NEW DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH TOPIC
How can brands grow beyond price competition?
Evidence and cases on product strategy, category innovation, marketing, and channel coordination in China’s consumer market.
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4701 articles · Page 29 of 196
Domestic Old Soda Brands Await Revival in the Scorching Summer
Every summer, soda drinks offer relief from the heat. In 1768, British chemist Joseph Priestley discovered a method to dissolve carbon dioxide directly in water, achieving the same cooling and thirst-quenching effect as mineral water, marking the beginning of the soda industry. In the early 20th century, many Chinese cities successively had their own beloved soda brands, from Beijing's Arctic Ocean to Hankou's No. 2 Factory Soda and Tianjin's Shanhaiguan. In the 1990s, these old brands were mostly acquired by foreign companies, hoping to leverage the strength of international giants to grow bigger and stronger, but their fate was often to be shelved.
傅玺恩Finding a New Fulcrum for Omnichannel Operations
As consumer demand diversifies and reshapes, the e-commerce industry is undergoing a significant transformation. Data shows that in 2023, China's FMCG retail market saw a slight 0.04% decline in overall omnichannel sales compared to 2022. With the slowdown in growth, consumer decision-making has become longer and more complex, with users often gathering information across multiple platforms before purchasing. Brands urgently need to establish a certain connection with consumers, and influencer seeding is gaining favor because it can influence consumer behavior and help accumulate target audience assets.
窄播In the Era of Shrinking Volume, Will Private Labels Be a Panacea for Retail Enterprises?
As 2024 reaches the turn of spring and summer, the FMCG market is eerily cold, with various factors combining to blow a chill wind signaling the arrival of the 'shrinking volume' era. While platforms, brands, distributors, and terminals are all trembling, the heat around 'private labels' has suddenly risen, becoming a powerful weapon against economic cycles. Yonghui Superstores has incubated Yonghui Farm, Tianqu, Yousong, Chan Dashi, Ofresh, etc.; Dingdong Maicai has developed private labels in categories like fresh produce, craft beer, and mooncakes; Wumart has Daily Fresh, Liangshiji, and more. Many retailers are increasing the proportion of private labels.
薛文发Lai Yifen Chairman Shi Yonglei: In a Shrinking Market, Be Solid in Business and Meticulous in Control
NielsenIQ data for 2023 shows significant channel growth: warehouse club store count up 37.8%, content e-commerce sales up 55.7%, and snack discount store industry scale up 75.8%. The FMCG market is undergoing major channel transformation. At Foodaily FBIC2024, Lai Yifen's chairman Shi Yonglei emphasized the 'fresh snack' positioning, focusing on user experience and product innovation, and advocated for long-term value creation over short-term profits.
New DistributionBehind the 'Big Snack' Trend: More Than Just an Emotional Spending Spree
A tourist visiting Changsha posted a short video on Douyin saying that during the May Day holiday, the queue outside 'Super Snack Busy' stretched for a kilometer. This year, the snack chain brand 'Snack Busy' opened a store in Changsha selling oversized snacks, which became so popular that a second store, 'Snack Huge', was opened nearby in March. Young people in Changsha are now flocking to carry large snacks, sparking a trend that goes beyond mere cost-saving.
定焦团队Returning to the FMCG Track, Former Alibaba Executive Lin Xiaohai Takes Over as CEO of Shanghai Jahwa
Shanghai Jahwa United Co., Ltd. recently announced that Pan Qiusheng resigned as chairman and CEO for personal reasons, and Lin Xiaohai was appointed as CEO and general manager, effective June 1, 2024. The century-old company faces declining revenue and increased competition, and Lin's appointment is expected to accelerate its digital transformation.
New DistributionBlue Moon's Product and Knowledge-Marketing Foundation
Blue Moon sustained category leadership through technology-led product upgrades, solutions for narrower cleaning occasions, and long-term consumer education built around the role of a cleaning expert.
New DistributionThe Underlying Logic of Business Has Changed!
Emotional value in business refers to the emotional resonance and identification that brands and products evoke in consumers. Understanding emotional value explains why people spend heavily on niche toys or IP products, revealing new business opportunities. The article discusses how brands can leverage emotional value to meet evolving consumer needs.
蔡钰 刘润FMCG Distributors' Business Is Getting Harder!
Hello friends. I'm Yuan Lai from New Distribution. Recently, I've been conducting market research and sharing insights with offline distributors of Kimberly-Clark (China) and C&S Paper, and had in-depth discussions with several distributor friends. It's clear that offline FMCG distributors are facing increasingly tough business conditions, primarily due to declining foot traffic and sales at retail stores.
袁来The Channel War in the Snack Industry
The snack industry, stirred by discount retail formats, is showing initial signs of divergence. Three Squirrels reported Q1 2024 revenue of 3.646 billion yuan, up 91.83% year-on-year, while Yanjin PuZi saw revenue of 1.223 billion yuan, up 37.00%. Liangpin PuZi lagged with only 2.79% growth and a 57.98% drop in net profit.
伯虎团队Jiang Nanchun: After a Lost Decade, Brands Look to 4 Growth Opportunities
Looking back at the past decade, how has the mobile marketing industry grown exponentially? What key events have erupted in the industry? Amid the ebb and flow, which internet platforms, brands, and marketing companies have become the biggest winners? Drawing on the past decade, how should the advertising and marketing industry navigate the next ten years? What industry opportunities should not be missed in the future? To this end, Morketing has launched a major 2024 series: "The Decade." In the first episode, Jiang Nanchun, a 30-year veteran of China's advertising and marketing industry, joined the livestream to discuss these topics with Morketing's founder and CEO.
Morketing“Rather Than Downgrading Consumption, It's More Like Upgrading Intelligence”
Consumers are cutting spending but improving quality of life, as exemplified by individuals like Wang Feng and Li Lei who have shifted to more frugal habits. This trend is impacting high-end retailers, with stores like CityShop closing and brands like Bestore cutting prices, reflecting a broader shift toward value-conscious consumption.
晴山Consumption Downgrade: Rise of White-Label Brands Overwhelms Big Names
The trend of consumption downgrade has finally reached brands, with white-label brands rising rapidly to dominate the market. White-label brands, supplied directly by upstream manufacturers or channel distributors, focus on cost-effectiveness. As consumer attitudes shift, more people prefer quality affordable alternatives, giving white-label brands more market space. In recent years, the dividends of white-label products have been evident across various sectors, with food being the most representative.
豆沙包Beingmate Faces Challenges Both Internally and Externally
Due to the controlling shareholder Beingmate Group's debt changing hands again, Beingmate's stock forum is abuzz. Over more than four years, Beingmate Group has neither repaid nor extended this debt, leading to multiple changes of ownership. Notably, the second creditor, Great Wall Guorong, even incurred a loss of nearly 100 million yuan to auction off the claim publicly for peace of mind. In recent years, the milk powder industry has entered an adjustment period, which coincides with Beingmate's development trough. The company's core business has been declining year by year, dimming the halo of the 'First Milk Powder Stock.' Returning to the top tier of milk powder seems highly unlikely...
陈晓京"Game Changer" Master Kong: Breaking Through in the Electrolyte Water Arena
The electrolyte water track has attracted another giant: recently, Master Kong launched its "Infinite Power" electrolyte water, officially entering the functional beverage sector. As a new challenger in this arena, can Master Kong break through with its strength?
孟云Daily Fresh Milk Targets Hong Kong Market
The fresh milk sector is becoming increasingly crowded, with new brands emphasizing health labels and premium pricing. Mengniu, a leading dairy company, is leveraging its supply chain to expand its high-end fresh milk brand, Daily Fresh Milk, into Hong Kong's convenience stores, while competing with local brands and navigating challenges such as short shelf life and intense competition.
付艳翠Why Big Brands Struggle to Innovate
Large brands rarely lack R&D, insight, or distribution. Their real innovation barriers are path-dependent marketing systems, limited channel capacity, rigid processes, and organizations that cannot give new businesses enough autonomy.
New DistributionPanpan's New Swirl Toast Sells Over 10 Million in 2 Months, New Favorite in Bread Industry!
New Distribution has long observed that while hundreds of thousands of FMCG products launch annually, few withstand market tests. Panpan Food's 2024 strategic product, Swirl Toast, sold over 10 million units in 2 months, boosting mid-shelf bread sales by 45%, showcasing rapid growth and strong momentum.
New DistributionWho Can Seize the Entry Opportunity in the New Era of 'Pingti'?
1688, aiming to become synonymous with 'pingti' (affordable alternatives), is Alibaba's most prominent price-competitiveness IP. As the platform with the largest number of factories in China, it offers white-label goods nearly identical to branded products. Consumers, like treasure hunters, seek out brand OEM factories, pushing 1688 from B2B to C2C. Recently, 1688 opened three stores on Taobao, shortening this chain.
窄播Getting Pricier, Beer Giants Rake in 100 Billion Yuan Annually
Beer giants' 2023 annual reports reveal a common trend: sales volumes are flat or slightly down, while revenue and especially profit growth are driven by higher per-ton prices. The four major players—China Resources Beer, Tsingtao Brewery, Chongqing Brewery, and Yanjing Brewery—saw their combined revenue exceed 100 billion yuan for the first time, reaching 101.9 billion yuan, with net profits growing rapidly. China Resources Beer remains the undisputed leader, having expanded through acquisitions since 1993, but its foray into baijiu has yet to yield significant results.
让商业更具价值The Sizzling Snack Discount Stores Are Heading Toward the 'Peak of Foolishness'
In the past two years, the hottest tracks in the consumer goods sector have been SHEIN's cross-border 'small-batch, fast-reorder' model and the booming snack discount store market in China. In 2023, SHEIN's revenue reportedly exceeded $30 billion, surpassing ZARA and Uniqlo to become China's largest apparel company. Domestically, snack discount stores saw over 10,000 new openings in 2023, with total stores exceeding 20,000, led by Snacks Are Busy (including Zhao Yiming) with 7,500 stores and claimed revenue of over 20 billion yuan.
苗庆显Hope Water Doesn't Make Beverages, It Makes Wishing Wells
Hope Water isn't just a drink; it's the smallest unit of a wishing well. Recently, a friend got engaged and posted a nine-photo set on Moments. Out of professional habit as a marketer, I noticed that the engagement party table featured Hope Water, and it even had its own photo slot. Many may not know this brand, but if you dine out, you might spot it in restaurant drink coolers. Hope Water's position in the beverage industry is subtle: its annual sales are only 500 million yuan, far behind giants like Kangshifu, Wahaha, and Coca-Cola, and even Yuanqi Forest, a fellow new consumer brand, with nearly 10 billion in revenue, leaves it in the dust. However, it occupies a magical niche, firmly capturing consumer minds in its segment.
IC实验室Sell-Through Is the Real Test for China's Unsweetened Tea Brands
In a crowded unsweetened tea market, a new brand needs a defensible price tier, repeatable taste, reliable supply, channel margin, local execution, and reorders—not just traffic, listings, or first shipments.
New DistributionFalling Without End: Is Moutai Being Bitten by Its Youth-Oriented Strategy?
Moutai's 53-degree/500ml Feitian has been falling in the circulation market, breaking below 2500 yuan, sparking widespread discussion. The decline has also affected its stock price, which fell below 1650 yuan per share. Industry insiders attribute the drop to increased supply and the launch of Xunfeng 375, a game-linked product, reflecting Moutai's push for youth engagement.
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