Source | FBIF Food & Beverage Innovation ID | FoodInnovation Author | FBIF
Smell is three-dimensional; it can easily evoke memories long sealed away. In the crowded, stuffy carriage, with accents from all over the country, the water for instant noodles should be less than usual—ideally just enough to cover the noodle block. If you've added pickled mustard and ham sausage, you can increase it a bit. But if the water is a little too much, you'll have to move more carefully and slowly throughout the journey. Image source: CCTV News Holding a bowl of instant noodles, moving from the end of the carriage with hot water to your seat is a highly challenging task: many people, small space, and the hot water must not spill. "Beer, drinks, mineral water." "Peanuts, melon seeds, eight-treasure porridge." "Come on, legs in." Experienced travelers often time it well, silently calculating the return time of the trolley, and seize the opportunity to follow the "open path" to return to their seats more easily. But no matter what, the bowl of instant noodles held in hand, the aroma swaying with each step, reminds everyone that it's time to eat something. Thus, the crunching of melon seeds, the hissing of pickled pepper chicken feet, the slurping of instant noodles, and the inquiries to the train attendant blend with various aromas, condensing into the memories of several generations in a certain carriage. In 1999, the State Council of China announced a new "Measures for National Holidays and Memorial Days," deciding to combine the rest days of Spring Festival, May Day, and National Day with the preceding and following weekends to form 7-day long holidays. The National Day of that year became the first "Golden Week." According to data from the China Tourism Academy, during this "Golden Week," the number of domestic tourists reached 28 million, with tourism revenue of 14.1 billion yuan, and the holiday tourism boom swept the country. [1] In the following 26 years, society developed rapidly, and consumption levels continued to rise. During the 2024 National Day holiday, the number of domestic tourists reached 765 million, and total domestic tourism spending reached 700.817 billion yuan. This year, "China Travel" remains popular. According to Qunar Travel data, driven by "Chicken Chop Brother," hotel occupancy in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, increased by 30% year-on-year on October 1, and search interest for the Beijing flag-raising ceremony increased 12-fold month-on-month. [2] In 26 years, much has changed. Green trains have become Fuxing high-speed trains; even the 1,200-plus kilometers from Shanghai to Beijing has been reduced from over ten hours to four or five hours. As tourism boundaries expand, travel scenarios diversify, and travel methods innovate, the former "travel companions" like peanuts, melon seeds, eight-treasure porridge, and instant noodles have also transformed. Zhang Yu'ang, head of the E-commerce Operations Center at SMZDM, told FBIF that consumers' demand for food and beverages has surpassed simple thirst-quenching and satiety. More people on trips tend to choose products that are good-looking, photogenic, ritualistic, and bring emotional pleasure, viewing them as "emotional companions" during the journey. Thus, people's new "companions" on trips have become specialty milk tea delivered to their seats during stops, small tea sets for refined young men and women to enjoy tea, or a high-speed rail-themed cultural creative ice cream. Image source: Xiaohongshu @momo "Food and beverage consumption is leaping from single functional replenishment to scenario-based, experiential consumption. This National Day, related categories are expected to be hotter than the same period last year," Zhang Yu'ang said. The changes in food and beverage consumption in train carriages are a microcosm of China's food and beverage industry development over the past two decades. Instant Noodles, Pickled Mustard, and Ham Sausage Dominate the Carriage Around 1999, it was the "golden period" of innovation in China's food and beverage industry. Several future "national products" were launched during this period, enriching consumer choices. For example, in 1997, Nongfu Spring launched natural water and fully shifted to natural water in 2000; in 1997 and 1995, Master Kong and Uni-President respectively launched iced tea products, beginning to shake旭日升's monopoly in the iced tea category; in 1996, Wahaha launched AD calcium milk, with first-year output value reaching 685 million yuan. [3] The enrichment of food and beverage choices also penetrated train carriages. This can be seen from the period's train vendors' "jingles" changing from "cigarettes, cola, dried fish fillets, mineral water" to "beer, drinks, mineral water; peanuts, melon seeds, eight-treasure porridge." But to choose one food that best represents the train carriage of this period, it can only be instant noodles. In historical images showing the various aspects of green train carriages, bowls of instant noodles always appear. Although passengers came from all over, "eating instant noodles" became a common tacit understanding. In 1995, a passenger eating instant noodles on a train. Image source: Wang Fuchun's "Chinese on the Train" How did instant noodles become prevalent in train carriages? This brings us to Master Kong's early blockbuster product, Braised Beef Noodles. In August 1992, Master Kong Braised Beef Noodles were launched. Although Master Kong did not explicitly position this product for train scenarios at the time, looking back, several innovations in its initial product catered well to the needs of train passengers. First, Master Kong introduced a paper bowl packaging for Braised Beef Noodles, complete with a plastic fork. Before this, most instant noodle products on the market came in plastic bag packaging, forcing some consumers eating instant noodles on trains to use their own cups to soak the noodles. Master Kong Braised Beef Noodles initial advertisement. Image source: Master Kong In 2000, even after the third railway speed-up, the travel time from Beijing to Shanghai still exceeded ten hours. The bowl design met consumers' urgent need for quick hunger relief on the road. Second, Master Kong added a beef sauce packet to Braised Beef Noodles, whereas at the time, most instant noodle products only included a seasoning powder packet mixed with MSG, salt, and spices. The added sauce packet was key to the noodles' popularity spreading "from one to ten, ten to a hundred" in carriages. [4] According to public reports, the initial launch of Braised Beef Noodles was because one of the four founders, Wei Yingxing, was on a train to Beijing eating instant noodles brought from Taiwan, and the aroma attracted passengers' attention, making him notice the market demand. [4] Finally, the pricing was affordable. The initial Master Kong Braised Beef Noodles were priced at 1.98 yuan, slightly more expensive than most domestic instant noodles at the time, but much cheaper than imported instant noodles at 5-6 yuan. More importantly, this price was far lower than the price of meals on trains at the time. A staff member who worked in the railway system for 20 years recalled that around 2000, a dish on a train usually cost over 10 yuan, so most passengers mainly ate instant noodles. [5] The emergence of Master Kong Braised Beef Noodles drove the domestic instant noodle market and innovation in localizing flavors. Subsequently, products like Uni-President's Old Altar Pickled Cabbage Beef Noodles and Master Kong's Chicken Mushroom Noodles were launched, enriching consumers' choices and further popularizing instant noodles in carriages. Constant Instant Noodles, Changing Snacks After 2000, while instant noodles dominated train carriages, various popular snacks from the market were brought into carriages or appeared on train vendors' trolleys. Among them, some snacks had natural "train genes." For example, Youyou pickled pepper chicken feet from Chongqing, where a whole chicken foot is chopped into small pieces and bagged, naturally designed for sharing. The spiciness of pickled pepper chicken feet easily "ignites emotions," making it a "ice-breaker" between passengers in crowded carriages. Image source: Youyou Another example is Wahaha Eight-Treasure Porridge, with a pull-tab lid design that allows for "composure" while drinking porridge even in a bumpy carriage. Its ingredients like glutinous rice, grains, and beans satisfy hunger while adding some health benefits. In an era when milk tea requirements were simple, a cup of Xiangpiaopiao became many people's "afternoon tea" after meals. Like instant noodles, you only need to carry a lightweight cup on board, and the rest is left to the hot water in the carriage. The rapid development of the food industry increased consumer choices. But in that era of slower trains and lower consumption levels, "filling" and "killing time" remained the main demands for train food. Convenient, Efficient, Healthy: Passengers Have New Favorites Whether instant noodles, chicken feet, or eight-treasure porridge, their popularity in train scenarios is inseparable from their portability. But as living standards improve, foods that better balance fresh taste and portability are gradually becoming passengers' "new favorites." Behind these foods is the development of China's food industry preservation technology. Marinated food is a representative of the "new favorites." In fact, eating marinated food on trains is a "tradition" for Chinese passengers. In the 1990s, when trains stopped, people would buy roasted chicken, braised duck, and other marinated foods from vendors on the platform through the windows. Historical images show these marinated foods usually wrapped in white oil paper and handed to passengers on the train. Image source: Bilibili @顾老师说故事 Later, various marinated food brands emerged, making it easier for people to buy them. However, for a long time, marinated foods were sold in bulk by weight, mainly in plastic bags. Plastic bag packaging had drawbacks like oil seepage, making them less portable, and poor sealing allowed oxygen to enter, affecting the fresh taste of the cooked food. In 2012, Zhou Hei Ya introduced "modified atmosphere packaging" (MAP) as a turning point. Simply put, MAP involves placing the marinated food in a plastic box and replacing the natural air with a certain proportion of preservation gases (carbon dioxide and nitrogen) to retain freshness. After introducing MAP, Zhou Hei Ya's marinated food shelf life extended to 3-5 days. [6] In 2014, Zhou Hei Ya removed bulk foods from stores and upgraded all to MAP packaging. The new packaging made Zhou Hei Ya more portable and fresher, gradually increasing its penetration in train scenarios. According to Zhou Hei Ya's 2023 financial report, in 2023, the net increase in stores in transportation hub channels, including airports and train stations, was 141, reaching 319 stores. [7] Moreover, Zhou Hei Ya's marinated foods have appeared on the menus of multiple high-speed trains. Nowadays, you might often see scenes on high-speed trains where passengers, after boarding, find their seats, sit down, take out a tablet, play a cached "meal-time drama," and take out a box of Zhou Hei Ya duck necks. Although the duck necks were bought the night before departure, when you tear open the seal, they still emit the aroma of just-marinated food. Image source: Xiaohongshu @不吃青椒 Besides "eating," "drinking" also pursues freshness on the basis of portability. According to SMZDM data, during the preparation period for this National Day holiday (September 20-27), under the keyword "freeze-dried coffee," product GMV increased by 271.49% year-on-year. San顿半's instant coffee small cans launched in 2018 are a representative of freeze-dried coffee. Through freeze-drying technology, San顿半 extracts freshly brewed coffee liquid into coffee powder and packages it in small portions. With this design, passengers on trains only need to open the small can, pour out the coffee powder, and mix with water or milk to DIY a coffee with a near-freshly-brewed taste. Image source: San顿半 In product promotion, San顿半 also highlights "anytime, anywhere, quick and easy" as the main selling point. Similar "drinks" include freeze-dried fruit tea represented by Otter Tuntun, which uses independent plastic bag small packaging. On trains, you tear open the bag, throw the fruit tea block into water, and in seconds, a cup of "freshly made" fruit tea is ready. Image source: Otter Tuntun Currently, hot-selling lemon concentrate on e-commerce platforms uses thin strip bag packaging. Tear open the bag, pour the lemon concentrate into water, and you have a cup of fresh lemonade. Image source: Lemon Republic Additionally, according to SMZDM data, from September 20 to 27, under the keyword "daily nuts," product GMV increased by 68.13% year-on-year, with "Wolong" brand related product GMV up 170.17%; yogurt brand "Ambrosial" keyword product GMV increased by 78.09% year-on-year. It can be seen that portability, ready-to-eat/drink characteristics, combined with added values like health and aesthetics, are the new demands of consumers for "train food" in the new era. The Carriage Becomes a Battleground for Cultural Tourism Cultural creative ice cream, popular at major scenic spots, is now squeezing into train carriages. In August this year, Guangxi Railway launched train-themed cultural creative ice cream, sold at Ning Railway Station, Guilin Station, Liuzhou Station, and Guigang Station's Ning Railway驿站 self-operated supermarkets. Image source: China Railway Nanning Bureau Cultural Tourism Company According to the introduction by China Railway Nanning Bureau Cultural Tourism Company, this series of ice cream has 4 flavors, each corresponding to a different color, and the front shapes of 4 generations of trains: steam locomotive, diesel locomotive, electric locomotive, and EMU, reflecting the development history of Chinese trains. In fact, in 2022, Wuhan Railway Station launched a cultural creative ice cream shaped like Wuhan Station. The design uses the facade of Wuhan Station as the main body, adds Wuhan elements like yellow cranes and cherry blossoms, and marks the station's opening year "2009." Image source: Jimu News The emergence of cultural creative ice cream in train scenarios reflects that food and drink during travel increasingly emphasizes a sense of locality. Consumers' desire for this experience is also reflected in the popularity of regional specialty foods in carriages. Nowadays, on social media, netizens share foods bought on trains, with prunes, cheese, and beef jerky having high presence, even being called the "new train three-piece set." Image source: Xiaohongshu @LowEgo On trains, these foods are split by vendors from large packages into small bags, and handed to passengers who reach out. Looking closely, their packaging has no well-known brand trademarks, but may feature regional patterns and product descriptions directly linked to regions: hand-torn beef from Inner Mongolia grasslands, prunes from Kashgar, Xinjiang, Ili blueberries... Regional brands are also taking advantage of the "cultural tourism fever" to make a presence on trains. For example, a netizen shared that on a train departing from Qingdao, passengers were given Qingdao time-honored sorghum candy and Shandong old brand Qingyuan calcium milk biscuits. Image source: Xiaohongshu @Weeick The complimentary snacks in the business class of Nanchang Passenger Section are basically "dominated" by Jiangxi brands: Huang Shang Huang five-spice beef jerky, Jiangzhong Monkey Mushroom, and Ganyuan nuts. Image source: Xiaohongshu @淼淼 Specialty pre-packaged foods from all over the country have also appeared on train menus. From Wuhan's Cailinji boxed beef hot dry noodles, to Harbin's Qiulin Harbin red sausage, to Qingdao's porcelain bottle old yogurt... If you sit long enough, you can turn the train into a "national flowing feast." In fact, people "on the road" have an unchanging desire for regional specialty foods. In the 1990s, passengers waiting for green trains to stop and buying a Dezhou braised chicken from platform vendors were a microcosm of this desire. It's just that the development of the food industry, technological progress, and rising consumption levels have made this desire more accessible. Did you travel by train this holiday? What did you eat on the train? Welcome to share in the comments! References: [1] Lian Pinjie, Tian Hu, Why does China have "Golden Week" holidays?, September 2019, People's Daily Online [2] 2024 "Eleventh Golden Week" domestic travel 765 million person-times, October 2024, Forbes China [3] 87-year AD calcium milk officially on sale! It sells 3 billion yuan annually, sold for 21 years, the original intention is visible!, September 2017, China Food News [4] "Master Kong" story, February 2006, CCTV [5] Three generations of train attendants witness the changes of "Spring Festival travel food", February 2018, People's Daily Online [6] Li Ye, Xu Yue, Zhou Hei Ya sells bulk and marinated food sets, cheaper, May 2024, Interface News [7] Zhou Hei Ya International Holdings Limited 2023 performance announcement, March 2024