Prefabricated Food and Prefabricated Houses

Although both prefabricated food and prefabricated houses originate from industrial thinking, they exhibit significant differences in public perception, historical development, and application effects.

Public Perception

Prefabricated food is facing a crisis of trust, with consumers questioning its taste, freshness, and safety. This resistance stems from emotional appeals for the 'wok aroma' and 'smoky flavor' in traditional cooking, as well as an instinctive wariness of industrialized food. In contrast, although prefabricated buildings have also faced skepticism in the past, they are now proving their worth through performance. By 2024, China's prefabricated building area will account for over 50% of the global total, a rapid growth built on tangible performance advantages that have gradually earned public recognition.

Historical Development

The concept of prefabricated buildings is not new, with its development traceable back to the mid-19th century. At that time, the first wave of prefabrication emerged, primarily applied in exhibition halls, railway stations, and factory buildings, using cast iron and glass prefabricated components. The famous 'Crystal Palace' is a landmark building from this period. In the early 20th century, after World War I, the housing crisis in European cities intensified, leading to the development of prefabricated concrete component systems. From World War II to the present, prefabricated buildings have seen true large-scale development. In contrast, prefabricated food has emerged in recent years with the industrialization of the catering industry, having a relatively short history.

Application Effects

Prefabricated food has become an 'efficiency revolutionizer' in the catering industry. Using prefabricated food can save catering businesses 60% in labor and rental costs and increase net profit margins by 14 percentage points. This economic driver has led to its rapid adoption in the B-end market. Prefabricated buildings also demonstrate significant benefits, with construction periods shortened by 30%-50%, construction waste reduced by over 70%, and construction noise pollution decreased by about 50%. They also offer comprehensive advantages in quality controllability and environmental performance, receiving strong support from policy levels. For example, prefabricated concrete houses have their main structures pre-cast in factories as individual concrete components. When building a house, these components are simply connected together like building blocks to create a rough house, enabling rapid construction. Chinese prefabricated houses are also popular overseas, with export growth of prefabricated buildings reaching 45% in the first quarter of this year.