Snack-makers look to move upmarket

Leading Chinese snack firms are turning to high-end products, as a way not to become embroiled in a profit-hitting price war, or compete with imported products, and instead meet consumers' more adventurous demands.

The Chinese snack industry has entered a fast lane of development. Its gross output value is expected to grow by about 20 percent a year, hitting 3 trillion yuan ($444 billion) by 2020, according to a report released in December by the Circulation Industry Promotion Center, which is affiliated to the Ministry of Commerce.

However, there is still a lack of local brands with sales volume of above ten billion yuan at the high-end of the market.