What is the competitive landscape and cost structure for sucralose producers in China?

What is the competitive landscape and cost structure for sucralose producers in China?
China dominates global sucralose production with roughly 17,500 tonnes of effective capacity as of mid-2022, representing about 83% of worldwide capacity. Jinhe Industrial holds nearly half of this, having expanded from 2,000 tonnes to 8,000 tonnes through its 5,000-tonne project. The company's cost advantage is substantial, with production costs around 169,100 RMB/tonne in 2017 versus competitors' typical 250,000 RMB/tonne. This cost leadership stems from vertical integration into key raw materials like thionyl chloride and DMF, plus proprietary process improvements. The competitive playbook mirrors Jinhe's earlier success in acesulfame potassium, where it drove competitors into bankruptcy through aggressive pricing. Currently, only a few players like Kebang Bio and Shandong Kangbao remain viable, with new entrants deterred by the technical barriers in yield optimization.