NEW DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH TOPIC
How is instant retail changing stores, platforms, and supply chains?
Coverage of flash warehouses, front warehouses, discount stores, supermarket transformation, and local commerce platforms in China.
Related research and analysis
2996 articles · Page 30 of 125
Omnichannel New Retail: The Source of Digital Transformation, The Anchor of New Business Dynamics
From the current market landscape, instant retail is no longer just a sales channel but an integrated business model combining online and offline marketing, sales, supply chain, and data. Deep engagement in instant retail is essentially developing omnichannel retail with instant retail as the anchor. In the industry, there's a joke that the head of instant retail is like a mini-CEO, needing to judge changes in supply chain, market, and sales from an investment perspective, focusing not only on online and offline coverage but also on market analysis based on sales penetration. On March 14-16, at the 9th China FMCG Innovation Conference, Chen Lihao, Executive Vice President of Omnichannel New Retail at Shanghai Heyin Network Technology Co., Ltd., shared insights on this topic.
陈力浩Hou Yi Breaks the 'Cocoon'
Hou Yi, founder of Hema, has stepped down as CEO, marking a milestone in his exploration of China's new retail model. His departure signals a new chapter for both Hema and the industry, as he leaves behind a legacy of innovation and disruption.
尹雅丹POSM Visual Strategy: The Next Competitive Frontier in Snack Foods
At the 9th China FMCG Innovation Conference held in Chengdu from March 14 to 16, themed 'Supply Chain Revolution,' He Luyi, co-founder and CEO of New Can Factory, delivered a keynote on POSM visual strategy as the next competitive battleground for snack foods. Her insights sparked lively discussions among manufacturers and distributors on how to enhance offline sales through effective POSM design.
何璐伊Evolution of China's Hard Discount Business Model: A Sino-Foreign Comparison
Discussions on China's hard discount retail format are increasing, with media coverage and conferences such as the second China FMCG Hard Discount Conference hosted by New Distribution. Overseas, hard discount is a mature and clear retail format, with its share and growth rate still accelerating. This article shares insights from Qi Te, partner at Zhengxuan Capital, on the evolution of China's hard discount model through a comparison with Western practices.
戚特Who Stole Convenience Store Traffic?
Convenience stores are facing a channel crisis as they expand into lower-tier markets, with declining foot traffic due to diversified shopping channels and changing consumer behavior. To cope, they must improve product iteration, increase differentiated SKUs, and develop private brands, while enhancing service quality and promotional strategies.
全食在线Leyuan Health: Dual-Wheel Drive Strategy Amid FMCG Distribution Model Transformation
According to incomplete statistics, private labels account for only about 7% in China, indicating significant growth potential. We believe that in 3-5 years, this will be a rapid growth phase. This year, we have incorporated ODM as a strategic supplement to our overall business direction, complementing and promoting our branded products. Zheng Tongjian, Vice President and General Manager of Marketing Center at Leyuan Health, said this in an interview with New Distribution. ODM involves providing customized product development and production services for large retailers, channel partners, or brand owners.
冯瑶Alibaba to Focus, Hema Has No More Room for 'Trial and Error'
On March 18, Alibaba Group announced in an internal letter that Hema founder and CEO Hou Yi officially retired at age 60 and will serve as Hema's chief honorary advisor. This marks Hou's exit from Hema's decision-making center at the threshold of its tenth year since its founding in 2015.
吴彤Lu Xiuqiong: Navigating Cycles, Accelerating Omnichannel Growth
After a decade of rapid growth, FMCG companies face new challenges as investors tighten funds and once-brilliant brands struggle. At the 9th China FMCG Innovation Conference themed 'Supply Chain Revolution' held in Chengdu from March 14-16, Lu Xiuqiong, Global Expert Partner at Bain & Company, shared insights on 'Navigating Cycles, Accelerating Omnichannel Growth,' sparking lively discussions among attendees.
鲁秀琼Unlike Sam's Club, Costco Deliberately Makes It Hard for You to Find Things? The World's Third-Largest Retailer 'Has a Grip on' 130 Million Members
Sam's Club's 'budget meal deals' have recently gone viral again. Compared to Sam's Club, which has been in the Chinese market for 28 years and frequently sparks discussions on social media, Costco, which only entered mainland China in 2019, seems relatively low-key. Despite its low-key appearance, the company has many impressive achievements. Costco is the world's third-largest retailer, after Walmart and Amazon. In the 2023 Fortune Global 500 list, Costco ranked 26th. In fiscal 2023, Costco reported total revenue of $242.29 billion and net profit of $6.292 billion. As of February 18, 2024, Costco had 130 million cardholders.
FBIFThree Key Factors: Why Waima Wine Delivery Attracts Entrepreneurs
Meituan's Waima Wine Delivery, piloted in June 2021, now covers over 40 cities across six provinces and has opened more than 400 stores nationwide. In 2023, its transaction volume grew 600% year-on-year. Behind this impressive data, New Distribution believes the core question is: why has Waima been able to open so many stores and achieve such rapid growth? The answer may be seen from Waima's partner merchants.
周群Ren Wenqing: Hard Discount is the Surface, the Essence is the Transformation of FMCG Distribution Models
At the 9th China FMCG Innovation Conference held in Chengdu from March 14-16, Ren Wenqing, COO of New Distribution and chief editor of the China Snack Hard Discount White Paper, delivered a keynote speech on March 15 at the 2nd China FMCG Hard Discount Conference, titled 'Through Hard Discount, Looking at the Transformation of FMCG Distribution Models and Its Impact'. He argued that hard discount is not just a retail phenomenon but a systemic change in the FMCG distribution model, driven by macroeconomic and industrial chain changes, and that the industry is transitioning from an old order to a new one.
任文青AndyCounty Town Franchise Owners Are More Intense Than White-Collar Workers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou
In 2023, 1.265 million catering businesses received their 'death certificates,' double the previous year. The intensity of competition in any industry can be quantified at the market's periphery. For example, in Tang County, Baoding, Hebei, there were three franchise stores of a milk tea brand a year ago, but now only one remains. If opening a small shop was once the dream start for many young people returning to their hometowns, it's now necessary to add a special reminder: don't be cannon fodder, and don't underestimate the complexity of county town commerce.
戴菁County Seat Consumption Awakens, Unleashing a Trillion-Yuan Gold Rush
China has over 2,000 county-level administrative divisions, covering 90% of the land area and half the population. Despite their size, county seats have historically had low consumer visibility, but in recent years, returning migrants from Beijing and Shanghai have noticed dramatic changes, with 'small-town affluent women' driving a consumption upgrade. This awakening is creating a trillion-yuan market opportunity, though success requires understanding local conditions and finding niche opportunities.
定焦团队Chicecream: A Vertical Plunge
How long has it been since you last heard from Chicecream? When you do, it's always bad news. Over a mere 800,000 yuan, Chicecream and its founder Lin Sheng were restricted from high consumption, topping hot searches for two days. Since October last year, news of layoffs and unpaid wages has been constant, with the company being sued by suppliers and partners. Is the former 'Hermès of ice cream' really about to fall?
陈碧婷The Life-or-Death Game of Traditional Tobacco and Alcohol Stores
Wang Hua, who runs a tobacco and alcohol store in Qingdao, says business is so bad that he plans to close this year. With daily revenue of only 453 yuan and costs of 300 yuan, he needs to sell about 1,000 yuan more to break even. The industry is suffering from declining profits, increased competition, and changing consumer habits, leading many stores to close or transform.
晴山The Small-Town Supermarket That Has Been Open for Nearly 20 Years
During the Spring Festival, Zhou Xiangdong's family, who run a supermarket in Shatian Township, Ningxiang City, Hunan Province, remained busy as usual. The supermarket, covering about 700 square meters over two floors, has been operating for nearly 20 years, surviving the impact of e-commerce and adapting to changes. Similarly, Tang Shuchun's small supermarket in Gushi County, Henan, has been open for 15 years and has thrived by adjusting its business strategy, leveraging local advantages and personalized services.
听筒TechMeituan Flash Warehouse Takes Root in Local Markets: Should Partners Join?
Last August, Meituan Flash Warehouse partnered with New Distribution to host a study tour in Guangzhou, giving some partners a clear understanding of the flash warehouse business model. Since then, we have received more inquiries from partners about this model. They want to know: how big is the growth potential for Meituan Flash Warehouse? Over the past few years, Meituan Flash Warehouse has grown by leaps and bounds. At the 2024 Meituan Flash Warehouse Ecosystem Conference held in Wuhan in January, data showed that the number of warehouses grew from just over 600 in 2021 to over 6,000 in 2023, with daily orders exceeding 2 million.
周群Traditional Business Formats Decline, New Formats Rise: Physical Retail Accelerates Reshuffling
Traditional supermarkets are declining due to intensified competition and rising costs, while new retail formats like warehouse clubs and hard discount stores are expanding rapidly. The industry is undergoing a significant reshuffle, with price wars and supply chain efficiency becoming key battlegrounds.
杨玉琳Where Will Hard Discounts Break Through in 2024?
After visiting hard discount stores, the author shares insights: the hard discount trend in snack foods has settled, Hema's private brands are successful, and a new wave of comprehensive hard discount stores is emerging. The key for 2024 is finding the next category or model to sustain momentum, likely through white-label hard discounts.
刘春雄Heavyweight Case: Jiming Aikemart, a Regional Supermarket Leader, Completes Hard Discount Transformation
Just before the 2024 Spring Festival, the last store of Jiming Aikemart Supermarket was renamed 'Aitemai', completing the first phase of a nine-month hard discount transformation. As the leading retailer in Jiming, converting over 70 traditional supermarket stores into hard discount stores in one go is the first such case in China that the author has seen. On February 26, 2024, Fang Miao, founder of Aitemai, was jointly interviewed by Lian Jie and Ren Wenqing. Background: Aikemart Supermarket is the leading retail enterprise in Jiming, founded by Fang Miao in 2003. Fang has achieved success in multiple segments of the distribution chain, including time-honored brands, agency, retail, and supply chain, and is highly innovative. In 2019, when community group buying was emerging, Fang led his team to pioneer the community group buying business model for chain stores, causing a huge response nationwide. Lian Jie's 'The Third Retail' included this case. Now, Fang has led his team to complete the first full hard discount transformation in China, which is unexpected but reasonable.
连杰Costco's First Store in South China Opens with a Bang, Intensifying Competition in China's Warehouse Club Industry!
On January 12, Costco's first store in South China opened with great fanfare, attracting over 140,000 new members on the first day, ranking first globally, and achieving the highest daily sales in China. Amid sluggish physical retail, the Shenzhen store's success highlights a shift from consumption downgrading to consumption stratification, with the vast middle class and lower-tier markets becoming key drivers. Warehouse clubs are increasingly targeting the middle class in first-tier cities, intensifying competition among major players like Costco, Sam's Club, and Hema.
汪海Zero Payment Terms, 3,000 Small Stores, Monthly Per-Capita Output of 500,000 RMB per Salesperson: The Second Curve Methodology for a Trading Company!
This article is a first-person account by Mr. Luo Kai, General Manager of Luoyang Hecai Trading Co., Ltd., about building a local B2B supply chain platform. Founded in 2006, the company initially dealt in snacks, condiments, and batteries before focusing on leisure food in 2010. As of now, it distributes over 70 well-known international and domestic brands, including Strong, Lay's, Wrigley, Perfetti Van Melle, Alps, Wuqiong, and Orion, with 4,000+ SKUs, 100+ employees, 10,000+ square meters of warehouse space, and 50+ vehicles. In the past three years, the B2B platform business has grown to nearly 100 million RMB in sales.
罗凯The Hard Discount Supermarket That Can't Get Hard
The boom of snack hard discount in 2023 has broadly educated the market about the hard discount concept, leading many to expect a similar explosion in hard discount supermarkets. However, as a consumer investor who entered the field in 2022, I can confidently say that hard discount supermarkets will not see significant improvement in the next two years. This article delves into the reasons, covering the global prosperity of hard discount supermarkets, the current state in China, the obstacles they face, and their future development.
张振宇After 6 Years in Trade, Annual Sales of 1 Billion, Covering 15,000 Local Small Stores: The Development History of Jiayun Yunship
A distributor achieved annual sales of 1 billion yuan just six years after starting, which is rare in China's FMCG distribution sector. Founded in March 2017, the company broke 1 million in its first month, and by 2023, monthly sales exceeded 90 million, with projected annual sales of 1 billion. Despite the pandemic, the company maintained rapid growth, covering over 15,000 mom-and-pop stores in Xi'an with 6,000+ SKUs.
袁来