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Articles by 赵波
Browse 345 New Distribution articles by 赵波.
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345 articles · Page 3 of 15
Distributors That Don't Transform Their Supply Chains Will Only Find the Road Getting Narrower
China's economy has entered a phase of medium-speed growth, and the FMCG market has entered a new cycle. Significant changes have occurred in consumers, the retail environment, and market competition. For those in the FMCG industry, it is essential to re-understand industry changes and consider future enterprise transformation directions. Distributors, constrained by their role in the supply chain, often lack deep strategic thinking about their own business development. This is a genetic issue for distributors: products are developed, produced, and marketed by brand owners, then sold to consumers by retailers, making the distributor's role seem merely that of a transporter. However, if they were just transporters, there would be no need for extensive discussion. To discuss distributors, we must look beyond their perspective and consider a broader context.
赵波New Distribution Zhao Bo: The 'Shrinking Volume Era' Is an Inevitable Stage for the Birth of Great Companies
Zhao Bo, founder of New Distribution, argues that the current 'shrinking volume era' in China's FMCG industry, marked by declining sales and profits, is not just a challenge but an inevitable stage for the emergence of great companies. Drawing on data, historical examples, and management theories, he urges brands and distributors to innovate, optimize operations, and adapt to new consumer lifestyles to thrive.
赵波Today's Consumers Aren't Afraid of High Prices, They're Afraid of Overpaying
Recently, the author visited several brand executives and distributors, discovering that many are anxious about shrinking volumes and have fallen into misconceptions. This article shares observations on consumers, channels, low prices, product innovation, and category cognition, offering insights for the current market downturn.
赵波Zhao Bo of New Distribution: Great Companies Are Born in an Era of Shrinking Volume
After visiting member distributors of the Tower Alliance, Zhao Bo reflects on the systemic difficulties facing the FMCG industry, where old rules and high costs hinder efficiency. He argues that low prices driven by supply chain optimization and reduced intermediaries are a positive trend, and that great companies often emerge during economic downturns.
赵波Zhao Bo from New Distribution: Finding Growth Opportunities in a Shrinking Market
The article discusses the challenges facing China's FMCG industry amid economic downturn, including shrinking market demand, intense competition, and changing consumer behavior. It emphasizes the need for companies and distributors to adapt by finding incremental opportunities in new scenarios, channels, and consumer needs, while also optimizing existing business operations.
赵波Zhao Bo of New Distribution: How FMCG Professionals Can Make Good Use of AI
AI has been a hot topic for a while, but few have applied it at the enterprise level, let alone in the FMCG industry. As a content industry professional, I use AI frequently and share my insights. First, install AI tools on your phone, such as Doubao, Wenxin Yiyan, Tongyi, Kimi, Yuanbao, and if you can, ChatGPT, Gemini, Poe, and Perplexity. AI is a powerful productivity tool for information gathering, data analysis, content processing, and copywriting, but it's like a fresh graduate assistant—you need to communicate clearly with prompts.
赵波Zhao Bo of New Distribution: The Logic and Direction of Channel Transformation in the FMCG Industry
This article is a foreword written by Zhao Bo, founder of New Distribution, for the book "The Password to Channel Construction: Digital Development and Practice of Consumer Goods Channels." It analyzes the evolution of China's retail and distribution channels, the rise and limitations of deep distribution, and the necessity of digital transformation in the face of changing market dynamics.
赵波Dealer Strategy Is Not About Scale, but About Building a Moat
Recent visits to dealer members of the Tower Alliance have revealed that many dealers are struggling with transformation, often without a clear strategy or thorough validation. The direction of business upgrade and transformation varies by region and market demand, making a standard template impossible. Dealers must focus on building a moat based on their mission, resources, capabilities, and cognition, rather than merely pursuing scale or profits.
赵波Zhao Bo of New Distribution: Why Low-Price Retail Will Spell Doom for the Entire FMCG Supply Chain?
The article explains the underlying logic of sluggish consumption, attributing it to real estate asset de-leveraging and pessimistic expectations. It argues that low-price retail strategies, especially by traffic giants like Douyin, will squeeze profits across the entire FMCG supply chain, hinder brand innovation, and ultimately lead to industry ruin. The article also discusses the necessity of supply chain optimization in mature markets and the need for brands to adapt to sophisticated consumers.
赵波Zhao Bo of New Distribution: Why a Supply Chain Revolution Is Inevitable in China's Current Market Environment
Zhao Bo, founder of New Distribution, explains why a supply chain revolution is inevitable in China's current market environment, driven by the shift from a high-growth to a mature market, changing consumer behavior, and the need for new distribution capabilities.
赵波What's at a Dead End Is Not the Distributor Model, but the Mindset
As the scale of business grows, complexity increases exponentially, not linearly, rendering traditional distributor models and intuition ineffective. To survive, distributors must transform into supply chain operators, leveraging platforms and new thinking, as exemplified by 7-Eleven's evolution and the need for innovative approaches.
赵波Zhao Bo of New Distribution: Why Is the FMCG Industry Undergoing a Profound Supply Chain Revolution?
The FMCG industry is undergoing a profound supply chain revolution driven by changing consumer behavior, fragmented channels, and the rise of new retail formats. This article analyzes the social background, the shift from competition to survival, and provides strategic recommendations for brands, distributors, and retailers to adapt and thrive.
赵波Zhao Bo: Ten Thoughts on the Discount Retail Model
1. The current discount model is not based on supply chain optimization but on subsidies from investors and low-margin franchise models, leading to unsustainable losses. 2. Discounts and snacks are still in the early stages of the Dunning-Kruger effect, but will likely peak soon, with negative effects possibly emerging by mid-next year as small entrepreneurs can't sustain losses. 3. Discount is a long-term, penny-picking business, not a quick-money scheme; the current aggressive consolidation in snack stores is a VC-driven model that will likely lead to many brand failures.
赵波Zhao Bo: China's Retail Will Enter an Era of Comprehensive Discounting
In early 2023, China's economic environment showed unexpected trends, leading to concerns about the country's economy becoming fully 'Japanized.' This article, based on a sharing session by the author at Merrill Lynch, discusses the implications of Japan's M-shaped society and balance sheet recession for China, arguing that while China faces similar challenges, it will not fully Japanize. Instead, China is entering a mature consumer market characterized by consumption differentiation, supply chain restructuring, and comprehensive retail discounting.
赵波Zhao Bo: Viewing China's FMCG Retail Channels from an Abstract Perspective
Zhao Bo, founder of New Distribution, discusses the theme 'Rebuilding: A New Era' for the 5th China FMCG Conference, emphasizing the need for businesses to think across cycles and use abstract thinking to navigate channel fragmentation and changing consumer demands, rather than relying on simplified models.
赵波Rethinking the Logic of the Shelf
The article discusses how the logic of shelves differs between online and offline retail, emphasizing that offline shelves must be adjusted by time and customer group, while online platforms use algorithms to offer personalized product combinations. It introduces the concept of three generations of retail models in China and argues that the emergence of the third generation (e.g., community group buying, discount stores, interest e-commerce) has fundamentally changed the value chain, transaction logic, and the importance of scenarios, requiring brands and distributors to adopt a three-dimensional channel perspective.
赵波The Agency Model of Making Money from Backend Fees Has Reached Its End
The author recently visited distributors in Southwest and South China to discuss their business situations. These influential distributors shared their feedback and feelings, which are recorded for discussion. Cases include a leisure food distributor in Southwest China with annual sales of 130 million yuan, who relies on backend rebates for profits and has exited the KA system, and a top distributor of a famous liquor brand in South China facing severe price inversion and high growth targets.
赵波20 Perspectives on Moutai Coffee by Luckin Coffee
1. The Moutai+Luckin collaboration is a game played by top-tier brands, not complicated, and small brands can only participate but not truly play. 2. It's a pattern, with many similar topics like Porsche-version Huawei, Six God RIO, etc. 3. A good PR event should be big, sweet, crisp, unique, and cheap.
赵波The Middleman Revolution: You Can't Eliminate Middlemen, but You Can Be Eliminated if You Don't Improve
Middlemen shield you from upstream complexity, enable small-scale low-cost procurement, and guarantee safety and quality. While middlemen will always exist due to information, scale, and professional asymmetries, as well as bullwhip effects and order pulses, the article argues that although the middle link cannot be removed, you as a middleman can be replaced if you don't adapt to efficiency gains and changing market dynamics.
赵波Thoughts on Breaking into the City Market for Short-Shelf-Life Craft Beer
The primary issue that short-shelf-life craft beer brands must confront is the supply chain. Author Zhao Bo discusses how the current wave of craft beer in China differs from previous ones, with more approachable flavors and prices, yet most brands still struggle to truly break into the mass market. He analyzes the key factors for success, drawing lessons from Taishan Original Pulp's model, emphasizing the need for differentiated products, integrated supply and relationship chains, and strategic market ignition.
赵波Deconstructing the Operational Logic Behind Current Channels from Four Dimensions: Point, Line, Surface, and Volume
The people-goods-place framework has undergone new changes on the consumer side: People are now consumers, transactors, sharers, and creators; Goods now encompass functionality (experience, health), social aspects (belonging, existence), and emotions (growth, reconciliation); Places now include delivery venues, consumption venues (experience), communication venues (meaning), and transaction venues (relationships). In the past, people-goods-place was two-dimensional, based on time and space; today, it is three-dimensional, incorporating time, space, and scenario. The three-dimensional logic differs fundamentally from the two-dimensional: the latter centers on transaction venues, while the former centers on consumption venues. Viewing the market from a three-dimensional perspective, we can deconstruct this logic using the dimensions of point, line, surface, and volume.
赵波How Can the FMCG Industry Break the Deadlock Amid Involution?
On April 6, the 8th China FMCG Innovation Conference opened grandly in Chengdu, China. Zhao Bo, founder of New Distribution, delivered an opening speech titled "How Can the FMCG Industry Break the Deadlock Amid Involution?" He analyzed the constant factors affecting the market and how the FMCG industry can break through, focusing on the business environment.
赵波Distributors: If You Don't Start B2B Soon, You Might Miss the Boat
The FMCG B2B sector has grown rapidly in recent years despite little media coverage, with many early B2B players becoming profitable and a number of regional distributors successfully transitioning to B2B. This is driven by mature software technology and accumulated experience, making it a certain trend for distributors to transform into supply chain companies.
赵波China's Discount Snack Stores Are on the Rise: Will They Replace Mom-and-Pop Shops as the Top Choice for Consumers?
China's consumer goods market is experiencing moderate inflation, with the CPI rising 1.5% year-on-year in the first two months of 2023. This, coupled with an aging population, is reshaping retail, favoring channels like e-commerce and discount stores, which are growing rapidly and posing challenges to traditional retail.
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