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 40 of 196
The Long Road to the C-end Market for Plant-Based Milk
After a surge in popularity, the plant-based beverage sector has entered a slow development phase. OATLY's 2022 financial report showed losses and CEO changes, while emerging oat milk brands have gone quiet in the media and entered discount food stores. Meanwhile, coconut-based brands like Finomare have saturated the tea and coffee markets and are competing fiercely in the C-end retail space.
钱洛滢Eighteen Years After Losing Everything in Futures Trading, She Made Premium Beer the Regional No. 1
A former accountant who went bankrupt speculating in sugar futures in 2004 started a beer distribution business from scratch, eventually becoming the top seller of premium beer in her region by transforming her traditional wholesale model into a direct-to-retail operation.
陈思廷Dayao Big Soda: The Story Beyond 3 Billion
As summer arrives, the atmosphere of the season is officially here. Night markets are bustling with烟火, and the summer night essentials include crayfish, barbecue, and that indispensable sip of coolness. This coolness isn't just about ice-cold beer; it also includes carbonated drinks that go 'pop' when opened and fizz in the mouth. In China's beverage market, besides the fierce competition in coffee and milk tea, the battle among domestic carbonated drinks, often described as 'one soda per city,' is heating up with the temperature. However, looking back at the past few decades, the domestic carbonated drink market hasn't always been as diverse as it is today, and its development has not been smooth sailing.
趋势君If It Could Be Done Over, What Should Evergrande Spring Water Have Done?
Reviewing the brand journey of Evergrande Spring Water, we believe it did many things right, but a proper brand positioning at the outset would have increased its chances of success. The brand correctly evolved the drinking water category by creating the natural mineral water segment, but it made critical errors in brand extension, competitor misjudgment, inconsistent slogans and endorsers, unrealistic positioning, and lack of category education.
张知愚A Comprehensive Analysis of the Snack Chain 'Jianghu Landscape'
This article provides an in-depth analysis of the snack chain industry, covering its evolution, overseas benchmarks, market potential, brand landscape, single-store models, competitive dynamics, key thresholds, and impacts on brand owners, concluding that the industry is entering a high-growth phase with significant opportunities.
任小东The Meaning of 'Low Price' Has Changed for Young People
After the 618 shopping festival, consumption trends show that young people still love big brands but have become more rational, seeking high cost-performance rather than absolute low prices. This shift is driving growth for domestic brands and discount retailers, reflecting a new consumption philosophy of spending less to maintain a decent lifestyle.
望月Aspartame Carcinogenic? Sugar-Free Drinks Unsafe? Two Companies Respond
Reuters reported on the 29th that, according to two insiders, aspartame, one of the world's most common artificial sweeteners, may be classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) next month. Currently, many food and beverage products labeled "sugar-free" on the market actually use sweeteners like aspartame. IARC classifies carcinogenic factors into five categories based on the likelihood of causing cancer: Group 1: carcinogenic to humans; Group 2A: probably carcinogenic to humans; Group 2B: possibly carcinogenic to humans; Group 3: not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans; Group 4: probably not carcinogenic to humans. According to media reports, IARC will list aspartame as "Group 2B," meaning it is possibly carcinogenic to humans.
New DistributionCraft Beer Industry: Gold Mine or Trap?
Since 2021, China's craft beer market has boomed, entering the mass market. Capital markets have validated its popularity, with financing events in 2021-2022 exceeding the total of the previous six years. However, despite the favorable environment, not all craft beer companies can benefit, and small and medium-sized enterprises lacking funds and channel capabilities should enter cautiously.
勾勾Xunlong Energy Wins Innovation Brand Award: How Plant-Based Beverages Are Leading the Category Trend?
With the rise of health and green consumption trends, diversified consumption scenarios, and increasingly detailed consumer demands, more consumers are paying attention to product ingredient sources and efficacy, seeking products that can empower physical health. Therefore, ingredient innovation and developing health-enhancing products are becoming trends in the food and health industry. The launch of Xunlong Energy has opened new ideas for innovative development in the beverage market.
New DistributionThe Ice and Fire of the Snack Track: Store Closures and Financing Surge in Parallel, the 'Hot War' in Lower-Tier Markets Has Begun
In the first half of 2023, the snack track showed a stark contrast of ice and fire, with store closures and financing waves occurring simultaneously. On one hand, Zhejiang-based snack discount chain Laoban Daren was rumored to be closing, and the once high-flying brand a1 Snack Research Institute shut down 80% of its stores. On the other hand, the track remained hot: investment and financing activities increased compared to the same period last year, and lower-tier markets saw a wave of snack brand store openings, with regional leaders like Snacks Busy and Zhao Yiming Snacks accelerating expansion. This cold-hot dynamic reflects the industry's adjustment and response to external changes.
向真Why Craft Beer Costs More—and When the Premium Is Worth It
Craft beer usually carries higher production, cold-chain, distribution, and education costs than mass-market beer. Its value depends on whether consumers appreciate the flavor, variety, and culture those costs support.
New DistributionDeep Dive | From 800 Million to 8.5 Billion: The Digital Code Behind Dongpeng Beverage's Surge and Industry Insights
Dongpeng Beverage's digital transformation, starting from a simple QR code promotion, evolved into a comprehensive F2B2b2C channel integration, driving sales from 800 million to 8.5 billion yuan. This article explores the key steps, challenges, and industry implications of Dongpeng's digital journey.
任文青AndyMore Premium Liquor Brands Than Premium Consumers
At the Moutai shareholders' meeting, Chairman Ding Xiongjun said raising prices requires wisdom, highlighting the difficulty other premium liquor brands face in raising prices in 2023. Many brands are experiencing price inversions, with high inventory and shrinking demand, while the overall market is shifting towards lower-end products.
老鱼儿Prepared Dishes That Don't Sell Well Start 'Intercepting' Office Workers
Urban white-collar workers have long been targeted by prepared dishes—industry reports consistently highlight 'first- and second-tier cities,' 'young people,' and 'office workers' as key consumer demographics. After saturating e-commerce and supermarket channels, prepared dishes are now entering subway stations, getting closer to their target consumers. New Retail Business Review noted that in Beijing's Guomao and Shihe stations, smart pickup lockers named 'DT Canteen' have been installed, selling corn and lamb offal soup prepared meal sets. Similarly, in Shenzhen's Hubei station, refrigerated cabinets branded 'Caihexian Prepared Dishes' have appeared, offering dishes from the brand Gengji, including noodles and stir-fries.
王明雅Foreign Beer Declines, Local Beer Rises
As summer approaches, the Chinese beer market is witnessing a shift in power: local brands are upgrading their products and gaining ground, while foreign beers are losing their dominance and cutting prices. This transformation is driven by product innovation, channel diversification, and brand building by domestic players.
杨伟Consumer Downturn Begins with the 'Elimination' of Mid-Range Baijiu
In China's consumer narrative, baijiu holds a special place, often seen as a barometer of the consumer sector. Since 2016, baijiu has been the classic case of consumption upgrading, with industry profits driven by mid-to-high-end upgrades. However, this year, the mid-range baijiu segment is facing a downturn, with declining sales, rising inventory, and broken premiumization logic, leading to a shift toward a 'dumbbell' market structure.
读懂君618 Success Stories Abound: How Tsingtao Beer, a 120-Year-Old Brand, Stays Forever Young
As consumption recovers in 2023, the Chinese FMCG market is returning to positive growth. During the 618 shopping festival, Tsingtao Beer achieved top sales on major e-commerce platforms, driven by product innovation, multi-channel strategies, and marketing campaigns that resonate with young consumers, demonstrating how a century-old brand can maintain vitality.
青山依旧Who Will Become China's Beer King?
In 2022, while baijiu, wine, and yellow wine collectively declined, only the beer industry achieved overall growth. The three local beer giants—China Resources Beer, Tsingtao Brewery, and Yanjing Beer—all saw significant profit increases. This steady recovery has continued into this year. The new cycle of beer has finally arrived. China has long been the world's largest beer market, with a lively competition among the top five players. However, local leading players that have grown on the back of this huge market have yet to form global influence. In the future, if possible, who could become China's version of the beer king...
杨伟bC Integration: Is It Primarily 2C or 2b?
In traditional marketing, 2C and 2b are separate, but bC integration merges them. The key insight is that from 0 to 1, focus on 2C; from 1 to 100, focus on 2b. This approach is most effective for launching new or premium products, leveraging relationships to drive cognition, transactions, and stronger relationships.
刘春雄China's Beer Industry Finally Has a New Story
After a decade without new narratives, China's beer market is seeing a resurgence driven by premiumization, with craft beer and fresh beer gaining traction and supply chain models emerging. While the top five giants still dominate, new players are influencing the industry's direction, promising a more segmented market.
杨伟The Dilemma and Turning Point of Domestic Affordable Beverages Behind Coconut Palm Group's Controversial Marketing
During the 618 shopping festival, Coconut Palm Group's live stream became the most eye-catching due to its fit models and suggestive dancing, drawing massive attention but low sales. This highlights the struggle of traditional affordable beverage brands like Coconut Palm, Chengde Lulu, and Yinlu, which face stagnant growth since 2013 and need to rejuvenate their brands to win over young consumers amid intense competition.
刺猬公社编辑部Chongqing Brewery: Falling into Carlsberg's Premiumization Trap?
After the relaxation of COVID-19 control policies, the market expected a strong recovery in beer sales and premiumization, with Chongqing Brewery being a top pick due to its past success. However, its 2022 annual report and 2023 Q1 results showed a slowdown in premium product growth, leading to a 28.96% stock price decline, the worst among A-share beer companies. This article argues that Chongqing Brewery's premiumization strategy is faltering due to high dividend payouts and frequent management changes under Carlsberg, which may hinder long-term development.
读懂君Impressive Debut at FBIF: Lan Fong Yuen Iced Lemon Tea Is a 'Good Business'
Lan Fong Yuen Iced Lemon Tea attracted the interest of many beverage distributors with its storied brand and distinctive product. At the FBIF Food & Beverage Innovation Exhibition held in Shenzhen on June 14, the brand recreated its Central, Hong Kong heritage store and showcased the 'eight-hand pulled tea' technique, drawing crowds. The product stands out in the competitive lemon tea market due to its brand heritage, unique features, and promising market potential.
青山依旧A Post-85s Entrepreneur Running a Trading Business with Over 100 Million in Sales, Representing Brands like Baixiang and Wolong
Insight into consumer changes and diversified business development. Author: Zhou Qun; Proofreader: Gou Gou; Layout: He Wen. In recent days, chatting with distributors, a very interesting topic came up: whether the distributor business has continuity. The distributor's answer was affirmative, because as can be seen from manufacturer meetings, many of those seated now are young people. Whether it's starting a business or inheriting one, as long as young blood continues to join, it shows that this business still has continuity. While preparing the 'New Distribution·Distributor Member Club', New Distribution visited many distributors...
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