Dongguan Securities·2025-12-30 09:01Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Overweight" rating for the food and beverage industry, specifically focusing on the dairy sector [1]. Core Insights - The dairy industry in China is experiencing a phase of market size adjustment, with the market growing from 388 billion CNY in 2012 to 686 billion CNY in 2022, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9%. However, a decline of 3.1% is expected in 2024, bringing the market size to 659 billion CNY [5][13]. - The competitive landscape is characterized by a "two super, many strong" structure, with leading companies like Yili and Mengniu holding approximately 45% market share, which creates brand barriers and enhances competitive advantages [5][31]. - The report emphasizes the importance of monitoring the supply-demand structure in the dairy market, as supply is expected to decrease marginally while demand shows signs of weak recovery [5][36]. Summary by Sections Market Size and Consumption - The dairy market in China is undergoing a phase of adjustment, with liquid milk being the primary consumption category, accounting for 44% of the market in 2024 [5][16]. - Per capita dairy consumption in China is significantly below global averages, with a projected consumption of 41.5 kg per year in 2024, which is about one-third of the global average [5][19]. Competitive Landscape - The dairy industry is structured into three tiers: national, regional, and local companies, with Yili and Mengniu as the leading national players [5][31]. - The competitive advantages of leading dairy companies are expected to improve due to enhanced brand influence and consumer recognition [5][33]. Supply and Demand Structure - The supply of dairy products is expected to decrease marginally, with a reported production of 26.85 million tons in the first eleven months of 2025, a decline of 1.2% year-on-year [5][36]. - The report highlights the need to focus on the supply-demand structure, as policy catalysts may improve dairy demand [5][27]. Low-Temperature Milk and Cheese Market - The low-temperature milk segment is growing faster than the overall industry, with a market size of 41.8 billion CNY in 2024, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 6.63% [5][44]. - The cheese market is also expanding, with production increasing from 127,000 tons in 2019 to 203,000 tons in 2023, although the self-sufficiency rate remains low at 12.3% [5][50]. Online and Retail Channels - The sales structure for dairy products is predominantly offline, with online and instant retail channels contributing to growth, showing year-on-year increases of 4.3% and 2.8% respectively [5][69]. - The report indicates that the dairy industry is increasingly leveraging online channels to enhance market competitiveness and reach consumers more effectively [5][71]. Investment Strategy - The report suggests maintaining an "Overweight" rating for the food and beverage sector, with a focus on companies like Yili (600887), New Dairy (002946), and Miaokelando (600882) as key investment targets [5][73].