NEW DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH TOPIC
What structural changes are reshaping China’s FMCG channels?
Analysis of distribution restructuring, channel economics, and the changing roles of brands, distributors, and retail outlets in China.
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2301 articles · Page 2 of 96
2026 Global Retail Top 50 Released, Only Two Chinese Companies Listed
Recently, the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Kantar released the '2026 Global Retailer TOP50 list'. Data shows that the total revenue of listed companies in 2026 reached $3.57 trillion (approximately RMB 25.70 trillion), a year-on-year increase of 2.50%; the total number of stores was 308,700, a year-on-year decrease of 11.71%, showing a distinct feature of 'slight revenue growth and store contraction'. From the changes in the two lists, several core trends can be clearly observed: discount retail and membership warehouse formats are resilient, while hypermarkets and convenience stores continue to face pressure; Japanese retail giants generally slipped in rankings, and Latin American regional retailers saw weak growth; omnichannel integration, smaller store formats, and AI technology application are becoming common choices for retailers to cope with cyclical fluctuations.
联商网编辑部FMCG Industry Increasingly Fails to Retain Talent
As we enter 2026, the FMCG market remains one of the most dynamic and competitive industries. However, after years of digital transformation, changing consumption patterns, and supply chain restructuring, a severe challenge has emerged and increasingly become a bottleneck for FMCG companies' growth: talent shortage. More and more brand manufacturers are realizing that without solving the talent problem, many growth targets will remain on paper. This article offers some thoughts on this topic, hoping to inspire FMCG manufacturers.
邢仁宝Going to Africa: It's Not About Whether You Dare, But Whether You Know How
As the global market landscape reshapes, many companies are seeking new growth opportunities. For FMCG companies, Africa is gaining attention not just for its large and fast-growing population, but because it is still in the early stages of brand, channel, and supply chain restructuring, leaving many opportunities unclaimed. Africa is worth exploring, but not as a monolithic market; success requires careful country selection, understanding the dominance of wholesale markets and small shops, and leveraging digital distribution and localization.
王军Deep Dive | A Panoramic Overview of Indonesia's FMCG Distributor System: Those Who Control the Channels Rule the 'Land of Ten Thousand Islands'
Going global is imperative, but in Indonesia—Southeast Asia's largest and most alluring market—going global can easily become 'going overboard.' With 280 million people, a vast young workforce, a rapidly rising digital economy, and an upgrading middle class, Indonesia's macro data excites every brand. Yet, when brands actually land in Jakarta, they confront a daunting micro-reality: a fragmented geography carved by over 17,000 islands and a complex web of local political-business interests and clan networks. In Indonesia's FMCG sector, channels are king—a matter of life and death. This article provides a comprehensive, in-depth overview of Indonesia's major distributor systems, serving as both a list of key players and a strategic map for Chinese brands building local pathways.
戚特FMCG Industry: Beware of "Fake Data"!
Last week, news of fraudulent investment attraction data in three places in Henan went viral. One county's investment bureau reported 7.8 billion yuan to the province, while actually attracting less than 100 million yuan—such an exaggerated figure is truly astonishing. In interviews, the parties involved explained that the problem was not their own work style, but the high-pressure targets from superiors. Faced with the requirement of "must grow," grassroots units had no choice but to cope by fabricating data at will. The higher-ups, without any vigilance, used these absurd numbers directly, leading to this explosion. In my view, both sides bear responsibility...
邢仁宝Flash warehouses don't lack goods; what they lack is 'new supply' that solves pain points
In a price war, price matters, but how to gain reputation and attention is the real way to break through. What we aim to be is not necessarily the highest in order volume or gross margin, but the instant retail brand with the best reputation. At the CFC conference held in Chengdu on March 16-18, 2026, Da Zheng, founder of Zhaixiaoxiong, delivered a keynote speech on flash warehouse operations and hit product creation, sharing insights on supply logic and hit product rules in the context of intense competition.
大郑Consumers 'Win Again and Again': Master Kong Green Tea's 'One More Bottle' Promotion Goes Viral
Recently, New Distribution noted that Master Kong Green Tea's 'One More Bottle' promotion, which once created phenomenal sales in China's beverage market, was fully relaunched nationwide in March this year, quickly sparking a market craze. This classic IP, which once achieved phenomenal sales, has once again become the focus of the beverage market after many years. This is not a 'rehashing old ideas' brand marketing, but rather proof that truly vibrant promotional tactics, even today, can reignite consumer enthusiasm and terminal sales if the mechanism is right and the experience is smooth...
周群FMCG Products Not Selling? It's Not Downgraded Consumption, It's Not Understanding Users
In today's FMCG market, products are abundant, but what's truly lacking are brands that resonate with consumers. The old growth model based on scale, channels, and traffic is fading, replaced by a new competition centered on needs, experiences, and lifestyles. FMCG competition is no longer just about selling products but re-answering 'why consumers choose you.' At the 11th China FMCG Conference on March 18, Xiao Mingchao, founder and CEO of Zhimeng Consulting, shared insights on the new consumption cycle, changes in consumer decision-making, and how FMCG can shift from functional satisfaction to meaning-driven strategies.
肖明超Terminal POSM Done a Lot but No Effect? Because Your Materials Can't Speak
Scene marketing is hot, but many brands are even more confused: what is the relationship between scene marketing and terminal materials? How do consumption scenes and sales scenes connect? At the main forum of CFC·11th China FMCG Conference on March 16-18, Ms. He Luyi from New Canned gave a brilliant speech titled "POSM Practical Guide: Creating a 'Speaking' Terminal." She pointed out that consumption scenes are for sowing, sales scenes are for harvesting, and a hook is needed to connect them—and that hook is the speaking terminal POSM.
何璐伊From Channel Distribution to User Symbiosis: Reconstructing the Growth Logic of Personal Care Brands
The personal care industry has seen a significant shift in its growth logic. In the past, brands relied on channel distribution, terminal coverage, and regional penetration for steady growth; however, with rising traffic costs, channel fragmentation, and rapidly changing consumer demands, relying solely on shipments and distribution can no longer explain today's growth. For personal care brands, the new question is not just how to distribute products, but whether products can truly meet user needs, whether brands can build sustained choice, and whether channels can become interfaces for user connection. On March 17...
曹业林New Technology + New Consumption Era: The Underlying Logic of Marketing and the Path to Breakthrough!
Facing today's rapidly evolving technology and unpredictable consumer demands, where should brand marketing go? Old marketing tactics are becoming less effective, so how should the growth flywheel of the new consumption era spin? At the main forum of the 11th China FMCG Conference (CFC) held from March 16 to 18, Wu Dinan, founding partner of Mingdi Investment/Mingdi Empowerment, delivered a keynote speech titled 'Marketing Breakthrough in the New Technology + New Consumption Era.' He pointed out that to find a breakthrough in the current market environment, one must first clarify what is changing and what remains constant.
吴迪年Breaking the Zero-Sum Game: 'Zero-Supply Integration' Is the Only Solution in the Era of Stock!
From March 16 to 18, 2026, the CFC·11th China FMCG Conference grandly opened in Chengdu! At the concurrent '6th China FMCG Distribution and Retail Conference' on March 18, Chen Jianfu, General Manager of Jiayuan Convenience and corporate coach, delivered a brilliant speech titled 'The Logic Reshaping and Growth Practice of Zero-Supply Integration: Breaking Boundaries, Symbiosis and Win-Win'. As a leading convenience store chain in northern Henan, Jiayuan Convenience has achieved remarkable results: over 280 stores, annual sales exceeding 400 million yuan, and a compound annual growth rate of 30%.
谌建富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 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AndyHou Xiaohai: My View on the C-End, the Core Logic of the New Consumer World
At the CFC 2026 11th China FMCG Conference, Hou Xiaohai, COO of CP Group China and founding president of the China International Liquor Promotion Association, delivered a keynote speech on the core logic of the C-end in the new consumer world. He proposed the '4P+C = Scenario King' model, emphasizing that in the era of consumer sovereignty, companies must fully commit to the C-end to survive and thrive.
侯孝海Genki 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 DistributionThe Underestimated County-Level Market Is Starting to Boom!
“Our business was exceptionally booming this Spring Festival, open even during the day on New Year's Eve, and we couldn't keep up with stocking the shelves...” Returning to the county town for the New Year, the author not only noticed many new snack stores but also received similar responses when visiting several. Rather than returning young people driving snack store business, it's more accurate to say that snack stores are well-suited to the soil of lower-tier markets. Of course, it's not just snack stores—Mixue Ice City, Luckin Coffee, KFC, and even Starbucks are blossoming across county-level markets, showing that brand supply is rapidly converging between lower-tier and first- and second-tier cities, reflecting the vigorous consumption power of county markets and the new reality of Chinese consumption: the democratization of mass consumption.
张振宇As Traffic Peaks, FMCG's Winning Move Shifts to 'Efficient Fulfillment'
When supply persistently exceeds demand, shelves become increasingly crowded, and consumer attention is extremely fragmented, a practical question confronts every FMCG professional: in an era of surplus, where can growth still be found? On March 16, the CFC2026 11th China FMCG Conference, co-hosted by New Distribution, Innovation Retail Society, and CFC Going Global, with Anneng Supply Chain as a joint organizer, was held in Chengdu. With the theme 'Advance Toward the C-End,' the conference explored pathways for the FMCG industry. Shi Kunliang, General Manager of Anneng Supply Chain's Marketing Center, was invited to attend and deliver a keynote speech. 'Omnichannel low growth is the norm, and offline negative growth is also the norm. The core reason for the slowdown of major brands in the past is that they lost by relying on past successful experience.' This may also be a common sentiment among many FMCG professionals. After the peak of traffic dividends, the 'winning move' in new retail has shifted from traffic competition to efficient fulfillment; supply chain is no longer a backend cost but the key to breaking through retail dilemmas.
安得智联Major 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From Craft Innovation to Industry Leadership: Akuan Food Redefines Health Standards in Convenience Food with Zero-Frying Technology
Under the national 'Healthy China 2030' initiative, the 'Three Reductions, Three Healths' campaign is gaining momentum. The convenience food industry faces the question of how to protect national dietary health while maintaining convenience and taste. Akuan Food's release of the 'Zero-Frying (Non-Fried) New Healthy Convenience Food Development Report Blue Book' provides a significant answer, marking a shift from individual product innovation to industry-wide consensus and technological leadership.
New DistributionNew 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AndyBreaking the Bottleneck in Packaged Water's Second Half: How Bama Bainian Embodies 'Bama's No.1 Water'
In recent years, China's packaged drinking water market has been characterized by intense hand-to-hand combat, with giants slashing prices and squeezing margins. Amid this fierce competition, the Bama water segment is surging, and Bama Bainian, with its scarce water source, massive production capacity, and channel empowerment, is positioning itself as the leading brand. The company is set to showcase its products at the Chengdu Sugar & Wine Fair in March.
戚特Where Is the Next Growth Frontier for China's FMCG Industry?
In an era of oversupply, FMCG growth is shifting from channel dividends and distribution coverage toward consumer demand, instant retail, retail remodeling, private labels, global markets, AI, and cross-industry coordination.
New Distribution