On November 23, 2024, the release ceremony of 'The 2024 China Maternity Center Quality Value Index White Paper' (hereinafter referred to as the 'White Paper') was held at the Shanghai National Convention and Exhibition Center. The ceremony was jointly led by Xiyuehui and Frost & Sullivan (hereinafter referred to as 'Frost & Sullivan'). At the ceremony, Yang Xiaocheng, Partner and Managing Director of Frost & Sullivan Greater China, officially released the White Paper.

At the same time, Yang Xiaocheng stated that under the backdrop of intensified internal competition, deepening rational consumption trends, and increasingly diversified consumer demands, the maternity center industry has officially entered a critical stage where quality and value are equally important. As a third-party organization, Frost & Sullivan looks forward to seeing a continuous improvement in the overall service level of the industry during this period, as well as the formation of reasonable brand pricing trends in healthy competition. It is also very pleased to see industry-leading brands represented by Xiyuehui continuously leading positive trends and contributing to the sustainable development of the industry.

Venue map of the event

This white paper condenses Frost & Sullivan's insights into the market dynamics and development trends of China's maternity center industry. Focusing on new engines, new patterns, and new trends, it aims to interpret the current development status and future prospects of the Chinese maternity center industry from a scientific, rational, and professional analytical perspective.

Yang Xiaocheng, Partner and Managing Director of Frost & Sullivan Greater China Region

This white paper is based on the professional research and comprehensive analysis of Frost & Sullivan, detailing the development background, current status, and consumer profile of the maternity center industry in China. It provides precise business insights. With the increasing competition in the industry, consumers are making more cautious evaluations of the quality and value of maternity centers when making consumption decisions. Consequently, institutions within the industry are also continuously trying to find a relative balance between quality and value while clarifying their own positioning. Therefore, Frost & Sullivan has constructed a quality value index system for the maternity center industry by combining industry development background research, consumer questionnaire feedback, and trend analysis, and has finalized the coverage content and weight proportions of each index based on feedback from multiple parties. The significance of the quality value index lies in helping consumers rationally weigh the matching degree between service quality and consumption costs when choosing a maternity center, while also providing a clear development direction for operators within the industry.

1

Overview of the Development of the Maternity Center Industry in China

Considering factors such as family situation, income level, marriage and childbearing age, and policies, the future market for maternity centers in China still has significant foreseeable growth potential.

Firstly, changes in family structure have directly led to an increase in the dependency ratio. The mainstream '4-2-1' family model means that both spouses need to support four elderly people while raising children. This trend will further intensify with the development of an aging population. The lack of conditions and support staff for postpartum care within families will drive Chinese families to seek professional institutions for care services after childbirth.

Secondly, between 2014 and 2023, the per capita disposable income of residents increased from 20,167 yuan to 39,218 yuan. With the improvement in residents' income levels and changes in consumption structure, residents have placed greater emphasis on medical care and health care, which has also provided economic conditions for paying for postpartum services. This has brought new market opportunities to the development of the postpartum center market.

At the same time, due to various factors such as work, housing, and education, the age of first marriage in China is continuously delaying. The proportion of people registering for marriage between the ages of 20 and 24 is declining, and late marriage often comes with late childbearing. The delay in childbearing age directly affects the ability of grandparents to provide childcare support, leading to an increase in the demand for external postpartum care.

Finally, on one hand, the policy side has continuously relaxed fertility restrictions to promote an increase in the number of newborns born. On the other hand, it has been standardizing the service systems and safety and health standards of institutions within the industry, promoting the establishment of industry standardization.

Based on the above analysis, there are still multiple growth drivers in the maternity center industry. Brands need to further understand the current market situation to ride the wave and seize expansion opportunities.

Source: Frost & Sullivan report

As the industry of maternity centers continues to mature, relevant standards, services, and management are also becoming increasingly perfect. At the same time, multiple types such as standalone, hotel/apartment, hospital, and community centers have emerged continuously, expanding consumers' choices and the price range available for selection.

Currently, the single consumption range of the postpartum care center industry can be roughly divided into less than 50,000 yuan (mid-range), 50,000 - 100,000 yuan (high-end), and over 100,000 yuan (top-tier). According to industry data, taking the Guangdong region as an example, high-net-worth customer demand over 100,000 yuan accounts for 20% of the entire industry, 50,000 - 100,000 yuan accounts for 30%, and demand below 50,000 yuan is the largest, accounting for 50% of the industry.

The current mid-range market is the one with the strongest demand for maternity services, mainly because it serves as an entry-level price segment for the maternity center market, allowing ordinary middle-class or wage earners to access maternity center services. Moreover, in the maternity market, the price range below 50,000 yuan is very close to the home-based doula model (below 30,000 yuan), forming a certain competitive substitution relationship with the doula market.

Overall, the demand for maternity centers with prices below 100,000 yuan accounts for 80% of the industry demand and will continue to dominate the mainstream price range in the market in the future. The target audience for this price range is mainly the broad middle class, who pay attention to economic rationality and have high standards for service quality. When choosing a maternity center, they not only focus on whether the price is reasonable but also on the service content, nursing quality, and overall environment's superiority.

Source: Frost & Sullivan report

2

Consumer portrait of the postpartum care center industry

In order to clarify the consumer profile of the postpartum care center industry and explore the consumption preferences of target and potential consumers, this survey was conducted among women of childbearing age in first- and second-tier cities.

Among the 300 respondents, the main consumer group is concentrated between the ages of 26 and 35, accounting for 62%, followed by those aged 36 to 45, accounting for 32%. This indicates that the main target customer of maternity center services is a young and middle-aged female group who are of childbearing age and have a certain level of economic capability. The population aged 26 to 45 has a high demand for maternal and infant health as well as postpartum recovery, so services and marketing activities targeting this age group can enhance brand attractiveness.

The respondents mainly have a college degree or above, with college undergraduates accounting for the highest proportion. This group has a high willingness and ability to consume. Future service design and promotion strategies can focus on providing higher-quality, personalized services to meet the needs of this consumer segment.

Source: Frost & Sullivan report

3

Analysis of the Quality Value Index System

Firstly, the quality index is an important indicator for evaluating the service quality of maternity centers. Through comprehensive evaluations of multiple dimensions such as store environment and facilities, staff qualifications, and consumer reviews, it reflects the overall level of service quality of maternity centers. Among them, the transportation index assesses the attractiveness of the institution to surrounding residents and the convenience of customer arrival; the external environment index reflects the livability and safety of the area where the institution is located; the internal environment index reflects the living quality and facility level of the institution. The staff training index reflects the institution's emphasis on employees' professional skills; the service detail index reflects the institution's ability to operate professionally; the human resources index reflects the core competitiveness of the institution in terms of professional talent reserve; and the consumer feedback index reflects the brand reputation to a certain extent.

Secondly, the value index reflects the brand's pricing strategy and profitability by comprehensively analyzing customer consumption levels and store revenues. The customer price index reflects the level of each customer's single consumption and can help measure the pricing strategy and market positioning of maternity centers; the store price index is a comprehensive reflection of the institution's revenue status and price levels.

Ultimately, by calculating the ratio of quality index to value index, we derived the brand's quality value index. This index provides a comprehensive perspective for assessing the competitiveness of brands within the industry. It not only reflects a single brand's performance in service quality but also measures whether the brand has achieved a market positioning that matches its quality in terms of pricing strategy.

Source: Frost & Sullivan report

Due to the distinct regional characteristics of the maternity center industry, with a large number of institutions within the sector and a relatively fragmented market pattern, in selecting the list of surveyed enterprises, we comprehensively considered the suggestions of industry experts and selected eight institutions that are mainly priced within 100,000 yuan, located in first- and second-tier cities, and have a certain representative nature.

Based on the comprehensive evaluation of quality indices, Xiyuehui ranks first in terms of store environment, service quality, and consumer reviews. At the same time, its pricing strategy is relatively stable, capable of maintaining reasonable customer value while sustaining high service quality. After comprehensive evaluation, it is positioned in the leader quadrant and ranks first.

Source: Frost & Sullivan report

Xi Yue Hui was established in 2015, with direct-operated stores located across cities such as Shenzhen, Chengdu, Wuhan, and Qingdao. It has pioneered 9 core service systems, always starting from customer needs and creating high-quality maternity centers with an ultimate service spirit. It independently builds a digital platform for mothers and babies, and constructs a domestic trusted and respected maternal and infant health ecosystem through brand leadership, standard setting first, technology empowerment, digital support, and talent assurance.

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