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 9 of 196
The Century-Long Evolution of Cognitive Symbols: Word of Mouth, Brand, and IP
The evolution of cognitive symbols from word of mouth in agricultural society, to brand in industrial society, and to IP in digital society, reflects changes in social structure and media technology. This article explores how each symbol functions as a cognitive accumulation mechanism, with scenarios serving as the fermentation pool for user-generated content.
刘春雄Pet Fresh All Closed, Hou Yi Launches 'Chong Tiantian' to Re-enter Pet Track?
Recently, as the closure of 'Pet Version Hema' Pet Fresh sparked industry discussion, founder Hou Yi's team quietly launched a new online brand, Chong Tiantian, focusing on fresh pet food. This marks a strategic correction and model iteration in the pet sector, leveraging supply chain and human-grade production standards.
联商网编辑部Under 'Taste Marketing', Distributor Profits Have Been Halved
This year, I visited many distributors and found a general pattern: among large and medium-sized trading companies, distributors born in the 1980s and 1990s are significantly more profitable than those born in the 1960s and 1970s. The older generation's 'taste marketing' approach is a key factor. Times have changed, and if distributors don't adapt their business models, even a favorable environment won't help them. This article discusses this topic and offers suggestions for improving profits.
高级研究员 海游90% of Brands Fail to Build a Benchmark Market!
A recent field visit to benchmark markets reveals that true benchmark status goes beyond sales volume, encompassing market share, network penetration, per capita consumption, and operational rhythm. Despite their success, these markets face new challenges such as resource efficiency, channel conflict, and team dynamics, requiring a shift from traditional distribution to scenario-based operations.
邢仁宝Breaking the 'Red Bull Formula': An Energy Drink with Caffeine from Green Tea Extract Is a Hit at 7-Eleven in the US
Phorm Energy, an energy drink that removes taurine and uses only green tea extract as its caffeine source, became 7-Eleven's best-selling Dollar Deals energy drink brand in October, just two months after its launch. Developed by Anheuser-Busch and 1st Phorm International, it has sold well and expanded production.
FBIFRen Wenqing of New Distribution: Warehouse-as-a-Store Becomes the New Terminal, Brands Must Occupy Positions Early
On November 25, 2025, the '2025 Instant Retail Supply Summit and First Instant Retail Warehouse-Store Product Matchmaking Conference' was held in Hangzhou, where Ren Wenqing, CEO of New Distribution, delivered a keynote speech titled 'Viewing Supply-Demand Matching from Instant Retail: How Brands Grow in an Era of Surplus?' Core viewpoints: 1. Warehouse-as-a-store becomes the new terminal. 2. The logic of instant retail development is supply-demand matching. 3. Matching is the first growth law in the era of surplus. This article is a core summary of the speech. Instant retail has moved from traffic wars to supply wars. Today, brands...
任文青AndyAbandoning 150 Million P&G Business, B2b Startup Hits 6 Million Monthly Sales in Six Months! What Did Leguan Yigou Do Right?
In China's FMCG industry, the past three decades were a period of 'easy wins.' A generation of distributors once dominated channels thanks to a few major brand dividends. But today, that path is clearly no longer viable. After talking with many distributors, we found that brand dividends are gone, business growth is sluggish, and transformation seems to be the only consensus—but how exactly to transform? We've seen many successful cases, and we've been thinking: is there a more down-to-earth example that ordinary distributors can see themselves in and truly learn from? Yes! The story of Leguan Yigou is such a case.
张雨薇Media Revolution Is Marketing Revolution
Media plays a fundamental, environmental, and irreplaceable role in shaping consumer cognition, acting not merely as a channel for information but as the shaper, definer, and participant in the cognitive process. The article argues that media revolutions redefine marketing eras, from mass media's 'voice of God' to the internet's 'cacophony of gods', and that understanding media is key to understanding consumer cognition.
刘春雄Revenue and Profit Show 'Five Increases, Two Decreases': What's Behind the Divergence in the Beer Sector?
After the release of third-quarter reports, beer and baijiu listed companies show a clear divergence. Unlike the decline in total revenue and net profit of baijiu listed companies, the seven A-share beer listed companies achieved growth in both total revenue of 62.052 billion yuan and net profit attributable to shareholders of 9.435 billion yuan in the first three quarters. Specifically, despite overall divergence, leading company Tsingtao Brewery saw growth in both revenue and profit, while mid-tier companies like Yanjing Beer and Chongqing Brewery developed steadily through product upgrades and channel optimization.
思考派Brand Owners and Distributors: Don't Underestimate Lightning Warehouses!
Recently, the hottest topic in the retail industry is undoubtedly instant retail. Among all new formats in instant retail, lightning warehouses have seen rapid growth and expansion, but also sparked controversy. In recent visits to brand owners and distributors, everyone is asking whether lightning warehouses are viable and how to approach them. Clearly, when a format develops exponentially and impacts existing channel systems, it is not just a new channel but a business variable that must be re-evaluated. Why have lightning warehouses succeeded? What risks lie behind the rapid expansion? How should distributors and brands respond?
周群Wipro Group's Enchanteur Brand Refreshes, Anchoring 'China's No. 1 French Fragrance Personal Care Brand'
China's consumer goods market is undergoing unprecedented profound transformation. Looking back at 40 years of consumption since reform and opening-up, the path has evolved from the stage of material scarcity ('have or not'), to material abundance ('more or less'), to functional efficiency ('good or bad, fast or slow'), and now fully entering a new consumption stage defined by 'quality, emotion, and meaning.' This is particularly evident in China's daily chemical industry. Personal care consumption, once dominated by 'cleaning functions,' is now being redefined by 'fragrance experience' and 'emotional value.' In late October 2025, Wipro Group held the 'Enchanteur Brand 36th Anniversary Celebration and Brand Refresh Strategy Launch' under the theme 'Energy Bloom, Gathering New Life.' Li Yinglin, CEO of Wipro Daily Chemicals China, announced Enchanteur's new strategy, establishing the new vision of 'China's No. 1 French Fragrance Personal Care Brand.' Simultaneously, the group's Romanov brand also launched its 'Benchmark for Men's Fragrance Care' strategy.
秦淮JD Seven Fresh Accelerates Expansion, Own Brand Transaction Value Up 445% Year-on-Year
JD Seven Fresh, JD's offline retail arm, is accelerating expansion with its new store in Wangjing, Beijing, showcasing a strong own-brand presence and high-value fresh food. Own brand transaction value surged 445% year-on-year, with plans to exceed 100 stores in Beijing by year-end.
CHINASHOPBeverage Market Sees Surge in 'Sales No.1', 'Category Pioneer', 'Leading Brand' Market Position Certifications
The beverage market is witnessing a surge in market position certifications, with brands from quasi-first-tier to second- and third-tier, and from billion-yuan blockbusters to million-yuan niche products, all vying for 'No.1' or 'first' labels. Industry insiders note that nearly every day, several products announce such certifications, with thousands of companies obtaining them in 2024 alone. The trend, driven by intense competition and the need for differentiation, has both supporters and critics, with questions about its authenticity and long-term value.
SilasNational Brands 'Daliyuan, Copico, Haochidian': Dali Foods Welcomes New Leader
Dali Foods Group recently announced that Xu Yangyang, daughter of founder Xu Shihui, has officially taken over as group president, completing a father-daughter succession at the food giant with annual revenue exceeding 20 billion yuan. Founded in 1989, Dali Foods has grown from a second-hand biscuit production line and a factory with monthly rent of 300 yuan into a leading food enterprise with six national brands and annual sales of 20 billion yuan.
New DistributionAfter Sugar-Free, Zero-Calorie, and Low-Burden, the Next Battle in the Beverage Industry Has Begun
In recent years, the beverage industry has become increasingly competitive. From sugar-free tea to sparkling water, from juice to functional drinks, whenever a single product gains momentum, a large number of followers quickly emerge, copying formulas, tweaking flavors, making minor packaging changes, and offering low prices to capture market share through speed. However, few products truly endure. The market appears lively but lacks innovation. Most companies are not creating new products but engaging in rapid imitation. Previously, a supplier for Pangdonglai mentioned a viewpoint: 'Consumers are not actually averse to new products; they just dislike new products without memorable points. The industry does not lack demand, but rather products truly developed from 'experience and value perception.'
AsherLightning Warehouses Change, Brands Panic
On October 31, Taobao Flash Purchase launched 'Taobao Convenience Stores', marking a shift in instant retail competition from traffic to supply. Brands must now focus on controllable supply, moving from 'goods suppliers' to 'brand service providers' to win in the new warehouse-store system.
任文青AndyThe Next Century of Marketing: America's 'Roaring Twenties' vs. China's 'Internet 2010s'
By examining the historical context, we can discern the trajectory of social change. Modern marketing, which has influenced a century, emerged in the United States; will China produce a new marketing theory that influences the next century? This article compares America's 'Roaring Twenties' with China's 'Internet 2010s' to explore the beginnings of the last century of marketing and the potential dawn of the next.
刘春雄Q3 Report Review of 12 Listed Beverage Companies: Yili Tops with 90.3 Billion Yuan, Dongpeng Beverage Races Ahead with Over 30% Growth
Recently, multiple listed beverage companies have released their Q1-Q3 2025 performance reports. Against the backdrop of slowing growth in the FMCG industry, the beverage sector shows a clear pattern of 'one side hot, one side under pressure.' Among the 12 listed beverage companies we compiled, only 4 achieved double growth in revenue and net profit, 7 saw declines in both, and 1 had mixed results. Specifically, structural divergence is widening: functional beverages continue to lead, driven by single products and new scenarios; bottled water remains stable; while tea drinks and juices continue to face pressure amid shrinking demand and channel adjustments.
葛畅PepsiCo Unveils First Corporate Brand Refresh in Nearly 25 Years: More Than Just Pepsi Cola
PepsiCo has unveiled a new corporate brand identity, its first in nearly 25 years, aiming to showcase its diverse portfolio beyond Pepsi Cola. The new logo, featuring a smile symbol and the tagline 'Food. Drinks. Smiles.', reflects a consumer-centric approach and sustainability.
FBIFFourth Discussion on 'Marketing in the Next Century': Individuals Over Organizations, Technology Breaks All Resource Barriers
Technology breaks all resource barriers, and individuals can surpass organizations in the internet era. This article discusses the historical recurrence of this phenomenon, the shift from individual to organizational innovation, and the need to rebuild marketing systems in response to changing cognitive and communication patterns.
刘春雄Retail is Phasing Out a Batch of Brands
Over the past six months, a consensus has emerged on the front lines of the market: it's getting harder for brands. New retail players are expanding their private label (PB) offerings, top brands are increasingly manufacturing for retailers, some distributors are refusing to stock goods due to price inversions, and many mid-tier brands are being squeezed off shelves.
任文青Andy90% of Brands Still Don't Understand Instant Retail
Over the past two years, instant retail has become the most unavoidable term for FMCG industry practitioners. However, behind this seemingly lively wave, an awkward reality is that the vast majority of brands don't know what they are doing. They treat instant retail as food delivery, view advertising as transactions, and see platforms as traffic sources. As a result, budgets are burned, sales remain stagnant, and internal debates persist over which department should own it.
汪海Third Discussion on 'Marketing in the Next Century': One-Way Value Proposition vs. Scenario Interaction Creating Value
Value creation is the biggest unsolvable bug in a century of modern marketing. When I saw 'scenario interaction, co-creating value' in Zhang Ruimin's statement that 'scenarios cover products, ecosystems cover industries,' I saw the soul of scenarios in marketing. This soul fully endows scenarios with immense value in marketing. In the last century, marketing's value formation was internally created (with a hint of shutting the door and building the cart) and one-way communicated. In the next century, marketing's value formation will be scenario interaction, value consensus, and the integration of value creation and communication.
刘春雄Closing 6,000 Stores and Reopening Them: What Is Ye Guofu's New Strategy Betting On?
Miniso founder Ye Guofu has announced a major reform plan to close and reopen 80% of its stores over the next two years, transforming them into larger IP-themed spaces and shifting from a low-cost retailer to a cultural creative brand. This move aims to capture growth in China's IP licensing market but carries significant risks, including potential loss of price-sensitive customers and operational challenges.
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