers have launched ice machines with both function and appearance, which have won many praises from overseas consumers.
Detonate overseas kitchens: air fryers that fire overseas
In overseas families, the air fryer is also one of the Internet celebrity kitchen items. As the American people prefer to fry and fry food, the air fryer has quickly won the favor of young consumers with its oil-free health, simple operation and quick intelligence, and has established a firm foundation in the European and American markets. According to a Statista survey, 39.9% of U.S. consumers said that if they plan to buy a small kitchen appliance online in the next 12 months, the most likely product to buy is an air fryer. The global air fryer market size exceeded USD 800 million in 2021 and is expected to exceed USD 1.1 billion by 2026.