Core Insights - The pre-prepared food industry in China is characterized by a significant cost structure, with raw materials being the largest component, accounting for over 75% of total costs [2][4] - The industry's pricing mechanism is influenced by supply-side costs, manufacturing value addition, distribution channel premiums, and consumer demand elasticity [4] - The value chain of the pre-prepared food industry shows a trend of "midstream collapse," with varying gross profit margins across different segments [5][9] Cost Structure - Raw materials, labor, and manufacturing costs are the primary components of pre-prepared food product costs, with raw materials including poultry, eggs, grains, vegetables, and seasonings [2] - Among competitive companies, raw material costs can be as high as 94.8% for specific products, while labor costs range from 3.5% to 10% [2] Pricing Mechanism - The pricing of pre-prepared food products is determined by a combination of supply-side costs, manufacturing costs, and distribution channel premiums, along with consumer demand elasticity [4] Value Chain Analysis - The gross profit margins across the pre-prepared food industry show that upstream raw material segments have low margins (below 10%), while packaging and retail segments have higher margins (20%-30%) [5][8] - The midstream segment, represented by specialized pre-prepared food manufacturers, has gross profit margins ranging from 10% to 25% [5] Industry Trends - The overall gross profit margin for pre-prepared food companies in China has been declining, from 20.07% in 2018 to 13.79% in 2024, driven by increased competition and the growing number of industry players [9]