见字如面,我是新经销袁来。
Over the past two months, I have shifted part of my attention to private labels. The deeper I dig, the more I feel this topic is simultaneously being mythologized and underestimated.
What is mythologized is the hype; what is underestimated is the difficulty.
Where does the hype show? At any retail-related conference, private labels are bound to come up. When they do, people invariably cite Sam's Club, Pangdonglai, and Hema as examples, calling for more study.
Most regional supermarket chains are exploring private labels to some degree. From first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen down to county-town shopping malls, you can see private-label sections.
Yonghui Superstores has publicly stated its goal to grow private labels to 40% of total sales within 3-5 years. RT-Mart's two major lines, "Chao Sheng" and "Runfa Zhenxuan," have over 500 SKUs. Hema, Meituan's Kuailehou, and JD's discount supermarkets have even higher private-label shares in their offline stores.
The "heat" around private labels is one thing, but doing them well is another.
What is underestimated is the difficulty—it is not easy to do private labels well.
The industry talks about Sam's Club and Aldi's private-label cases, but rarely about how a regional chain retailer can correctly navigate the 0-to-1 and 1-to-10 stages of private-label development. There is a lack of methodology.
Retailers don't understand the factory's product logic, and factories don't understand the retailer's store operations.
This difficulty cannot be solved by one party's effort alone. No matter how smart the retailer, it cannot do the factory's R&D; no matter how hard the factory works, it cannot read consumers for the retailer.
This is a problem that can only be solved through industry-chain collaboration.
It is precisely because of the "hype" and "difficulty" of private labels, and our frontline market research, that we have decided to join forces with the Private Label R&D Collaboration Platform to host the first "China Private Label Industry Chain Conference," scheduled for June 4-5, 2026, in Hangzhou.
I believe this will be the first annual flagship conference in China that truly spans the entire private-label industry chain, from upstream to downstream.
Why hold this conference?
First, private labels are moving from "marginal supplement" to "strategic center."
On one hand, channel dividends are fading, shelf-based growth has peaked, and the traditional buy-and-resell model is failing. On the other hand, Sam's Club, Aldi, and Hema are redefining "what makes a good supermarket" with private labels.
Today, private labels are no longer a question of "whether to do it," but a systematic battle of how to do it, with whom, and to what end.
It is fair to say that private labels are no longer just a KPI for the procurement department; they are something the company's top leader personally oversees.
Second, we are stuck in a methodology gap and a production-marketing disconnect.
I have heard more than one story like this: a supermarket boss decides to do private labels, and within six months, they have launched over a hundred SKUs, but sell-through is less than 30%, ending in losses and clearance sales.
Where is the problem? It's not a lack of money or a suitable factory, but a lack of methodology—product selection logic, quality control, shelf-launch rhythm, and product promotion are all based on gut feeling.
Many supermarkets think the success of private labels is just a display issue—give them the best end caps and the most prominent stacks, and they will sell.
But the root cause of poor sales is never the shelf position.
Of course, it's not just retailers who have pain points; factories do too.
Once, at a matchmaking event, I overheard a factory sales manager discussing private labels with a supermarket buyer. When it came to their advantages, they only emphasized two points repeatedly: low price and flexible formulas.
The factory seemed like a mere order-taker, completely unaware of the retailer's needs, and unsure what innovation and services they should provide.
Retailers want results, factories can offer products, but no one does the "translation" in between.
Why is this? Because everyone treats private labels as one role's job, not an industry-chain effort.
Third, private labels are a matter of industry-chain collaboration.
This is our core judgment for this conference.
In the past two years, there have been many private-label events in the industry, but looking closely, they are either closed-door meetings for retailers or investment promotion fairs for factories. What you hear and see is often "half a puzzle."
What is the truth about private labels?
It's not that because retailers want to do private labels, they complete it alone. A true private-label hit product requires demand insight, category expertise, R&D and mass production, and cost and quality control.
It is the result of deep collaboration among multiple parties, not a solo performance by one retailer.
Research by the Private Label R&D Collaboration Platform shows that 66.7% of retailers are willing to try or have already tried the "channel-exclusive joint development" (JDP) model, and 40% of retailers are willing to deeply bind with quality factories through investment or equity participation.
Therefore, for this conference, we want to do one thing: bring every key role in the upstream, midstream, and downstream of the industry chain to the same venue.
From regional supermarkets, community stores, instant retail, and discount stores, to leading brand owners, OEM manufacturing factories, and related service providers. There will be 6 professional forums divided by different roles and topics.
We hope to let the upstream truly hear retail demand and the downstream truly see the product supply chain's capabilities.
What makes this conference different from previous ones?
First, it is the first conference spanning the entire industry chain, from upstream to downstream.
It is not a closed-door sharing session or an investment exhibition, but an industry-level conference where 7 key roles around the private-label topic engage in dialogue on the same stage.
Second, leading retail executives will personally share their private-label strategies.
Not relayed by consultants, not second-hand industry interpretation. Instead, decision-makers from leading retailers such as Dingdong Maicai, Metro, FamilyMart, and Tmall Supermarket will personally share their strategic choices, pitfalls, and validated methodologies.
Third, brands and manufacturing factories will dissect real cases.
Retailers talk about "what I want," while factories and brands talk about "how I made it happen." How does a hit product go from formula polishing to mass production and delivery? When facing the impact of private labels, do brands choose to fight or collaborate? All will be illustrated with real cases.
Fourth, upstream and downstream will precisely match around products on site.
It's not just about listening and leaving. The conference will have dedicated supply-demand matchmaking sessions where retailers bring procurement needs and factories bring R&D and production capabilities, completing the first step from "handshake and acquaintance" to "cooperation intention" on the spot.
Final Thoughts
As I observe the industry, I increasingly believe this: trends are not shouted out by one person, but voted into existence with real money by every role in the industry chain.
Private labels are such a trend.
But whether the trend can take root depends on whether the industry chain can truly collaborate. This conference is our way to "bridge the information gap" for the industry.
If you are a retailer, I hope you come here to find the right factory, the right method, and the right partners.
If you are a brand owner, I hope you come here to re-evaluate your position under the new challenge.
If you are a manufacturing factory, I hope you come here to understand what retail stores really need.
June 4-5, 2026, Hangzhou—see you there!
The next leg of private labels is not a solo by one role, but a symphony of the entire industry chain.
About the Private Label Industry Chain Conference:
The Private Label Industry Chain Conference is an annual flagship industry conference co-launched by the Private Label R&D Collaboration Platform and New Distribution.
Rooted in deep industry experience, we bring together retailers, brand owners, manufacturing factories, supply chain professional service providers, and top academic forces.
We map the entire private-label industry chain, delivering cutting-edge trends, benchmark cases, and actionable hit-product methodologies. We are committed to building a knowledge empowerment and industry matchmaking platform for China's private-label industry that combines academic depth, practical intensity, and resource breadth.
Contact us:
Speaking and Strategic Cooperation: Yuan Lai Feng Yao
Ticket Inquiries: Zhuang Jiting