Chongqing - A lifestyle focused on health, diversity, convenience, and sophistication is gaining popularity, with light-salted mustard emerging as a new industry trend, according to Guan Daiping, brand director at the Chongqing Fuling Zhacai Group Co., Ltd. in an exclusive interview with Bridging News recently.

Fuling Zhacai Group Co., Ltd. is a renowned local company specializing in producing Zhacai, a type of Sichuan pickled mustard plant, a popular ingredient in Chinese cuisine, known for its distinctive flavor and versatility.

Guan highlighted that the group is prioritizing health-focused innovations like reduced salt, lower fat, fewer calories, dietary fiber, and no additives this year. Their product line includes fruit-flavored and crunchy pickled mustard and a mustard sauce with less salt and fewer calories.

Guan Daiping, brand director of Chongqing Fuling Zhacai Group Co., Ltd. (Graphics/Chen Zhan)

Low-salt pickled mustard appeals to younger consumers

Despite economic challenges, the pickled vegetable sector thrived last year, with national production and demand reaching 11.837 million tons and 11.103 million tons, respectively.

Fuling Zhacai Group is revitalizing its image to cater to changing consumer preferences. The brand is dedicated to providing diverse, high-quality products, positioning itself as a leader in fostering a fresh, healthy, and sophisticated dining experience.

The China Healthy Mustard Green Paper reveals that 74.1% of consumers prioritize product hygiene, while 70.6% prefer lower salt content in mustard. In response, Fuling Zhacai Group has tackled these concerns by implementing automated and smart production techniques and creative product development. 

Fuling mustard. (Photo/Fuling District)

They have unveiled a new lightly salted pickled mustard, reducing salt content by over 30% to mainly attract younger consumers. Moreover, they introduced an innovative mustard sauce and expanded their offerings to include snack-sized pickled mustard.

Guan mentioned that the group will continue to focus on low-salt products and introduce new products and marketing strategies to cater to a diverse range of consumers across various age groups and sectors. 

Mustard exports to reach 1.5 billion yuan by 2027

The pickled industry is adopting innovative technology and eco-friendly methods for quality development to maintain competitiveness.

The Fuling Zhacai Group, for instance, has set up the inaugural intelligent production line with an annual capacity of 16,000 tons. This automated line covers the entire production cycle, from washing green vegetable heads to packaging final products, resulting in a more than 50% reduction in labor costs.

Staff handmade Fuling mustard on site. (Photo/Fuling District)

As the world's largest mustard production area, Fuling boasts an annual production and sales exceeding 500,000 tons. In 2022, mustard from Fuling District was exported to over 50 countries, reflecting a 25.8% increase in exports year on year.

To penetrate international markets further, the group plans to set up product display centers and overseas warehouses to strengthen its global presence. By 2027, Fuling's mustard exports are projected to hit 100,000 tons, generating an output value of over 1.5 billion yuan (USD 208.9 million).

Additionally, the group is fast-tracking the development of China's mustard city. This 5 billion yuan project will incorporate cloud computing, big data, and Internet of Things technologies to create an intelligent management platform and production system.

Once operational, this industrial park will be a domestic leader in intelligent manufacturing, combining efficient data management, an eco-friendly environment, and a unique industrial tourism experience with intelligent production processes.