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 6 of 96
Manufacturers' Terminal Promotion Positions Are Disappearing
Terminal promotion positions at FMCG companies are being eliminated or downsized as digital tools and skilled sales reps take over their functions. Companies are shifting from crude, resource-heavy promotions to precise, systematic, and value-creating activities that better align with market and consumer needs.
金名How Master Kong Built Instant Retail Around Consumption Occasions
Master Kong treated instant retail as an operating ecosystem rather than another sales account, aligning product innovation, thirty-minute fulfillment, late-night demand, travel, campuses, content, and platform data.
New Distribution40 Years of Agitation in China's FMCG: There Is No New or Old Retail, Only Retail That Understands Consumers
Over the past 40 years, China's distribution channels have undergone dramatic changes. We are at a crossroads of accelerating brand elimination, continuous channel iteration, and emerging new technologies, with rapid change. On August 19, at the 7th China FMCG Conference, Wu Dinian, founder of Mingdi Investment/Mingdi Empowerment, reviewed the 40-year evolution of China's channels under the title 'Channel Transformation X Product Innovation.' Using the growth of companies like Master Kong as a starting point, and drawing on his decades of practical experience traveling across China's urban and rural markets, he outlined the upgrade path of wholesale and retail, as well as the core driving forces behind it.
吴迪年Southeast Asia's Surging Consumer Power Is Becoming the First Stop for Merchants 'Going Global'
In Ho Chi Minh City late at night, Diva, a post-00s international student, scrolls through her phone and quickly buys a cushion foundation during a TikTok Shop livestream. Such young consumers are reshaping Southeast Asia's e-commerce landscape, with a young population, high internet penetration, and consumption patterns similar to China's Gen Z, making the region a prime destination for Chinese merchants seeking growth.
听筒Tech工作室A Super Single Product with Tenfold Monthly Growth: What Did Maizima's No-Cook Pasta Do Right?
A distributor from Taizhou, Zhejiang, shared, "After two years of cooperation, Maizima's products are well-loved by our long-term customers, with a great product reputation. Their sales reps often help us open new distributors, making the partnership pleasant, and we never worry about inventory." In today's market flooded with products, a 'good product' recognized by distributors is a scarce resource. As a convenient and healthy fast-food brand under strategic investment from Genki Forest, Maizima is committed to providing consumers with safe, high-quality table solutions. The brand has repeatedly received international recognition, including the 'Global Taste Award' from the International Taste Institute in Belgium...
赵胜男Trends in the Transformation of the Zero-Supply System in the New Consumption Cycle
China's FMCG industry is undergoing a profound channel transformation and value reconstruction. Against the backdrop of shifting from incremental to stock market growth, consumer behavior preferences, supply chain efficiency improvements, and offline business format innovation have become industry focal points. Distributors, brands, and retail channels are seeking positioning and breakthroughs in the new cycle. At the 5th China FMCG Retail Innovation Conference on August 20, Pan Jinju, partner of Kuanzhai Ventures, provided an in-depth analysis of the cyclical characteristics, competitive environment, and future trends of China's consumer market from an investment perspective. The following is her speech (partially abridged), compiled by New Distribution for readers.
潘金菊Declining Terminal Sales, Wasted Expenses: FMCG Manufacturers Are Being Dragged Down by 'Store Efficiency'
Store efficiency for FMCG manufacturers refers to the sales efficiency and operational effectiveness at terminal stores, serving as a key indicator of market performance. Those who effectively improve store efficiency gain a competitive advantage. This article discusses three key metrics for improving store efficiency: store efficiency = area efficiency + personnel efficiency + cost efficiency. It provides methods for improving area efficiency, such as understanding store capacity and share, adjusting product assortment, optimizing displays, and implementing promotions.
高级研究员 海游A Practical Guide to Business Improvement for Distributor Upgrading and Breakthrough
In 1995, Carrefour entered China, marking the start of the first 30 years of the offline FMCG economy. Now, as 2025 arrives, the second 30 years have begun. Facing challenges from new retail formats like snack stores, e-commerce, and instant retail, how can traditional distributors escape the fate of being mere 'porters' and move from 'surviving' to 'thriving'? At the 5th Distributor Conference on August 21, Mr. Yang Bofan, founder of Bofan Consulting, delivered a keynote speech titled 'A Practical Guide to Business Improvement for Distributor Upgrading and Breakthrough', sharing real-world data and case studies.
杨博帆Genki Forest's Overseas Journey: Planting Asian Fruit Flavors on Global Shelves
At the 7th China FMCG Conference's overseas expansion forum, Wang Pu, Party Secretary and co-founder of Genki Forest, shared a story about a Costa Rican young man who chased his favorite sparkling water from New Jersey to Florida and brought it back to Costa Rica, illustrating the brand's initial motivation for going global. With 20 years in media and having accompanied Genki Forest from zero to one, Wang Pu detailed the brand's six-year journey, including pitfalls, strategies, and cultural commitment.
王璞Zhenshimei's Innovative Practice in Building a New Type of Supplier-Retailer Relationship
Amid the transformation of the FMCG industry, the role and value of distributors are being redefined. At the 5th China Retail Innovation Conference on August 20, Zhou Xu, Vice President of Biyoute Commercial Group and Co-founder & General Manager of Zhenshimei Supply Chain Management Company, shared his insights from a year of practice. He emphasized that the future of FMCG supply chains lies in building a 'symbiotic relationship' beyond traditional transactions.
周旭Diaoyutai Liquor Night: Breaking Through with Culture, Brewing in Tune with the Times
The baijiu industry is undergoing structural transformation, with traditional channels facing intense competition, price transparency, and high inventory, creating a typical 'red ocean dilemma.' Meanwhile, consumption shifts among younger generations toward lower-alcohol and craft beers, with 'drink less, drink better' becoming mainstream, pressuring traditional liquor companies. Against this backdrop, Diaoyutai Liquor, a leading sauce-flavor baijiu brand, leverages culture and cross-industry marketing to forge new growth paths through agile, targeted efforts.
赵胜男Freeing Salespeople from KPI Traps
At the 7th China FMCG Conference hosted by New Distribution, the former chairman of China Resources Beer proposed 'freeing distributors and salespeople,' which resonated deeply. Salespeople are trapped by endless visits and reports, unable to escape KPI constraints. The industry's KPI 'consensus' is actually counterintuitive, as most 'consensus' behaviors are contrary to common sense.
刘春雄Going Global to Africa: The Next Strategic High Ground for FMCG?
At the 7th China FMCG Conference held in Shanghai from August 19-21, 2025, Wang Jun, Vice President of cross-border B2B e-commerce platform Egatee, shared insights on FMCG expansion into Africa, analyzing trends and cases. The article argues that Africa, with its demographic dividend and market potential, represents a strategic opportunity for Chinese FMCG companies to replicate past growth, urging them to act now for the next decade.
王军The Next Stop for Non-Alcoholic Beverages: The 'Emotional Value' Track
The global beverage industry is witnessing a significant trend shift: the non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverage market is experiencing an unprecedented wave of growth. Industry data shows that this category has entered a so-called 'transformative growth period,' with its development speed clearly surpassing traditional alcoholic beverages. Behind this phenomenon lies not only the enhancement of people's health awareness but also a re-recognition and expectation of the 'functional' value of beverages. Today's consumers are no longer satisfied with simple alcohol substitutes; they hope to obtain new beverages that can precisely replicate or even optimize the functions of alcoholic drinks in relaxation, social facilitation, and mood enhancement.
Rachel Arthur“I'm an old hand born in the 1980s, still struggling in the FMCG sea of bitterness”
Lao Wang is truly a veteran in the FMCG industry, having joined right after graduation and now with 16 years of experience. "Lao Wang, your performance is lagging. What's going on? Can you still do this?" Just exiled to a remote market, Lao Wang was publicly questioned by his leader at the monthly meeting for poor performance. "I don't want your excuses; I want results. If you don't catch up next month, you can leave on your own," the leader said impatiently. This is a common tactic in the FMCG industry to force old employees to resign voluntarily: assigning them to remote markets, markets without customers, or markets where predecessors left big problems...
金名Major Release: "China FMCG Production-Supply-Marketing Transformation White Paper (Industry Insights 2025)"
I'm Qi Te from New Distribution. Every year, New Distribution publishes a white paper on retail industry changes. In 2023, it was the Snack Hard Discount White Paper, covering the snack bulk retail industry, which began rapid growth that year. In 2024, it was the China Hard Discount Development Report, as full-category hard discount stores expanded rapidly. For 2025, industry cycles have shifted again, leading to the concept of integrated production-supply-marketing, as retailers, brands, and distributors can no longer view the market from their own single perspectives.
戚特Major Release | 2025 China FMCG Distributor Business Status Survey Report
From August 19-21, 2025, the 7th China FMCG Conference, the 5th China FMCG Retail Innovation Conference, and the 5th China FMCG Distributor Conference grandly opened in Shanghai! At the distributor conference held on August 21, Yuan Lai, Chief Content Officer of New Distribution, and Li Wenjun, Partner of New Distribution Research and Consulting, released the "2025 China FMCG Distributor Business Status Survey Report" (hereinafter referred to as the Report). Currently, the FMCG industry is facing multiple challenges such as the rise of new channels, offline retail transformation, intensified market competition, and changes in consumer demand...
袁来How Bottle Planet Built a Second Growth Curve in Low-Alcohol Drinks
Bottle Planet moved beyond a single baijiu brand through low-consumption survival, systematic improvement, focused occasion innovation, customer co-creation, and an organization designed to keep starting new businesses.
New DistributionNew Distribution Ren Wenqing: The Fall of the 'Selling Field' and the Rise of the 'Buying Field'
At the 5th China FMCG Retail Innovation Conference held in Shanghai on August 20, 2025, Ren Wenqing, CEO of New Distribution, delivered a keynote speech titled 'From Price War to Matching War: Understanding the Logic of Production-Supply-Marketing Transformation Behind Retail Noise.' His core viewpoints: 1. The 'selling field' is falling, and the 'buying field' is rising. 2. Price competition has reached its limit; the next focus is matching. 3. Brands should adjust not product specifications but their industrial role positioning and organizational logic. This article is a core summary of the speech.
任文青AndyNew Demand and New Supply in the Next Stage of FMCG
FMCG growth is shifting from distribution coverage toward consumer occasions, data-driven retail collaboration, instant fulfillment, AI-enabled operations, and supply chains capable of serving both domestic and international markets.
New DistributionThe Changing Landscape of the Sugar-Free Tea Market: From 'Conceptual Competition' to 'Taste Breakthrough'
In recent years, sugar-free tea has surged in China's beverage market, with sales growing 110% in 2023 and 60% in the first 11 months of 2024. As the category enters a 'de-bubbling' phase in 2025, competition shifts from concept to repeat purchase. Kangshifu's strategy focuses on taste and experience, using 'light traffic' marketing and high-quality ingredients to build a stable repurchase logic.
田静3 Days to Connect with Precision Resources + Learn Top Brand Methodologies! Industry Shakeout, Break Through Now!
The 2025 [New Demand · New Supply] 7th China FMCG Conference, 5th China FMCG Retail Innovation Conference, and 5th China FMCG Distributor Conference are 4 days away. Scheduled for August 19-21, 2025 in Shanghai, China, the event features 100+ expert speakers, 1000+ precise channel connections, 2500+ attendees, and the launch of 2 major industry reports plus a deep-dive distributor growth case collection.
New DistributionCountdown: 7 Days! Unilever, Snow, Vanguard, Uni-President, Mengniu, Hengan, Lee Kum Kee, Genki Forest, Samyang, Bottle Planet and More Gather in Shanghai for a Grand Event!
The 2025 7th China FMCG Conference, 5th China FMCG Retail Innovation Conference, and 5th China FMCG Distributor Conference, themed 'New Demand, New Supply', will be held in Shanghai from August 19-21, 2025. With over 100 industry leaders sharing insights, the event features main forums, parallel sessions, and exclusive SVIP meetings, alongside the release of exclusive industry reports.
New DistributionBreaking Through in the Light Wellness Track: Panpan Beverages and Yonghui Superstores Collaborate for Success
Young consumers are embracing traditional Chinese wellness drinks, a market that grew over 350% in 2023. Panpan Beverages, through its sub-brand Shennong Henmang, has partnered with Yonghui Superstores to launch customized products like Coix Seed Seven-White Water and Jasmine Five-Flower Tea, leveraging supply chain synergy and data-driven selection to stand out in the competitive 'light wellness' category.
杨玉琳