Kale rises from bitter harvest to popular, healthy 'superfood'

Domestic markets

The global vegetable juice market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.8 percent from 2024 to 2034, according to Precedence Research.

Consumers are increasingly seeking out natural and nutrient-rich foods, and juice producers have turned their attention to niche ingredients. From avocados to chia seeds, from black mulberries to goji berries, "superfoods" have taken their turn in the spotlight.

Kale, once dismissed as "unpalatable", unexpectedly became one of the hottest beverage ingredients over the last year.

In July 2024, the tea chain Heytea launched a drink featuring kale as the main ingredient, combined with apples, lemons, chia seeds and green tea. The product, which tied in with the health boom, quickly became a sensation, selling 1.6 million units in just a few days.

In September, the retail chain Hema introduced its not-from-concentrate kale mixed vegetable juice. The product blends kale with pineapple and green apples to reduce bitterness while retaining a high fiber content.

Priced at 13.9 yuan ($1.9) a bottle, the product achieved an online repurchase rate of over 40 percent.

A 2023 consumer trends report highlighted that 81 percent of consumers are willing to pay for healthy food and beverages. Factors such as "high fiber" have become key drivers of consumer choices.

Kale fits health-conscious consumers' demands perfectly.

"Kale contains very few calories, but has a high 3.6 grams of dietary fiber per 100 grams," said Wang Fengde, deputy director of the Institute of Vegetables at Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

As kale-based beverages have gained in popularity, demand for the leafy green vegetable has surged.

Before 2024, all of Wang's kale was exported. But in the second half of last year, domestic buyers, including Heytea, began purchasing the vegetable from her farm. During the second half of 2024, Wang sold 1,000 tons of kale in the domestic market.

"We used to operate on export orders, where foreign clients would place orders first, and we would grow accordingly. But with domestic buyers, it's the opposite — they want as much as we can grow," Wang said.

At a kale-growing base in Zhangdian district in neighboring Zibo, the leafy green vegetable is also highly sought after. "Supply falls short of demand, and buyers have to wait for the kale to grow," said Hu Yanxia, the farm owner.

To meet the growing demand, Wang has temporarily converted 60 greenhouses, covering over 13 hectares, to grow more kale. From planting to harvesting, the process takes about 60 days.

Wang plans to expand her kale cultivation by 66 hectares this year. She is confident that demand for the vegetable will continue to thrive, driven by the growing emphasis on healthy eating.

"Some people have warned me that new tea drinks usually only stay popular for three to four months, and that's just the nature of the industry. Products come and go," Wang said.

"But my belief in kale is as strong as my belief in the importance of growing food. No matter the cultural or dietary differences, the need for healthy vegetables is universal," she said, adding the increasing export orders for kale are proof that it has stood the test of time.

"Twenty years ago, I wondered why foreigners wanted kale. Now, domestic beverage companies are using it to make vegetable juices and tea drinks. That's progress," Wang said.

During a visit to a tea shop in Gaomi, Wang observed that out of every 10 drinks sold, four were kale-based, reinforcing her confidence in the vegetable's future.