When it comes to the Mid-Autumn Festival, the first thing that comes to many people's minds is to eat hairy crabs. Once upon a time, hairy crabs can be said to be the "synonym" of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the "standard" for Mid-Autumn Festival gatherings and reunion dinners of every household. However, in recent years, the consumer market for hairy crabs has shrunk day by day, and many people have begun to complain that hairy crabs are "ridiculously expensive" and choose not to buy them anymore.
In fact, the reasons for the decline in the consumption of hairy crabs are mainly due to the following four aspects:
First, the price market is too high, and the consumer group is limited
Hairy crabs are originally a high-end delicacy, and the price has always been relatively high. But in recent years, the price of hairy crabs has soared far faster than people can afford. In the past, a hairy crab could be eaten by two people at most, but now the amount of one person is not enough. In this way, the group of people who consume hairy crabs has become more limited, and many ordinary families can only sigh and cannot afford to consume.
The high price has also led to the consumption of hairy crabs as a way to show off their wealth, rather than a simple food experience. This makes more people with spending power lose the desire to buy. After all, the most important thing in a good food is taste, and if it's just to show value, it's not worth it.
Second, the market is mixed, and it is difficult to distinguish between the real and the fake
Due to the high value of hairy crabs, a large number of fakes have also appeared in various places. These fakes often use methods such as filling water, draining water, etc., to increase weight, or directly pass off other species of crabs. What is particularly infuriating is that even if it is genuine, some merchants will use prohibited substances such as hormones and antibiotics to make crabs grow and gain weight quickly.
In the face of a variety of sources in the market, it is difficult for consumers to distinguish the authenticity from the fake, and they lose the desire to buy. No one wants to pay a high price for a "low-quality crab", and the final result can only be a shrinking market.
Third, the consumption taste is no longer single, and the scenery of hairy crabs is no longer there
With the improvement of living standards, people's food consumption tastes are also changing. Hairy crabs are not the only high-end food options, such as abalone, fish maw, shark fin, etc. have also entered the field of vision of ordinary people. People are also gradually tired of the single taste of hairy crabs and begin to pursue a richer culinary experience.
In fact, relying on just one or two delicacies to support the festival market is always unsustainable. Hairy crabs have been in the limelight in the past few years, and they are gradually losing market share in today's consumption upgrade. As someone said, there is never just one king of food.
Fourth, the lack of innovation, a single variety is difficult to meet consumers
We found that the number of varieties of hairy crabs is very limited, and it is basically two words - hairy crab and hairy crab. This will inevitably cause consumers to have aesthetic fatigue, and if it is only such a single choice, it will inevitably limit the consumption space.
In contrast, ingredients such as beef and mutton have a much richer variety of choices. This also enables them to provide a more diversified consumer experience during the festival and meet different levels of consumer demand. Therefore, the singleness and lack of innovation in the hairy crab market are also an important reason for the decline in consumption.
The reasons for the decline of the hairy crab consumer market are mainly four aspects: high prices, market chaos, consumption upgrading and single variety. In fact, these problems are not unsolvable, as long as the relevant companies can make improvements and innovations, hairy crabs are still likely to reoccupy the festival market and attract more consumers. After all, food and festivals are inseparable, and I believe that hairy crabs will eventually return to their glory.