NEW DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH TOPIC
How can distributors keep growing across fragmented channels?
Front-line analysis of product selection, organization, channel strategy, profit models, and business transformation for FMCG distributors.
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4620 articles · Page 3 of 193
From "Trade" to "Operations": How Traditional Distributors Become Comprehensive Operators of New-Quality Categories
At the CFC Conference held in Chengdu from March 16-18, 2026, Liu Liang, General Manager of Shenzhen Guanduoduo Trading Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote speech on how traditional distributors can evolve into comprehensive operators of new-quality categories. He emphasized that effortless success is a myth, failure is the norm, and focusing on the next step is key, urging distributors to shift from simple trading to value creation.
刘量New Distribution Zhao Bo: How Distributors Can Raise, Install, and Nurture the Lobster
Over the past two years, distributor owners have all asked the same question: Can AI really help me do business, rather than just chat with me? Yes, but only if you "raise it right." If you ask me "how to install the Lobster," the answer is simple: go to Tencent Cloud and do a one-click, foolproof installation. Installation is not the point; the key is how to configure it, feed it data, install skills, and finally let it monitor your operations. Many owners find that after installation, the answers seem okay, but soon they feel "it's just so-so." The problem is usually not the Lobster, but...
赵波Price Wars: How Can Distributors Break the Deadlock?
During a recent business trip to Hubei, several distributors mentioned they now hesitate to invest in offline channels because, after costly product introduction efforts, online platforms often reap the rewards once a product gains traction. With both online and offline markets saturated, squeezed growth is breaking existing balances, pushing offline distributors to the brink. However, there are still paths forward, which we explore from a retail development perspective.
高级研究员 海游Breaking Old Channel Patterns, Establishing New Consumer Order: 'Product, Store, Distributor, People, Money, Data' Must Be Redone!
At the CFC·11th China FMCG Conference main forum (March 16-18), Bain & Company global senior expert partner Lu Xiuqiong delivered a keynote speech titled 'Breaking Old Channel Patterns, Establishing New Consumer Order.' She highlighted that China's consumer market is undergoing deep shifts from demographics to channel structures, rendering traditional models for brands and distributors obsolete. Facing new cycles of down-market expansion, divergence, and omnichannel integration, companies must comprehensively rebuild capabilities and redo 'product, store, distributor, people, money, and data.'
鲁秀琼The Second Half for Distributors: Not Distribution, but Operation
This article is adapted from Nie Biquan's keynote at the CFC2026 11th FMCG Conference, where he shares Baihui Commerce's journey from brand distributor to category operator. The company emphasizes that the industry is shifting from distribution to deep operations, focusing on turnover rate over gross margin, and building win-win partnerships with both manufacturers and retailers.
聂必权The Era of FMCG Distribution is Over
The more diligent, the more losses. Late one night before the Lunar New Year, I received a call from a friend. He has been an FMCG distributor in North China for 20 years, representing household-name brands. During the 'golden two decades,' he was almost synonymous with success: more brands, bigger warehouses, higher sales figures. But that night, he said, 'Teacher Wenqing, this past year has been really tough. I find myself in a vicious cycle: the more diligent, the more losses.' He broke down 'diligence' in detail: to keep the business alive, he added every possible lever—pressing another round of stock, adding a promotion, stacking another rebate, hiring people to monitor displays, end caps, and sell-through. The goods entered the stores, but two weeks later, when he followed up, the end caps were still there, the shelves were still there, the inventory was still there—the only thing missing was sales.
任文青AndyThe Distributor Business: The More You Do It, the More Addictive It Gets!
While many distributors lament shrinking margins and tougher sales, Fang Fan, general manager of Guizhou Fangwangyuan Trading, has a different take: after 13 years, he finds the distributor business increasingly rewarding. Starting from scratch in Bijie, a fifth-tier city, he built a condiment trading company with annual sales exceeding 100 million yuan, maintaining nearly 30% growth for three consecutive years, with comprehensive loss rate below 1.2% and inventory turnover within 30 days.
张雨薇Distributors Are Finding It Harder and Harder—At Least Half Are Driven by Anxiety
At the 11th CFC Conference in Chengdu from March 16-18, attendance surpassed 3,500, but the author felt deeply uneasy. A distributor, Gao Jingjing, expressed that dealers in her circle are universally anxious, constantly chasing new models and making hasty changes, leading to losses and more anxiety. The author reflects on the industry's role in amplifying this anxiety and urges dealers to calm down, think clearly, and consider a second battlefield in asset management.
陈思廷Hangzhou Debut! 2026 CHINASHOP Reshapes Retail Innovation with 'Service Quality Enhancement'
2026 marks the start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, signaling the end of the era where distributors and retailers could rely on scale expansion for easy wins, making deep competition in the existing market a required course. The core contradiction is that consumer demands have changed—have our services kept up? From April 15-17, 2026, the 26th China Retail Industry Expo (2026 CHINASHOP) will debut in Hangzhou, themed 'Service Quality Enhancement,' responding to the industry's shift from 'transaction-driven' to 'experience-driven'.
New DistributionGenki Forest's Young Product Innovation Laboratory
Genki Forest gives young product managers a public testing stage, a pilot factory, and an agile R&D system so that more small ideas can become testable products before the market decides their future.
New DistributionManufacturers Want Scale, Distributors Want Profit: This Game Needs a New Strategy
A beverage distributor complains that tasks increase yearly while profits shrink, making the business unsustainable. Manufacturers set ever-higher sales targets, pressuring distributors to stock up, often leading to losses. Distributors must adapt by setting bottom lines, negotiating for support, identifying growth sources, and refining terminal operations to survive the manufacturer-distributor game.
金名Why ViVi Is Taking Soy Milk Into China's Foodservice Channel
ViVi is moving from powdered breakfast soy milk toward ready-to-drink products designed for breakfast, spicy dining, banquets, and restaurant operations, supported by a new distributor service model.
New DistributionMajor Release | "Next-Generation Distributor White Paper - China FMCG Distribution Insights 2026"
At the China FMCG Distribution and Retail Conference held on March 18, 2026, during the CFC Conference in Chengdu, New Distribution's chief editor Zhou Qun released the "Next-Generation Distributor White Paper - China FMCG Distribution Insights 2026." The white paper argues that the industry is not merely facing a stagnant market but an era of oversupply, where traditional distribution logic is failing, and the next generation of distributors must shift from scale-driven to quality-driven operations, from single-channel distribution to multi-channel layered management, and from being transaction intermediaries to becoming operationally capable matching intermediaries.
周群More Beverages Sold, Less Money Earned: Some Distributors Begin to Recalculate a 'Non-Mainstream Category'
A beverage distributor with ten years of experience described this year's business as 'selling more goods but earning less money.' As promotions pile up, profits thin out, prompting more distributors to reconsider their product mix. In this context, some are turning to non-mainstream categories like areca nut, with new-style products such as Bingqi gaining attention for their longer shelf life and higher margins.
AmyMajor Release | Instant Retail Lightning Warehouse Supply Chain (Distributor) Map
At the CFC Conference held in Chengdu from March 16-18, 2026, the Second Instant Retail Supply Summit Forum took place on March 17. During the forum, Yuan Lai, Chief Content Officer of New Distribution, released the "2025-2026 Instant Retail Lightning Warehouse Supply Chain Partner Map." This year's forum focused on answering who should provide controllable supply, and the map categorizes distributors into four types based on coverage and assortment logic.
袁来From Pioneer to Leader: Damowang Opens a New Track of Rich-Flavor Snacks with Sesame Sauce Konjac Tripe
At the 2026 Chengdu Sugar Fair, a stark contrast was observed: industry-wide anxiety over slow sales, high inventory, and price chaos versus the bustling booth of Yanjin Shop's Damowang, where distributors crowded to inquire and order. Frost & Sullivan's latest certification shows Damowang's Sesame Sauce Konjac Tripe has been the national sales leader for three consecutive years, proving it as a truly reliable product in a market flooded with options.
任文青AndyDealer Breakthrough: First Adjust Structure, Then Strengthen Organization, Then Calculate Compensation
A dealer asked why he couldn't meet the manufacturer's targets despite his efforts. The article outlines three steps for market breakthrough: adjusting product structure, channel structure, and combining organization, execution, and compensation.
高级研究员 海游Distributors, Stop Being 'Movers'!
A trading company owner shared on social media: 'First principles is a super method to see through phenomena to the essence! Ask what the fundamental question is, then think about what to do. In any field, stage, or environment, when feeling lost, set aside appearances, penetrate the essence, and get to the core of the problem.' In recent years, business has been tough, and many distributors are feeling lost and anxious, making mistakes in judgment and operations. It's necessary to share six daily operational issues that need to be solved with 'first principles.' The first principle of sell-through is consumer operations.
高级研究员 海游Direct Hit at the Spring Sugar Fair! Dali Strongly Leads, Full-Category Upgrade Anchors New Industry Direction
In the channel, a change in 'product selection' is underway. Distributors are shifting from 'stocking more' to 'selecting better products'; consumers in stores repeatedly check ingredient lists, making more rational decisions; in special channels like schools, 'high-oil, high-salt, high-fat' products are explicitly restricted. These dual changes in channels and consumption are reshaping product entry barriers. Clearly, products with health attributes, clear selling points, and defined consumption scenarios are becoming the new 'passport.' As the Chengdu Spring Sugar Fair approaches, a new product cycle is unfolding. As a leading domestic food company, Dali Foods is participating in this spring fair, launching over 60 new products across core categories.
田静Zhao Bo of New Distribution: The Crisis and Opportunity for FMCG Practitioners in the AI Wave
As generative AI sweeps across industries, the FMCG sector—a traditional field deeply tied to human interaction and billions of consumer needs—is undergoing structural changes. From category decisions at retail stores to supply chain coordination, AI has penetrated every link of the industry chain. The question for every FMCG professional is no longer 'Will AI affect us?' but 'How do we stay firm in this transformation?'
赵波Is There an Opportunity for FMCG Distributors to Go Global?
After 2025, the Chinese FMCG market is characterized by extreme squeeze and zero-sum competition. Distributors face shrinking margins and must explore overseas opportunities. While many attempts fail due to capability mismatches, there are real opportunities for those who transform into supply chain service providers, leveraging China's expertise in fragmented markets and digital distribution.
戚特New Distribution's Ren Wenqing: The Old Distribution System Fails in an Era of Oversupply!
At the 11th China FMCG Conference held in Chengdu from March 16-18, 2026, Ren Wenqing, CEO of New Distribution, delivered a keynote speech titled '2026 New Distribution Annual Insight: From Linear Distribution to Supply-Demand Matching System.' This article summarizes the core of his speech, which argues that the FMCG industry is shifting from a linear distribution model to a supply-demand matching system, driven by the need to address oversupply and changing consumer behaviors.
任文青Andy200,000 Cases in Six Months: The Relaxed Player 'Bouncing to Dai Disco' at the Sugar & Wine Fair: What Makes Yunnuoshan Stand Out?
The old growth drivers of China's beverage industry—channel inventory pushing, flavoring with artificial essences, and price-war involution—have reached their end. Distributors are undergoing role reconstruction, and consumers' 'ingredient awakening' is intensifying. At this crossroads of old and new momentum, Yunnuoshan has chosen a harder but correct path: rooting downward and growing upward, building a brand grounded in core production areas and industrial depth, striving to become the 'Noah's Ark' of the next generation of beverages.
YvonneNew Distribution's Zhao Bo: How the FMCG Industry Should Embrace Change in the AI Era
In this speech, Zhao Bo from New Distribution argues that FMCG is one of the first industries where AI will see large-scale implementation and tangible results. He outlines how AI is reshaping consumer decision-making, brand-channel connections, and internal business operations, and provides a three-stage roadmap for companies to adopt AI, emphasizing the importance of starting with real problems and preserving human insight.
赵波