Health Update: Wellness trend cuts clear path for velvet in China: DINZ – What Experts Say

The growth opportunity for New Zealand deer velvet in China has been backed by a report suggesting Chinese consumers place higher importance than their global peers on nutritional value and food that supports preventative health outcomes. 

PwC’s Voice of the Consumer 2025– China report makes clear that China’s consumer story is no longer one of simple expansion or contraction. Instead, it is one of reallocation. 

While discretionary categories face pressure, spending on health, illness prevention, and personal wellbeing remains resilient, and in many cases, structurally protected, despite broader macroeconomic uncertainty. 

At the centre of this shift is a rapidly growing consumer segment characterised by a preventative mindset. 

This group invests early to avoid future health costs, prioritising supplements, functional nutrition, and lifestyle interventions over reactive treatment. 

PwC’s data shows this cohort actively avoids ultra-processed foods, exhibits high concern about additives and preservatives, and seeks “clean label” products that are minimally processed and naturally derived. 

Status is no longer signalled primarily through conspicuous consumption but through informed choices: what one eats, how it is sourced, and whether it aligns with long-term wellbeing.

Supplement usage is rising, alongside a broader shift toward nutrient-dense, functional formats. 

The report highlights a deeply held belief that personal health and planetary health are two sides of the same coin with consumers actively seeking and verifying sustainable packaging, third-party certifications, and transparent environmental claims.

“Against this backdrop, our deer velvet is unusually well positioned,” Deer Industry NZ chief executive Rhys Griffiths said. 

“Deer velvet naturally aligns with a preventative health paradigm. It is nutrient-dense, traditionally respected, and increasingly supported by modern science.

“In a market where consumers are rejecting complexity and chemical formulations, velvet’s natural origin is a strategic advantage. 

“Our production system strengthens this further, including grass-fed farming, strong animal welfare standards, and robust traceability systems, which speak directly to PwC’s finding that trust, transparency, and provenance are becoming prerequisites rather than differentiators.” 

QR code-enabled traceability, certification and science-backed claims are now expected by wellness-focused consumers, not merely appreciated. 

“Our velvet can meet these expectations not just at a brand level, but equally as important if not more so, at a systems level. 

“This creates a clear pathway for NZ velvet, namely partnering with leading Chinese health brands that celebrate Chinese culture, wellness traditions, and modern science, such as Beijing Tong Ren Tang, Dong Er E Jiao, and similar players. 

Griffiths said PwC’s insights point to a compelling conclusion. 

“The growth opportunity for deer velvet in China is not simply volume-led, price-led, or trend-led. It is values-led.” 

He said DINZ continues to work strategically to reinforce transparency, invest in science, deepen sustainability credentials, and align with partners in China who can translate provenance into culturally meaningful value.

“In doing so, NZ deer velvet is not chasing consumer change; instead, it is already ahead of the curve and awaiting its moment in the sun.”