During the Dragon Boat Festival, zongzi (traditional sticky rice dumplings) consumption surged on major e-commerce platforms. On June 2, Beijing Business Today reported that zongzi sales rose significantly during the holiday, with some platforms seeing increases of up to 70%, and the demand also boosting sales of seasonal fresh food products.
Overall, the B2B and B2C zongzi markets are showing trends toward health-conscious and specialty options. According to reports, Dingdong Maicai (a fresh grocery delivery platform) launched over 20 different zongzi flavors. In addition to traditional varieties such as pork, salted egg yolk, and red bean paste, the platform introduced regional specialties like handcrafted Fengjing pork belly zongzi, Xuanwei ham zongzi, Xi’an yellow millet and jujube zongzi, and Ningbo alkaline zongzi to cater to a wide range of consumer preferences. Dingdong Maicai expects zongzi sales during the entire holiday period to increase over 20% year-on-year.
Notably, low-GI (low glycemic index) zongzi are gaining popularity among health-conscious consumers. According to data from JD.com, the most popular among the innovative zongzi options are those with functional or wellness-oriented positioning—such as whole grain high-fiber zongzi and probiotic-infused variants that promote digestion and reduce bloating. Another JD supermarket trend report shows that sales of wellness zongzi have increased 177% year-on-year, with the top three health-focused ingredients being medicinal food blends, bird’s nest, and whole grains. (Source: Beijing Business Today)
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