From prestigious gift to everyday fruit: Chilean cherries are facing a market shift that calls for new consumption occasions and clearly recognizable value.
For years, Chilean cherries have occupied a place in China reserved for aspirational products: a prestigious gift associated with prosperity and Lunar New Year celebrations. But the market has changed. Greater fruit availability and changing Chinese consumers are redefining the category’s role. The challenge today is no longer to sell exclusivity, but to create value in a market where cherries have become part of everyday consumption.
Ipsos examines the economic and cultural forces reshaping the Chinese market and proposes four courses of action to help the Chilean cherry industry successfully navigate this paradigm shift.
China ended 2025 with GDP of 140.19 trillion yuan (about US$20 trillion) and growth of 5%, meeting the government’s annual target. Although this represents a slowdown from the double-digit growth of the previous decade, it signals a deliberate structural shift: consumption has overtaken investment and exports as the economy’s main growth driver. In 2025, final consumption expenditure contributed 52% to GDP growth, five percentage points more than the previous year. For the first time, total retail sales of consumer goods exceeded 50 trillion yuan, up 3.7%, while e-commerce grew substantially, by 8.6%. Per capita disposable income rose 5% in real terms, in line with GDP growth.
Economic indicators for 2025, as reported in the text.
Behind these overall figures, however, lies a more cautious reality. In early 2026, China’s national consumer confidence index stood at around 90, well below its pre-pandemic peak of 130. Ipsos’ China Urban Consumer Sentiment Index (PCSI) fluctuated between 70 and 76 during 2025 and 2026, signalling persistent caution. Households continue to prioritize precautionary savings over discretionary spending. The government has responded with significant measures to stimulate consumption—including a 500 billion yuan refinancing facility for services and expanded trade-in programmes—underscoring that boosting domestic demand remains the main economic priority for 2026.
This macroeconomic context has radically transformed consumer psychology. According to Ipsos’ 2026 China Food and Beverage Trends report, based on 1,600 interviews with consumers across the country, 55% of Chinese consumers say they prioritize their real needs over trends, while 53% actively seek products that offer both value for money and high quality. The era of conspicuous consumption is giving way to what Ipsos calls “rational premiumization”: consumers are unwilling to pay blindly for a brand’s prestige, but are prepared to spend more on products that deliver genuine, verifiable value.
This rationality does not mean stinginess. Chinese consumers have not stopped spending; they are simply more deliberate about it. In 2025, spending on services—including dining, travel and entertainment—grew by 5.5%, outpacing retail goods spending by 1.7 percentage points. Spending on health and wellbeing is rising rapidly: 69% of consumers prefer products tailored to their specific health needs, while 57% actively look for products with scientific certifications. The bar for premium prices has risen, not disappeared. For any high-end imported product, the question is no longer whether Chinese consumers are willing to pay more, but whether the value on offer justifies the price.
The purchasing criterion
A premium price remains viable when consumers recognize tangible, verifiable value.
The 2025–26 Chilean cherry season brought this dynamic into sharp focus. Wholesale prices fell by more than 25% year on year. Social media posts announcing the arrival of “cherry freedom” (“Cherry Freedom”) multiplied; the phrase had once been an ironic symbol of middle-class aspirations. For Chilean growers, who export more than 90% of their cherries to China, the question is urgent: when scarcity is no longer enough to sell, what will make the difference?
The answer lies not in the orchards of central Chile, but in the changing mindset of Chinese consumers. The category has reached a turning point: cherries have shifted from a holiday gift to an everyday fruit. The strategic question is no longer how to preserve scarcity, but how to build lasting value in a market where cherries are becoming a mainstream product.
According to Ipsos’ analysis, Chilean cherries can follow four strategic pathways to navigate this transformation.
Cherry marketing has traditionally targeted affluent urban families buying gifts for Lunar New Year. China’s consumer landscape, however, is far more diverse. Generation Z (320 million people) seeks wellbeing and self-fulfilment. Single people (240 million) prioritize self-care and are 50% more likely to pay more for quality. Older adults (270 million) seek healthy, elegant offerings. The 210 million young people living in smaller cities—the so-called township youth—represent the fastest-growing e-commerce segment.
| Segment | Reported size | Interest or potential offering |
|---|---|---|
| Generation Z | 320 million | Wellbeing and self-fulfilment |
| Single people | 240 million | Self-care; 50% more likely to pay more for quality |
| Older adults | 270 million | Healthy, elegant offerings |
| Young people in smaller cities (township youth) | 210 million | Fastest-growing e-commerce segment |
Each audience calls for a tailored value proposition: a 2J pack for a family gathering, a premium 4J selection as a special treat, or a health-focused message for older adults. Segmentation can translate into distinct product assortments and communications.
The health conversation has moved beyond simple “sugar-free” claims to include more nuanced concepts such as low glycaemic index and food as medicine. Cherries have a strong starting point: they are rich in antioxidants and associated with benefits for sleep and physical recovery. In China, however, this story is still not widely known.
The opportunity is to reposition cherries from a seasonal treat to a wellness product supported by scientific evidence. Chile’s geographical characteristics may also help set them apart: volcanic soils, pristine natural barriers and significant day-to-night temperature variations. These attributes are relevant in a market where 66% of consumers prefer high-quality, minimally processed ingredients.
Cherry consumption is overly concentrated around the Spring Festival gift-giving period. Yet 61% of Chinese consumers choose different products for different occasions, and 30% attach more importance than a year ago to whether a product suits the occasion.
New consumption occasions can support demand throughout the year:
Repositioning cherries from a simple “holiday gift” to “a little everyday treat you deserve” could help stabilize demand and reduce reliance on a single seasonal sales peak.
Chinese retail has fragmented into a multi-layered ecosystem. E-commerce accounts for 33% of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sales, with Douyin (TikTok) and Xiaohongshu (Red Book) among the leading channels for product discovery. Sam’s Club—with 63 stores and 140 billion RMB in sales in 2025—has become a key reference point for the cherry sector. Instant-delivery platforms deliver orders within 30 minutes.
The shopping journey has grown more complex: consumers discover a product on Xiaohongshu at 10 p.m., evaluate it through Douyin livestreams, buy it on JD or through online-to-offline (O2O) delivery, and then share their experience on social media. Chilean cherry brands need to be present at every touchpoint, with strategies tailored to each channel.
The Chilean cherry industry is at a crossroads similar to that faced by many agricultural sectors that have moved from scarcity to abundance. The lesson from China’s “Sunshine Rose” grapes, once “the Hermès of fruit” and now a mainstream product, and from New Zealand’s Zespri kiwifruit, which built a global premium brand through rigorous quality standards and compelling storytelling, is clear: producing at scale without differentiation is a race to the bottom.
For Chile, the way forward is not to reduce volumes, but to add value. Chinese consumers are ready to include cherries in their everyday diets, but only if the industry can evolve: from a rare luxury to a consistently high-quality product that resonates emotionally and offers health benefits.
The era of “cherry freedom” has arrived. The next chapter is about winning consumer loyalty, not just their attention.
Tonnies Feng
Managing Director, Ipsos China.
Source: Vision Magazine
Image source: Vision Magazine
10 Feb 2025
Research has shown that all varieties are classified as rich in anthocyanins and flavonoids. In addition to polyphenols, sweet cherries contain carotenoid compounds like β-carotene and vitamin C, which enhance their antioxidant capabilities.
14 May 2024
"In terms of marketing, they are fundamental - states Diego Aguilar, president of the Chamber of Cherries of Mendoza - but the first 10-15 days are fundamental. From October 25 to November 10 is the window that remains open in Mendoza to make a difference".
04 Nov 2026
YOLO-CY detects sweet cherry cracks with high accuracy and speed. Tested on 3,662 images, the model achieved 94.88% mAP50 and processed 125 frames per second. Further validation across varieties, sorting lines and operating conditions is still needed before rollout.
04 Nov 2026
Chilean cherries in China are shifting from Lunar New Year gifts to everyday fruit. With prices falling and consumers focused on value, Ipsos outlines four strategies to reach new audiences, highlight quality and wellbeing, and build year-round demand in China and retail.
