Summary:
Post-holiday health demand is powering a surge in plant protein and dietary fiber markets. China's plant-based fiber market has tipped RMB 6.8 billion with 14.5% growth, while global plant-based fiber is expected at US$7.45 billion with 8.5% CAGR. Plant-meat, fiber drinks, and precision meal-replacements lead the charge as tech advances and big-brand investment accelerate industry quality-upgrade. Supply chain, consumer awareness and standardization remain key next-phase hurdles.
After Golden Week, demand for healthy eating continues to surge. Plant protein and dietary fiber have emerged as core components of this trend—fuelling strong growth in meal-replacements, plant-based meats and fiber-enriched beverages. Global plant-based fiber market size is projected at US$7.45 billion in 2025, with a decade-long CAGR of 8.5%. In China, the bean-derived dietary fiber market has surpassed RMB 6.8 billion, growing 14.5% year-on-year. On e-commerce platforms, Q3 plant-protein meal-replacements on JD Health grew +142% YoY, while notes on plant-based nutrition on Little Red Book rose +320%, and repeat-purchase rates for "gut-health' and "weight-management' products climbed above 61%.
In segmentation, plant-based meat adoption accelerates: in October the leader "Sulian Plant Lunch-Meat' sold over 7,000 units; extrusion tech received 80% consumer blind-taste approval; deep-processing of soybean meal in Heilongjiang increased per-ton value ten-fold. Fiber drinks like "Benran Green Juice,' blending nine plants with 8.5 g dietary fiber + prebiotics, reported 78% user improvement in 30 days; cold-extraction solved prior astringent taste issues. Meal-replacement liquids integrating white bean extract and soluble fiber — marketed for "carb interception + gut regulation' — grew +58% MoM among young professionals.
On technology & research front, the October 12 Forum at the World Ag-Tech Innovation Conference mapped the sector's direction. At Rutgers, Prof Zhao Liping's "gut-microbiome seesaw model' explored precision-nutrition via dietary fiber for non-conscious weight control. At Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Prof Wang Xin's new prebiotic fibers showed potential via the "gut-X-axis' mechanism in neuro-development and autism intervention—pushing dietary fiber beyond gut health to multi-dimension wellness. Industrially, enzyme-hydrolysis upgrades lifted soybean-fiber extraction from 65% to 83%, cutting per-ton processing costs 12–15%; algae-protein de-odorization breakthroughs reduced yeast-protein pricing to RMB 30-50/kg, diversifying plant-protein inputs.
Major players are stepping up: Nestlé further increased its stake in plant-nutrition brand Orgain in Q1 2025; its organic-protein Ready-To-Drink shakes grew nearly 40% in China. Danone's acquisition of US brand Kate Farms bolstered pea-protein and fiber-fortified formulas. While Beyond Meat's China update is pending, its Europe launch of Beyond Steak — using fava-bean protein, 24 g protein per 100 g — sets a flavor-tech benchmark. In China, hometown brand "New Vegetarian' launched Sichuan-style spicy plant lunch-meat (monthly sales >3,000 units); Henan-based Tailijie Bio partnered institutes to apply dietary fibre in smart-food-packaging; and Pinggu district attracted Suotuo Technology to build a plant-protein innovation hub.
Yet the path ahead has speed bumps. China's soybean dependency sits at 86.5%, with global bean-price volatility spiking 21% p.a.; in second-tier cities, only 47% of consumers recognise bean-derived dietary fiber, and 35% say plant-meat "flavor similarity is lacking.' Of 12 current industry standards only 3 cover efficacy certification, limiting scale-up.
Looking forward, the launch of "AI + breeding' synergy platforms and domestic roll-out of super-critical extraction equipment (expected 65% localization by 2028) will raise extraction efficiency and fiber-function precision. The industry anticipates that by 2030 China's fiber-penetration in meal-replacements will rise from 18% to 39%, and dedicated gut-modulation products will exceed 45% share. Plant-based foods are poised to shift from "niche choice' to "mainstream necessity.'
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