Growing demand for durian ignites culinary boom in China

The catering industry in China is jumping on the durian bandwagon, offering "everything + durian" promotions to cash in on the fruit's growing popularity among young consumers, the South China Morning Post reported.

A restaurant in Shenzhen, China’s Guangdong Province, has gone viral with a buffet offering over 200 durian-inspired dishes, from porridge to pancakes and cakes, for 199 yuan (US$27.26) per person

Su Yuru, a white-collar worker in Shenzhen, said durians are sweet and filling, making it difficult to eat 199 yuan's worth. "But my friends and I are eager to try."

"I often buy a durian to share with my family on weekends, usually priced at about 150 yuan, and durian is also a regular at local companies’ afternoon teas and annual parties for their employees."

Topics related to durian-themed food, like "durian barbecue" and "durian buffet," have racked up over 1.24 billion views on Douyin, as TikTok is known in China.

Despite the middle class tightening their belts, their craving for durian has increased, extending beyond fresh fruit to include durian-infused food and beverages.

Sales of durian-flavored cakes by Guangxi Xuan Ma Food, a producer of packaged snacks and baked goods, surged from 800,000 yuan in 2019, when they were launched, to over 10 million yuan in 2023.

The fruit has even become a trendy addition to milk tea, a popular beverage in China.

"Milk tea with durian pulp is our hottest-selling product," Jariya Unthong, the Thai owner of a street stall selling Thai milk tea in Nanning, the capital of the Guangxi region, told Xinhua News Agency.

Hotpots and chicken soups featuring durian introduced by upscale restaurants in the region have also gained widespread popularity.

Visitors view durian products from Vietnam at the 21st China-Asean Expo in Nanning, China, on Sept. 28, 2024. Photo by NurPhoto via Reuters

To satisfy its growing appetite for the fruit, China, the world’s largest durian consumer, has been ramping up imports, mostly from a host of Southeast Asian suppliers.

The market purchased 1.38 million tons of durians for $6.2 billion in the first nine months of 2024, up 11% in volume and a 5.6% rise in value from a year ago, according to Vietnam Agriculture News, which cited Chinese customs data.

Of these, Thailand accounted for nearly 755,000 tons, or 54.7%, of the fruit worth $3.73 billion while Vietnam shipped 618,000 tons worth $2.45 billion.

While Thailand pulled ahead, its figures marked year-on-year declines of 14.1% in volume and 13.3% in value, while Vietnam’s rose 72.2% in volume and 57.3% in value.

To boost its competitiveness, Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency launched project One Tambon, One Digital in November that aims to enhance durian farmers' productivity, strengthen consumer trust in Thai durians, and promote high-value products on a global scale, particularly amid competition from China and nearby nations, the Bangkok Post reported.

China also imports fresh durians from Malaysia and the Philippines, though in relatively small volumes. The Philippines supplied 6,260 tons in the first three quarters, while Malaysia shipped 215 tons valued at $3.65 million between June, when it received approval for fresh durian exports, and September.

But even as current suppliers make efforts to boost durian shipments, the Chinese market still has plenty of room for growth as, according to a report by Beijing-based consultancy Guanyan Tianxia, less than one in 100 Chinese people has tasted durian.

The untapped potential is drawing new players into the market, including Indonesia, which has been traditionally exporting the fruit as paste to China.

The country is ramping up efforts to ship fresh durians to China, its coordinating minister for food affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, said last month.

Laos, whose durian industry has only been gaining traction recently, is also vying for a share of the Chinese durian market, Nikkei Asia reported in late October.

Bounchanh Kombounyasith, director general of the country’s Department of Agriculture, said market access documents were being prepared and Lao durians will soon be exported to China.