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Multinational food conglomerates are increasingly integrating and controlling overseas food markets. This tendency is evident in China, where the economy and food industry have seen an increase in foreign direct investment and international retail and restaurant branches. Globalization in the food industry has led to various forms of cultural diversity regarding cuisines. The contemporary world features of cuisine differ from that which pertained a decade ago in many perspectives, such as the development of an integrated food production and distribution system. Ready-to-eat food delivery has emerged as a significant market due to the development of enticing, user-friendly apps and tech-enabled driver networks, as well as shifting consumer expectations. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic led to lockdowns, and physical distance limitations significantly boosted the category, with delivery turning into a lifeline for the struggling restaurant sector.
Homogenization describes a society where the underlying values and beliefs are shared and prevalent, thus leading to a dominant cultural conviction. On the other hand, heterogenization describes a society where diverse population groups hold values and beliefs, leading to a multicultural society. In China, food is closely tied to the social context, but the increased economic progression and cultural integration with western nations led to a homogenous cuisine culture. The increased interconnection between Chinese and Western civilization led to a more homogenous culture as the Chinese adopted a western lifestyle model. This period coincided with the entry of American fast-food firms such as Mcdonalds and Starbucks. The massive number of Chinese nationals overseas contributed to the cultural homogeneity as they perceived western cuisines as high quality.
The increase in rural-urban migration to megacities such as Shenzhen and Guangzhou led to greater exposure to ideas that reshaped the cultural perspective. The critical component in homogenization in China is its adaptation to a fast tempo of city life coupled with its rapid economic development, which provided suitable conditions for fast food culture (Wang, 2022). China is third in the number of Mcdonalds restaurants worldwide, depicting the homogeneity of the Chinese food industry.
Young people have popularized the integration of foreign food cuisine as they emulate the western lifestyle of having the restaurants as romantic and formal celebrations spots. Since many Chinese customers began gathering at American eateries like Starbucks Coffee Shop, eating is often associated with socializing. The seating arrangement provided opportunities for the middle class to gain privacy and embrace unique ideals such as eating in shopping malls in the city centers.
The outbreak and spread of the coronavirus led to numerous changes in the daily life of Chinese residents. The preventative actions initiated by Chinese authorities to curb the spread of COVID-19, such as social isolation and mobility limitations, had detrimental effects on the supply chain for different cuisines production and consumption. The lockdown restrictions also led to the closures of various food services such as restaurants and decreased food availability due to increased lead times among suppliers. Online shopping grew popular among many Chinese city dwellers during their confinement at home at the beginning of the pandemic.
The demand for online groceries and fast foods increased significantly as the lockdown measures limited mobility. The contemporary cuisine culture in China exhibits heterogeneous tendencies, as the COVID-19 pandemic altered the food sector landscape. As the pandemic raged, food consumption was affected as many people preferred home cooking instead of takeaway orders due to the nutrient content believed to prevent infection (Zhang et al., 2020). Chinese residents began consuming less processed foods, thus changing the landscape into a heterogeneous society where local and indigenous foods were advocated.
In a heterogeneous Chinese society, the influence of traditional food has far-reaching consequences regarding cultural value. The Chinese have a long-standing, millennia-old eating tradition passed down from generation to generation. One of the defining features of Chinese culture is its cuisine. Home cooking has been the aspect of food habits that has changed the most during the pandemic, as lockdowns made individuals stay at home, thus altering their way of life (Tian, Zhou, & Wang, 2022). Many folks found themselves with extra time to prepare and organize meals; thus, homes became the new hub for socialization and family gatherings.
The decrease in dietary diversity due to supply chain issues increased dietary quality for households as they increased uptake of healthy foods to strengthen their resistance against the virus. In addition, many Chinese residents began associating making regional cuisines with traditional methods, thus localizing the dining experience (Kartari et al., 2021). Chinas intangible cultural heritage has increased prominence in the food service sector in the post-pandemic world. The home dining experience has greatly influenced the increased emphasis on ethnic Chinese cooking, which does not involve deep-fried cooking (Kang, 2022). Chinese residents concentrated on natural flavor and vegetables and decreased meat consumption.
Disneyfication and Cultural imperialism
Food is identity and history and thus is embedded in the culture of specific populations such as China. Globalization and cultural integration have led to the Americanization of Chinese cuisines and eating lifestyles. American fast-food restaurants are growing faster in China than in the U.S. as a result of cultural imperialism. The growing consumption of fast food is increasingly altering Chinas cuisine due to the ever-increasing disposable income of the Chinese residents. These fast-food restaurants serve American cuisines such as hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries which are made to suit the taste of most people.
These foods have no exotic spices or traditional combinations of ingredients emphasized in Chinese cultures. Chinese cuisines such as bones, chicken skin, and dumplings are prepared in a specific way and take time to prepare (Cui, 2017). Although the American quick-service restaurants do not have exceptional cuisines, they have taken over the Chinese food industry and are keen to increase their influence with more stores. The Chinese middle class prefers quick-service restaurants as they offer greater affordability.
One significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was the economic downturn due to business closures. Fast food restaurants have benefited from this phenomenon as consumers prefer cheaper options served in fast food joints (Li, 2021). Cultural imperialism regarding Chinese cuisines has seen the American fast-food lifestyle penetrate the market through companies such as Mcdonalds, Starbucks, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Burger King. These brands are poised to make China their largest market within a decade as each company establishes more stores annually.
The epitome of disneyfication of the Chinese food sector is through the standardization of the major American-owned fast-food restaurants, including Mcdonalds and Starbucks. These quick-service restaurants impose themselves on local markets in the Chinese society while offering their standardized menu and maintaining their operations model. Standardizing these processes means that the stores offerings and operations emphasized in the U.S. are similar to those in China. The enormous expansion of such standardized systems in the international arena indicates the disneyfication of the Chinese food industry. The fast-food restaurant standardization model is booming in China as they market themselves as authentic taste of the west (Pavlova, 2019). The lack of bullishness on fast food joints adapting their dishes for the Chinese society is due to the trust arbitrage in China.
China is infamous for its domestic food sector scandals, such as fake eggs, tainted baby formula, and mislabeled meats. Chinese residents do not trust Chinese brands, thus encouraging disneyfication of the food sector. The novel coronavirus outbreak was believed to have originated from a seafood and wild food wet market in Wuhan (Wei, 2018). This incident encouraged Chinese residents to increase online food delivery from American fast-food joints as they were deemed free from the tainted Chinese outdoor market (Chen, 2020). There is a pervasive belief that American companies have higher hygiene standards than their Chinese counterparts. Food integrity is crucial in the restaurant industry, especially in preventing infections such as coronavirus. Disneyfication is poised to increase as Chinese consumers push American companies to conform to the standards employed in the U.S.
Conclusion
Multinational food firms are increasingly integrating into China and controlling the market through various imperialism features. The change in food supply coupled with the expansion of the food delivery ecosystem led to explosive growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many people ordered food from major fast-food joints due to mobility restrictions. The food diversification aspect of the Chinese food sector was aided by the perception of western food as high quality and the residents adaptation to a fast tempo lifestyle. In the food service sector, Chinas intangible cultural heritage has become more prominent as Chinese residents emphasize a healthy traditional diet and home cooking to strengthen preventative measures against the viral pandemic. Disneyfication and cultural imperialism of the Chinese food sector is mainly due to the embrace of American cuisines sold at fast-food restaurants. The outbreak of COVID-19 in Chinese markets compounded this belief leading to the increased popularity of American cuisines.
References
Chen, M. (2020). Fast food industry in the post-pandemic era. A case study of KFC. In E3S Web of Conferences, Vol. 218, p. 02005). EDP Sciences.
Cui, J. (2017). The Americanization of Chinese food: How Chinese restaurateurs adapted authentic cuisine that sells. Ruggles Media.
Kang, L. (2022). Passion for culture boosts Chinas food industry. Global Times.
Kartari, A., Özen, A. E., Correia, A., Wen, J., & Kozak, M. (2021). Impacts of COVID-19 on changing patterns of household food consumption: An intercultural study of three countries. International journal of gastronomy and food science, 26, 100420.
Li, L. (2021). Effect of covid-19 on the quick-service restaurant industry in China and the U.S. In 6th International Conference on Financial Innovation and Economic Development (ICFIED 2021) (pp. 460-468). Atlantis Press.
Pavlova, R. (2019). Globalization of American fast-food chains: the pinnacle of effective management and adaptability. The Yale Globalist.
Tian, X., Zhou, Y., & Wang, H. (2022). The impact of COVID-19 on food consumption and dietary quality of rural households in China. Foods, 11(4), 510.
Wang, S. (2022). The Rise of American Food in China (Publication No. 1357) [Masters Projects and Capstones, University of San Francisco]
Wei, C. (2018). Why McDonalds, Starbucks, and KFC are popular in China. Eater.
Zhang, J., Zhao, A., Ke, Y., Huo, S., Ma, Y., Zhang, Y., Ren, Z., Li, Z., & Liu, K. (2020). Dietary behaviors in the post-lockdown period and its effects on dietary diversity: The second stage of a nutrition survey in a longitudinal Chinese study in the COVID-19 era. Nutrients, 12(11), 3269.
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