Mooncakes get makeover before festival

On a recent shopping trip in Beijing, Huo Ran noticed something different about this year's mooncakes — they were smaller than usual. She refers to them as "bite-sized delicacies".

The shop had just introduced a new pork-filled mooncake ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival on Sept 17. Priced at 20 yuan ($2.80) a box — the same as last year — the packaging is smaller and the mooncakes are about half the usual size.

"I can finish a box of six in one go," said Huo, 36, who works for a magazine in Beijing.

The national capital is part of China's sweet-mooncake-loving northern regions, as opposed to the southern areas that prefer more savory varieties.

"Eating smaller portions of high-sugar, oil-laden mooncakes isn't a bad idea," she said, adding that she had faced challenges finding friends to share larger mooncakes with to prevent waste while managing her calorie intake.

Huo said she had never favored "gift box" mooncakes, with lavish packaging but scant offerings, because "they're just for show".

As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, the mooncake market in China is shifting toward simpler, more health-conscious treats.

Expensive, elaborate gift boxes are fading from the shelves, with consumers opting for more reasonably priced options and shunning excessive extravagance.

According to the 2024 Mid-Autumn Mooncake Industry Trends Report recently published by the China Association of Bakery and Confectionery Industry, this year's mooncake output is estimated to be around 300,000 metric tons, with sales revenue of about 200 billion yuan, on a par with last year.

However, mooncake gift boxes priced above 500 yuan and luxury options such as shark fin mooncakes are scarce this year, the report said.

The lavish packaging of mooncakes has long been a target of public scorn for its role in corrupt gift-giving traditions during festivals.

Chinese media have lauded the move toward minimalism in mooncake packaging as a success in a crackdown on overpriced mooncakes and a shift toward more rational consumer choices.

In 2022, the National Development and Reform Commission and three other departments jointly issued a circular to control the exorbitant prices of mooncakes and make the traditional treat an affordable consumer product once again.

On Tuesday, the NDRC announced on its WeChat account that the departments will double down on such efforts this year by enhancing industry self-regulation and market inspections to uphold a positive market atmosphere and festive ambience.

When buying mooncakes, most consumers say they prioritize taste and quality over packaging.

In response to the shift, manufacturers like Suzhou Daoxiangcun have introduced new products catering to health-conscious consumers by using buckwheat flour for the crust and reducing sugar content while boosting nutritional value.

Innovative flavors such as black truffle, chocolate and durian are gaining traction among younger consumers, reflecting rising demand for diverse and unique taste experiences.

Chen Huiqiao, a news columnist in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, has a keen interest in unconventional mooncake flavors. The mother of two has heard about mooncakes with new flavors such as Kweichow Moutai, a high-end Chinese liquor, and Szechuan beef, a signature spicy dish from Sichuan province.

She said she wanted to try them soon with like-minded friends.

"Some mooncake brands have also introduced mooncakes with exotic tastes, such as curry chicken, Italian tiramisu, Japanese matcha red bean and other flavors to attract a diverse consumer base," Chen said, adding that such nontraditional mooncakes have a bright market outlook, especially among the younger generation and consumers seeking unique experiences.

However, Liu Xiaofei, who works in publishing in Beijing, said he preferred mooncakes with more traditional fillings such as black sesame, red bean and shredded coconut meat. "I might try novel flavors if there are free samples, but I am unlikely to pay unless they are truly tasty," he said.