Since food additives became associated with 'technology and ruthless tactics,' they have sparked public outrage. Even 'national son-in-law' Dong Yuhui couldn't defend them; after saying 'don't demonize food additives,' he was criticized and trended on social media. Regardless of the pros and cons of food additives, frozen food manufacturers must respect consumer choices and follow market trends. As a result, a massive cleanup campaign is underway in the frozen food industry, targeting ingredient lists. Anjoy, Sanquan, and Synear Lead the Way 'Zero-Additive' Sweeps the Frozen Food Circle 'Now, food companies feel embarrassed if they don't offer something zero-additive,' quipped a food industry observer. In September this year, Anjoy Food, a leading frozen food company, first mentioned its efforts in the 'zero-additive' trend when answering investor questions. Anjoy stated that cleaning up ingredient lists is a gradual, iterative system effort. The company will actively follow industry trends, continue leveraging its step-by-step R&D advantages, strictly implement food safety and quality system requirements, and persistently optimize ingredients to reduce additives and unnecessary auxiliary materials. Replacing long lists of unfamiliar chemical names with familiar natural ingredients cannot be achieved overnight. Behind this lies a sustained R&D and experimentation marathon. However, the first step in slimming down ingredient lists is now clear: 'zero-additive.' This includes zero sucrose, zero trans fats, zero artificial colors, zero flavors, zero acidity regulators, and more. Simply putting '0' on packaging adds value to the product. Leading players in the frozen food industry have remained vigilant and launched zero-additive products. For instance, at Anjoy, several frozen pastries, including hand-grasp pancakes, have achieved 'zero trans fats.' Sanquan Foods launched its new糯玉米汤圆 (waxy corn tangyuan) this year, adding a zero-sucrose black sesame tangyuan to meet the personalized needs of those with high blood sugar and health-conscious consumers. Synear is not far behind, having launched sugar-free tangyuan years ago and this year introducing a zero-added-sucrose大黄米黑芝麻汤圆 (yellow millet black sesame tangyuan). Additionally, Synear's儿童至臻虾皇饺 (children's premium shrimp dumplings) packaging clearly states 'no added' flavors. Wonton Food's三鲜水饺 (three-delicacy dumplings) also explicitly labels zero added sweeteners and acidity regulators. Qianwei Central Kitchen's many new products this year are essentially zero trans fats, with one杂粮蛋仔糕 (multigrain egg waffle cake) being zero artificial colors, zero flavors, and zero trans fats. Instant noodle giant Baixiang also crossed over this year to launch zero-additive frozen dumplings, with over 20,000 units sold on its JD flagship store. Of course, beyond frozen rice and flour products, many well-known meat processing companies have also achieved 'zero-additive' status. The zero-additive wave is sweeping the entire frozen food industry. Zero-Additive: The Ultimate Lifestyle for Today's Youth Two years ago, the food additive controversy sparked by 'technology and ruthless tactics' began to fade, but ripples continue to spread outward. To this day, it has evolved into a 'zero-additive' storm, a major trend no food company can ignore. Do you know how many people check ingredient lists when buying food? 70%! And how many care whether a food is 'zero-additive'? 68.8%! Both figures come from a recent survey titled 'Zero-Additive Lifestyle Survey' by JD.com's Consumer and Industry Development Research Institute. 'After drinking Sam's Club's zero-additive small lime drink, our whole family was hooked. Beverages without additives really taste different—fresher and more authentic,' said Jingjing, a post-90s young mother who now habitually checks ingredient lists when shopping for food and drinks. Huizi, a post-00s worker, has also mastered the trick of reading ingredient lists: 'Any food labeled zero-additive puts my mind at ease; no extra ingredients is the biggest comfort in a busy life.' Zero-additive has become a reliable food standard for the younger generation, with half of survey respondents saying they look for any zero-additive labels and choose all-natural foods. Qiangua Data corroborates this. In the first half of 2024, the number of种草 (product recommendation) notes related to 'food and beverages' grew by over 110% year-on-year. Among them, keywords like 'pure,' 'element,' 'fresh,' and 'natural' saw note growth rates exceeding 70%. Translated into production and marketing terms, these data correspond to: ingredient transparency, simplified formulas, and natural raw materials. In our specific frozen food segment, additives remain the most concerning food issue for consumers. According to iiMedia Research, additive and preservative issues (55.1%) are the top concern for frozen food consumers, followed by hygiene (43.6%) and value for money (38.8%). Imagine: out of every 100 frozen food consumers, 70 check the ingredient list before buying. Which frozen food manufacturer can afford to sit idly by? Zero-Additive on the Trend: Good Price, Good Sales From zero-additive beverages to zero-additive condiments and zero-additive frozen foods, the array of zero-additive products shows that achieving zero-additive is not technically difficult. Zero-additive is no longer a question of feasibility but a trade-off decision. From a business logic perspective, zero-additive is essentially a differentiated business strategy to precisely target customers with specific needs. The target audience for zero-additive products mainly includes families with children or those highly concerned about food health. These groups share common traits: higher spending power and price insensitivity. Therefore, zero-additive products often command high pricing and premiums. Despite this, zero-additive foods are selling well both online and offline. According to JD data, from January to July 2024, the number of zero-additive food products increased by 46% year-on-year. Among them, sales of zero-additive dairy and cold drinks, grains, meat snacks, and flour grew by over 100% year-on-year. Qianhe Flavoring, which gained fame through zero-additive, has seen soaring performance and profits. Public financial reports show that in 2022-2023, Qianhe achieved revenues of 2.436 billion yuan and 3.207 billion yuan, up 26.55% and 31.62% year-on-year, respectively; net profits were 344 million yuan and 530 million yuan, up 55.35% and 54.22% year-on-year. 'Clean labels have become a common demand and pursuit of consumers. Not relying excessively on additives for flavor and color is the greatest respect for consumers,' said Mr. Wang, an industry insider. Mr. Zhang, a frozen food distributor, also expressed delight at seeing more zero-additive frozen products on the market, indicating that manufacturers are generally aware of market changes and actively adapting. By focusing on zero-additive, large companies can strengthen their advantages, while small and medium enterprises may achieve overtaking on a curve. In the long run, whether or not products are zero-additive, companies should adopt differentiated competitive thinking and continuously enhance core competitiveness through stronger product R&D, functional positioning, and channel layout.