Under the dual promotion of the global trend of healthy food and the cold chain logistics revolution, China's frozen strawberry industry is facing unprecedented development opportunities. As the world's largest strawberry producer, China has gradually built a full industry chain system covering planting, processing, and export, with an annual fresh fruit production of over 3 million tons as the cornerstone. However, beneath the seemingly prosperous market surface, China's frozen strawberry foreign trade still faces multiple challenges such as variety dependence, technological barriers, and weak brands. This article will analyze the breakthrough path of China's frozen strawberry foreign trade in 2025 from three dimensions: industry status, competitive situation, and policy opportunities.
Frozen strawberries rich in vitamin C, anthocyanins, and dietary fiber meet consumers' demand for natural antioxidants. According to data from the International Food Information Council, the global health food market is expected to exceed $2.5 trillion by 2025, with a growth rate of 8.7% in the frozen fruit category. From baking ingredients to ready to eat snacks, from milk tea additives to high-end culinary decorations, the diversification of application scenarios is driving demand fission. According to market data in Japan, the penetration rate of frozen strawberries in the catering channel has jumped from 12% in 2018 to 34% in 2024. The westernization of dietary structure in the Middle East and the popularization of cold chain in Southeast Asia have given rise to new growth poles. The Dubai Food Expo report shows that the average annual compound growth rate of frozen fruit imports in the UAE has reached 19.2%, with strawberry products accounting for 18% in 2024, up from 7% in 2020.
Chinese export enterprises have keenly captured this trend, with leading companies such as Shandong Jianong and Zhejiang Haitong successfully entering the high-end supermarket channel in the UK through BRC and IFS international certifications. However, it is worth noting that South American countries such as Chile and Argentina, with their off-season advantage, have already occupied 42% of the global market share, and their average export price per kilogram is 0.8-1.2 US dollars higher than that of Chinese products.
Deepening of the "the Belt and Road": the normalized operation of the China Europe Express has shortened the transportation time to 12-15 days, which is more than 30 days less than that of sea transportation. The export volume of strawberry products at the Alashankou Port in Xinjiang has grown at an average annual rate of 47%, and has spread to 8 countries including Germany and Poland.
The RCEP agreement has been implemented: tariffs on countries such as Japan and South Korea have been reduced from 8% to zero, stimulating export growth. In 2024, the export of frozen strawberries from Shandong to Japan increased by 68% year-on-year, and the profit margin of some enterprises enjoying the benefits of the agreement increased by 12 percentage points.
Digital trade transformation: The rise of platforms such as Alibaba International and TikTok Shop is driving the parallel development of B2B and B2C. A company in Zhejiang achieved $2 million in sales in the Southeast Asian market within 3 months through TikTok live streaming sales, reducing customer acquisition costs by 60% compared to traditional channels.
Promote cutting-edge technologies such as liquid nitrogen quick freezing and vacuum locking, and establish a full traceability system from the field to the dining table. We can learn from Philips' "Cold Fresh Chain Manager" system in the Netherlands to control the temperature control accuracy within ± 0.5 ℃. Collaborate with industry associations to create a regional public brand for "Chinese Strawberries", and speak out through international platforms such as the Berlin Fruit and Vegetable Exhibition and the Dubai Gulf Food Exhibition. Refer to the "Kiwi Marketing Committee" model of New Zealand kiwifruit and establish an overseas promotion alliance.
Standing at the forefront of the global frozen food industry transformation, Chinese frozen diced strawberry enterprises not only need to maintain their traditional planting advantages, but also use technological innovation as a spear and brand building as a shield to achieve the transformation from "world factory" to "world brand" in fierce competition. When Chinese strawberries appear on the dining tables of global consumers in a standardized and high-quality manner, it reflects not only the upgrading of an industry, but also a profound transformation of a country's agricultural modernization.
Post time: Mar-31-2025