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 48 of 196
Snacks Are Undergoing Structural Changes: Hard Discount, Community Retail, Category Killers
The price reduction space for snack discount stores is related to the category characteristics of snacks themselves (category without brand, small items, low average transaction value, long tail, severe homogenization, etc.), as well as the market space left by the choices of previous representative snack channels during the consumption upgrade wave of the past decade or so. Under new market conditions (mature community formats, supply chains pursuing extreme efficiency, complete chain franchise infrastructure), the single-store model and business model have been reshaped. In recent years, snack discount chain stores have clearly increased in number. Snacks are very busy, snack preferred, neighbor food magic, snack youming, lock flavor, Dai Yonghong, snack warehouse, snack workshop, etc. They have opened from new first-tier cities to fifth-tier cities, rooted in communities at extremely low prices, opening hundreds or thousands of stores a year, making snack stores a rare offline format that is still rapidly expanding in the current market environment.
窄播出品Business Wisdom in Specific Scenarios
Reflecting on a National Day holiday, the author identifies a common thread among three seemingly unrelated business models: hangover drinks in restaurants, specialty yogurt in scenic areas, and cultural creative ice cream at tourist sites. Each thrives by leveraging specific consumption scenarios, targeting hidden markets, and seizing opportunities in untapped market spaces.
湃动研究院Normalized Livestreaming Drives Enterprise Digital Transformation: Liby Group's Livestream Talent System
The livestreaming e-commerce market is growing rapidly, with digitalization and standardization becoming key. Liby Group has built a comprehensive livestream talent training system, including SOPs and certification programs, to empower internal teams and dealers, enhancing digital operations and brand building.
周礼Key Considerations for Brands Before Entering Douyin
In just a few years, short videos and live streaming have experienced explosive growth, becoming two powerful tools for merchants to deeply reach consumers. For brands, the question has shifted from 'Should we do live streaming?' to 'How exactly should we do live streaming?' Recently, the author interviewed Wang (pseudonym), head of a brand's new retail department that is entering Douyin e-commerce, and Gao Qi, founder of Hangzhou Yiming Media, a brand service provider that ranked TOP1 in GMV for the food industry on Douyin from May to June 2022, to gain insights into their current operations on Douyin.
冯瑶Brand Owner External Circulation + Distributor Internal Circulation: The 1+N Digitalization Path
At the 7th China FMCG Channel Innovation Conference held in Chengdu from November 3-5, 2022, Zhou Bin, co-founder and COO of Renwoxing Technology, shared insights on digitalization strategies for FMCG enterprises. He introduced the 1+N dual circulation model, emphasizing the importance of digital tools in empowering the real economy and achieving symbiotic growth between brand owners and distributors.
周斌Master Kong's Royal Feast x Luo Yonghao: A 30th Anniversary Masterstroke That Wins Over the Most Discerning Critics!
Recently, Master Kong teamed up with Luo Yonghao to shoot a quirky short ad. In the video, Luo transforms into a ravenous monster threatening to destroy the city; human offerings of various delicacies fail, but the appearance of Master Kong's Royal Feast instant noodles finally quells his fury. The exaggerated plot, special effects, and humorous persona led netizens to praise the ad as brilliant. Within less than 90 seconds, the short film spread rapidly across platforms, drawing attention. From an industry perspective, this promotion not only showcases excellent advertising strategy but also represents an effective interaction with consumers from both brand and product angles.
AmyJD Big Data: Domestic Coffee and Others Become 10 Benchmark New Consumption Categories; Wo Xiaoya and Others Become 30 Benchmark New Consumption Brands
During JD 11.11, JD Supermarket and JD Consumption and Industry Research Institute released the '2022 New Consumption Brand Research Report for FMCG and Fresh Food'. The report identifies 10 benchmark categories and 30 benchmark brands based on sales and user data, with repurchase rate as a key driver for high growth.
New DistributionTsingtao Beer Fights Again in Double 11, How Did It Achieve Top Rankings on Multiple Platforms?
In the just-concluded Double 11 shopping festival, Tsingtao Beer once again delivered satisfactory results. During the off-season for beer sales, how did Tsingtao Beer maintain steady growth?
青山依旧Interpretation of New Distribution's 2022 Survey on Brand Manufacturers' Cooperation with New Retail E-commerce
In the post-pandemic era of new retail, the continuous evolution of retail formats is driving brand manufacturers to seek new growth opportunities. New Distribution's survey of nearly 90 brand manufacturers reveals that new retail e-commerce has become a crucial channel for business breakthroughs, with live-streaming e-commerce and community group buying leading the way.
李文君WendyCooperation Opportunities between Channels and FMCG Brands from the Perspective of Convenience Stores
At the 7th China FMCG Channel Innovation Conference held in Chengdu from November 3 to 5, 2022, Yao Xuhong, Vice President of Dongguan Sugar & Wine Group and General Manager of Caihua Trading (Yueheji), delivered a keynote speech on cooperation opportunities between channels and FMCG brands from the perspective of convenience stores. He shared insights on market observation, self-assessment, and future outlook, emphasizing the importance of empowering small stores and fostering collaboration among brands, distributors, and B2B platforms.
姚旭鸿From Niche to Mainstream: OATLY Makes a Stunning Appearance at the 106th National Sugar and Wine Fair
OATLY's path is becoming increasingly smooth. Founded in 1994, OATLY was unknown for its first 20 years. According to Statista, OATLY's sales in 2012 were only 269 million Swedish kronor (about $28 million); in 2019, financial reports showed OATLY's revenue was $204 million, and in 2020 revenue doubled to $421 million, with products sold in over 60,000 retail stores and 30,000 coffee shops across more than 20 countries and regions. In fact, OATLY originated in Sweden and entered China in 2018, then rapidly rose to become a hot "star" brand in just about four years, completing its transformation from 0 to 1. From being unknown to widely recognized, OATLY is appearing more frequently in public. On November 10, the 106th National Sugar and Wine Fair officially opened, and OATLY, as a representative brand of oat milk, made a grand appearance at this large-scale and authoritative industry exhibition, conveying to consumers a desire for a better life and a healthy, balanced, and sustainable lifestyle.
沙华Lu Xiuqiong: New Consumption Cools Down, 'True Consumption' Returns
Lu Xiuqiong, Global Expert Partner at Bain & Company and former CMO of Coca-Cola China, Korea and Mongolia, argues that the era of new consumption is giving way to true consumption. She emphasizes shifting from a To VC mindset to a To C mindset, focusing on long-term consumer value, self-sustaining growth, and building a solid foundation. The article outlines strategies for creating core products, strengthening channels, and developing management systems to navigate market cycles.
混沌学园Breaking Perceptions: Unveiling Genki Forest's Product Logic
In October, Genki Forest received another piece of good news: its Alien electrolyte water surpassed 1 billion yuan in sales in September this year, creating another 1-billion-yuan product in less than nine months. Despite external skepticism, Genki Forest remains energetic, adhering to its founder Tang Binsen's principle: "Love the world with good products."
沙华After the Turmoil, How Can FMCG Brands Tap into Community Group Buying?
For brands, community group buying has been a mixed bag. From initial confusion and resistance, to fear of missing out, to the headaches of price chaos after being dragged in, no other channel has caused FMCG brands such anguish in the past two years. Now, with giants battling, layoffs, unpaid wages, closures, and shutdowns, the remaining platforms are only retrenching and focusing on survival. Some believe community group buying is no longer a topic for brands, or even dispensable. But is that really the case? New Distribution has learned that some brands are accelerating their efforts in community group buying, not by competing on low prices, but by effectively solving the problem of offline low-price channel diversion, achieving sales growth of 5-6 times or even 20 times in just a few months.
任文青AndyChina's Cheese Midfield Battle
In 1992, MGM's "Tom and Jerry" was introduced to China, sparking curiosity about Jerry's obsession with cheese. Now, cheese has entered Chinese daily life, from burger and pizza slices to children's cheese sticks. With the improvement of China's food manufacturing chain and the dairy industry's shift to high-value products after the liquid milk wars, the cheese market is experiencing high growth and concentration, with traditional dairy giants like Yili, Mengniu, and Bright Dairy, as well as emerging brands and foreign players, competing fiercely.
范建Yunnan Baiyao Oral Health Teams Up with Alec Su on Focus Media to Showcase a New Way of Oral Care
As Chinese consumers become more aware of oral care and move beyond basic practices, products like electric toothbrushes, mouthwash, and dental floss are growing rapidly, fueling the 'oral economy.' In the competitive mouthwash segment, Yunnan Baiyao Oral Health has launched Oral Repair Mouthwash and is promoting the concept of 'brush in the morning and evening, rinse after meals, one brush one rinse, oral health.'
New DistributionAllied with Pepsi, What Makes CELSIUS, a Best-Seller in the US, So Appealing?
According to media reports, PepsiCo and Celsius Holdings, the maker of the US energy drink brand CELSIUS (Chinese name: 燃力士), announced a definitive agreement to establish a long-term strategic distribution arrangement. Concurrently, PepsiCo will make a net cash investment of $550 million (approximately RMB 3.7 billion) in Celsius Holdings, representing about 8.5% ownership. The strategic partnership is expected to accelerate growth for both companies globally.
高级研究员 海游Putting Specialty Coffee in a Can: Nongfu Spring's Tan Bing May Reshape the Ready-to-Drink Coffee Landscape
In recent years, traditional coffee giants and emerging coffee brands in China have been intensifying their efforts in ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee. The current consumer and industry trends mirror the trajectory of Japan's RTD coffee market before its boom, which saw a wave of instant and freshly brewed coffee adoption, followed by a phase where various RTD coffee brands compete for market share through different positioning and strategies. However, in stark contrast to the heated competition fueled by capital and major players, few brands emphasize coffee bean origin, instead relying on instant coffee powder or flavorings to compensate for bean quality. This counterproductive approach has left the RTD coffee market without standout products. Recently, Food Board noticed on Xiaohongshu that many consumers are praising Nongfu Spring's Tan Bing brand Yirgacheffe canned coffee. Sold exclusively at Sam's Club, this coffee quickly became a 'treasure list' item among Sam's enthusiasts, sparking a buying frenzy. Many coffee lovers have commented that it replicates the taste of freshly ground coffee, hailing it as the 'ceiling' of canned coffee.
食品板The New World of Chinese Beer
At the 7th China FMCG Channel Innovation Conference held in Chengdu from November 3-5, 2022, Hou Xiaohai, CEO of China Resources Beer and Chairman of China Resources Snow Breweries, delivered a keynote speech on why Snow Beer underwent transformation and the concept of the 'New World' of beer. He outlined the major changes in consumption, venues, products, and pricing, and emphasized the need for companies to adapt to the new era.
侯孝海Huiyuan's Road to Revival Remains Long as Hype Fades Again
Recently, Xin Jifei sparked heated discussions about food safety by revealing food additives in short videos. As Xin Jifei deactivated his account and disappeared from public view, the buzz around 'technology and ruthlessness' gradually subsided. This storm affected many brands, with the leading soy sauce company losing nearly 300 billion yuan, while Huiyuan Juice, the former 'national beverage', gained renewed popularity thanks to Xin's positive comments. Within just over ten days, Huiyuan's official flagship store gained nearly 340,000 followers on a short-video platform. This is not the first time Huiyuan has been boosted by traffic. Last year, during the severe floods in Henan, Huiyuan, on the brink of bankruptcy, still donated goods worth millions, making it another domestic brand supported by 'irrational consumption' after Erke and Baixiang. However, as the hype cools and consumers become rational, the brand gradually returns to its original position. Clearly, fleeting traffic can bring exposure and sales spikes but cannot truly revive Huiyuan.
任孟瑶“New Marketing Trilogy” Finale: “New Marketing 3.0: bC Integrated Digital Transformation” Officially Published
The final installment of the “New Marketing Trilogy,” “New Marketing 3.0: bC Integrated Digital Transformation,” has been officially published. The book focuses on digital transformation of traditional distribution channels, proposing a bC integrated model to connect manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and consumers, and providing methodologies and operational frameworks for digital marketing.
刘春雄International Dairy Giant Arla Invites You to Create a New Future Together!
In recent years, as health awareness has increased, dairy products as a source of high-quality protein have gained recognition from more consumers. Data from the China Dairy Association shows that per capita dairy consumption in China reached 42.3 kg in 2021, up 36.3% from 31.1 kg in 2012. With rising consumption levels, many consumers are demanding higher quality dairy, shifting from simply having milk to drinking good milk. This market change is driving continuous upgrades in dairy product structure, making organic milk with comprehensive nutrition and safe, pollution-free sources a target for many distributors.
New Distribution2023 Budget Series: Six Strategies That Must Be Deeply Considered in Budgeting
Annual budgeting is a major task; if not thought through and done well, the coming year will be a mess. Once sales targets are set and marketing wheels start rolling, trivial matters overwhelm, leaving little room for holistic thinking, so teams operate on inertia and repeat mistakes. Many marketing managers have improvised, relying on platform and market dividends, but now it's getting harder. This article discusses six strategies that must be considered for next year's budget.
高级研究员 海游Will Pre-made Dishes Become a New Business Growth Point for Condiment Companies?
The FMCG market has been significantly impacted by the global pandemic, leading to the decline of many companies, but in the business world, decline is always accompanied by rise. Pre-made dishes have emerged as a dark horse in this environment. According to data from the China Chain Store & Franchise Association, during the 2020 pandemic, over 90% of chain restaurant companies began selling semi-finished and pre-packaged foods to alleviate cash flow pressure from suspended dine-in services and digest inventory from the Spring Festival peak season. The pandemic has driven new consumption scenarios, accelerating the growth of pre-made dish sales. According to the '2021-2022 China Pre-made Dishes Industry Development Report', the market size exceeded 300 billion yuan in 2021, with sales growing 16 times year-on-year. This has attracted upstream and downstream companies to enter the market, including major condiment companies.
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