[Explanation] In the past few days, news of price increases have been reported by a number of leading spicy tiao enterprises including Mala Prince and Weilong, which has become a hot topic among netizens.
On April 20, the reporter interviewed Tong Xiangping, secretary general of the Pingjiang County Leisure Food Industry Federation of Hunan Province, the birthplace of spicy strips. He said that the price increase of spicy strips was caused by the rising prices of raw materials.
[Concurrent] Tong Xiangping, Secretary General of Pingjiang County Leisure Food Industry Federation, Hunan Province
We did a survey and comparison over the same period. Compared with March of last year, our flour increased from 80 yuan per pack to 99.5 yuan, and our soybean oil increased from 9,300 (yuan) last year to 11,800 (yuan) now. Yuan) per ton, our dried chili has risen from about 14 yuan per kilogram to nearly 20 yuan now.
[Explanation] Spicy sticks are made of flour as the main raw material, which is made by extrusion, curing and seasoning. It is a non-fried and spicy snack that is very popular among young consumers.
According to statistics, at present, among the more than 1,000 spicy noodles enterprises in China, more than 90% are founded by people from Pingjiang, Hunan.
According to Tong Xiangping, snack foods represented by spicy strips, flavored fish and dried sauce are the pillar industries of Pingjiang County.
In Pingjiang County, there are 108 spicy tiao enterprises and nearly 100,000 people are engaged in the spicy tiao industry.
Due to the rising prices of raw materials and the impact of the general environment, logistics, labor and other costs have also risen. Today, many companies have already sold at a loss.
[Concurrent] Tong Xiangping, Secretary General of Pingjiang County Leisure Food Industry Federation, Hunan Province
If we continue to work hard, our spicy strips industry will not be able to last. We are committed to building a high-quality spicy strips industry, giving back to the society and consumers, and hope to get the understanding and support of consumers.
[Explanation] Zhang Yudong, the founder of the Internet celebrity spicy strip company "Spicy Prince", said that in order to ensure product quality, it is a helpless move to increase prices.
Previously, the company did a lot of market research and finally decided to increase the price of the product by about 18% according to the rising cost.
[Concurrent] Zhang Yudong, founder of "Spicy Prince"
The short-term price increase will have some impact. In the process, consumers must also have a process of understanding.
In fact, I think the meaning and purpose of a brand's existence is to ensure the consumer experience and constantly innovate the consumer experience.
So by raising a little bit (price) to ensure the quality of the product and consumer experience, I believe that our consumers can gradually understand it.
Reported by Xu Zhixiong and Cui Zhengbang in Pingjiang, Hunan
Responsible editor: [Yu Xiao]