Chinese Market Demand for Indonesian Seafood Products

A practical, field-tested guide to building the exact vannamei shrimp SKUs Chinese hot pot chains buy now. We cover PD vs PDTO vs HLSO, winning count sizes, pack and glazing norms, quality cues, and how to validate demand on Hema, Tmall, and Dianping in a single afternoon.

If you sell seafood into China, hot pot is the fastest way to turn shrimp into repeat orders. We’ve spent years tuning specs for chains and e-commerce, and here’s the reality: it’s not about the lowest price. It’s about matching format, count, pack and quality cues so chefs and platforms can move volume with zero friction.

Hook: We went from zero to first PO in 90 days using this exact spec system

Three months. Two vannamei SKUs. One buyer group. We started with desk validation on Hema and Dianping, built PD and PDTO samples with the right counts and glazing, then sent quote + cook-yield photos the same week. That playbook still works in 2025 because the demand pattern for hot pot shrimp is consistent across mid- to premium chains.

Here’s the system we use and teach our partners.

The 3 pillars of a winning hot pot shrimp SKU

Choose the right form for the channel. For table-service hot pot, PDTO is the safest bet because the tail looks premium in the pot and is easy to grab with chopsticks. PD is the volume workhorse for value sets and e-commerce. HLSO is rarely the hero for hot pot, used more in displays or for grilling, so we only pitch it when a client asks.
Lock the count range that fits the price point. We’ve found 60/80 and 80/100 PDTO for premium, and 90/120 PD or PDTO for mainstream sets hit the sweet spot. Go smaller than 100/200 and you’ll get pushback on perceived value. Go larger than 50/60 and plate cost jumps without a clear menu benefit.
Package for speed in the kitchen and truth on the label. IQF beats block every time for hot pot. Glaze at 8–12% with a clear net weight declaration. Too much glaze slows service and triggers bad reviews online.

Practical takeaway: If you don’t know where to start, build two SKUs now. PDTO 80/100, IQF, 1 kg bag, 10% glaze. PD 90/120, IQF, 500 g bag, 10% glaze. These cover 80% of first conversations.

Week 1–2: Market research and validation (tools + steps)

You can validate demand in an afternoon if you know where to look.

Hema Fresh app, Dingdong Maicai, JD/Tmall: Search 火锅虾仁, 虾滑, 白虾 PDTO. Note pack sizes, count ranges, ingredient lists (plain vs seasoned), and the photography style. You’ll see many 500 g PD/PDTO listings and some 1 kg PDTO for family hot pot.
Dianping and Meituan: Open menus for Haidilao, Xiabuxiabu, Coucou. Check shrimp photos and portion cues. PDTO is common in premium sets, PD in combo dishes.
Xiaohongshu and Douyin: Scan posts for “火锅虾规格 90/120” to see unboxings and consumer comments about size expectations.
1688 and WeChat procurement posts: You’ll spot specs like “PD 90/120 IQF 500g, 无磷, 上水率低” or “PDTO 60/80 1kg, 10%冰衣.” Those shorthand lines tell you everything you need for a first quote.

What’s interesting is how uniform the language is. Count range, PD or PDTO, net weight, glazing, moisture treatment. Hit those cleanly and buyers listen.

Week 3–6: MVP creation and testing

Now turn findings into samples that open doors.

Forms: PD and PDTO first. Offer HLSO only upon request. If a client wants “premium look,” lead with PDTO tail-on.
Count sizes that actually sell: 60/80 and 80/100 for premium PDTO. 90/120 for mainstream PD/PDTO. If they ask for value lines, 100/200 PD can work for combo dishes.
Pack sizes: 500 g for e-commerce and prep-friendly kitchens. 1 kg for chains and centralized commissaries. Master carton 10 x 1 kg or 20 x 500 g is standard.
Glazing: 8–12%. We recommend 10% to balance protection and speed. Declare net weight clearly. Chinese platforms display 净含量 by law.
IQF only: Block frozen causes clumping and inconsistent portions in service. Hot pot stations don’t have time to chip blocks.
Quality cues buyers check first: firm snap when raw, translucent white-to-light-pink flesh, no ammonia odour, clean deveining, even size within the declared count. Tails on PDTO must be intact, not frayed.
Additives and moisture: Many premium buyers now ask for phosphate-free or “no added water.” If you use 4-hexylresorcinol for melanosis control, note it transparently on the spec. Keep moisture gain tight and show cook-loss data.

Sample pack that gets callbacks: two bags per spec, each with a bilingual spec sheet, COA, cook-yield and shrink photos, and a thawed plate shot. Include a short video of the IQF release and a 60-second hot pot cook test. If you need help tailoring these, Contact us on whatsapp. We can turn around a draft spec in 24–48 hours. Top-down flat lay of a shrimp sample kit: clear unlabeled bags of frozen tail-on and peeled shrimp, a stainless tray with evenly arranged raw shrimp, calipers measuring a shrimp, and a small steaming saucepan with a wire skimmer and chopsticks.

We produce and export PD, PDTO and HLSO vannamei under strict cold-chain and HACCP. See our base options here: Frozen Shrimp (Black Tiger, Vannamei & Wild Caught).

Week 7–12: Scale and optimize

Once a buyer tests and likes your MVP, small tweaks drive repeat orders.

Tighten uniformity. Ask for a narrower count tolerance or graded lots. You’ll feel it in plate cost predictability.
Adjust pack formats by outlet type. Chains often want 1 kg PDTO for back-of-house. Marketplaces push 500 g PD/PDTO for consumers.
Optimize glazing and purge. Reducing glaze from 12% to 10% improves perceived value without compromising protection when your IQF and handling are dialed in.
Add a premium variant. Some clients run two tiers. Example: PD 90/120 for standard sets and PDTO 60/80 for upsell platters. Black Tiger can work as a premium alternative, but vannamei still leads on price-value for hot pot.
Expand the basket thoughtfully. Many hot pot menus also use white-flesh IQF fillets. If the buyer asks, we supply consistent cuts like Sweetlip Fillet (IQF) or Mahi Mahi Portion (IQF) sized for shabu-shabu.

Which shrimp counts sell best to Chinese hot pot chains?

Premium: PDTO 60/80 and 80/100. Enough bite for presentation and chopstick handling.
Mainstream: PD or PDTO 90/120. Balances plate cost and perceived value.
Value combos: PD 100/200. Use sparingly. Too small and consumers complain.

Rough equivalence note: HLSO 31/40 often converts to around PD/PDTO 60/80 after head-off and peel, but calibrate with your plant yields.

Do buyers prefer PD, PDTO, or HLSO?

For hot pot, PD and PDTO dominate. PDTO wins when the chain wants premium look and plate control. PD suits e-commerce and combo platters. HLSO is niche in hot pot and appears more in grilling or display trays.

What pack size and glazing percentage work today?

Pack sizes: 500 g and 1 kg. Those two formats cover most needs.
Glaze: 8–12% recommended. We quote 10% as standard and state net weight clearly. Over-glazing is a credibility killer on Chinese platforms.

Should shrimp be marinated or plain for hot pot?

Plain. Let the broth shine. Marinades complicate allergen and flavor consistency and can trigger negative reviews if the broth profile changes. If a client insists on seasoned SKUs, keep it to e-commerce lines and separate from the hot pot core.

How do I present samples and pricing to a Chinese hot pot buyer?

Send 2–3 SKUs tops, each with PD/PDTO form, count, glazing, pack size, and net weight on a one-page bilingual spec.
Include quick tests: drip loss after thaw, cook loss after 60–90 seconds in boiling broth, tail intactness rate, and an odour note.
Price by CFR main port per kg net weight with clear MOQ and lead time. Example line: “PDTO 80/100, IQF, 1 kg, 10% glaze, CFR Ningbo, MOQ 1 x 40’ = 22 MT, lead time 18–21 days.”

What quality cues matter most for hot pot?

Firmness and snap when raw. No mushiness after thaw.
Clean, uniform deveining and bright, even color. No yellowing.
Size uniformity within count. Keep CV tight. It shows on the plate.
Low purge and tight cook loss. We aim for ≤2% drip loss and ≤7–9% cook loss on PD/PDTO.

Which platforms can I check to validate demand today?

Hema Fresh, Dingdong, JD/Tmall for retail SKUs.
Dianping and Meituan for chain menu visuals and portion cues.
Xiaohongshu and Douyin for consumer feedback on size and value.
1688 and WeChat procurement posts for current shorthand specs buyers request.

The 5 mistakes that kill hot pot shrimp pitches

Pitching block-frozen shrimp. Kitchens won’t chip blocks at a busy station.
Over-glazing. Anything past 12% gets flagged. Consumers expect honest net weight.
Sending tiny counts for hot pot. 100/200 PD might work in value combos, but guests perceive them as “碎” or too small.
Using heavy phosphate treatment without transparency. Premium chains ask for no added water. Share moisture and cook-loss data.
Ignoring tails on PDTO. Broken tails ruin the premium look. Protect tails in processing and packing.

Resources and next steps

If you want a first meeting spec that earns trust, start with PDTO 80/100 1 kg 10% glaze and PD 90/120 500 g 10% glaze. Validate counts and pack sizes on Hema and Dianping the same day. Then put photos, cook-yield and a clean quote into one PDF.

Need a plant-side sanity check on yields or glazing before you sample? View our products and send us your target spec. We’ll translate it into a production-ready sheet and turn samples fast.