Claimed 0 trans fats but detected 0.67g; salmon with coliform levels exceeding limits by 5.1 times: Wojixian landed on the black list twice in two months, sounding a warning for its private label.
However, in the past two months, it has appeared twice on the State Administration for Market Regulation's list of non-compliant products.This wasn't a random mishap; it's a wake-up call for all supermarkets aggressively building their own brands: the true endpoint of private labels isn't marketing—it's quality control.
Packaging is labeled as 0g, but the national standard "0" threshold is 0.3.
Maximum detection of 510CFU/g (reported in 8)
Holds GFSI certification (which sets its own entry requirements)
Two Months, Two Incidents: What Really Happened
Notably, the background of the contract manufacturer: Yushunshun Food was established in 2021, with registered capital of 4800 ten thousand yuan. Its affiliate, Quansheng Food, was founded in 2004 and reported sales of 12.5 billion yuan in 2025. It is a mature festive food enterprise specializing in mooncakes, zongzi, and New Year gift sets.In other words, this isn't a failure by a small workshop. It's an issue where a top-tier contract manufacturer, operating within the strictest private-label system in supermarkets, still had labels that didn't match actual test results.
2. A More Stark Contrast: The System Appears "Flawless"
If we only look at Walmart's self-disclosed quality control system, it's hard to believe that incidents would keep occurring:
At the source, Walmart and Sam's Club enforce rigorous supplier audits across both formats.Over 95% of our private label brands and direct-import food factories hold GFSI certification.(As of the end of 2025, only over 1.4 thousand certificates had been issued in China's market), and this is merely the "basic entry threshold"; suppliers must also pass six additional hurdles: national qualifications, business screening, due diligence, social responsibility compliance, and dozens of on-site audits.
At the process end, products undergo multi-layered testing for sensory quality, microbiology, heavy metals, and pollutants before their initial delivery to stores, followed by random spot checks after listing. Fresh food distribution centers include rapid testing labs. Third-party auditors conduct unannounced assessments at nearly 500 evaluation points across all stores and distribution hubs nationwide each month, with pass/fail results directly impacting store performance scores. Private-label foods also undergo third-party laboratory testing both before and after market launch.
3. Where the Problem Lies: Three Inherent Risks of Private Labels
Don't use Walmart as a mirror to mock them. All supermarkets aggressively launching private labels—Hema, Aldi, Yonghui, RT-Mart—are fundamentally using the same "set standards + source from OEMs + apply your own brand" model. This model carries three unavoidable risks:
"0 Trans Fat", "0 Added", "HPP Fresh-Lock", and "Core Production Zone" are strong selling points. However, once a health claim is printed on packaging, it becomes a legally binding commitment under national standards. A single batch of raw materials or process fluctuation at the contract manufacturer can turn that claim into false labeling. This isn't a taste issue—it's a compliance issue.
Retailers don't manufacture products themselves; they rely on setting factory standards and continuous oversight. Entry audits verify "admission eligibility," but issues like microbial contamination or label inconsistencies typically stem from production instability and batch variability, requiring frequent, truly random spot checks upon delivery.
Mooncakes are a seasonal category with high SKU variety and parallel OEM production; salmon, baked goods, and ready-to-eat foods are short-shelf-life, cold-chain-dependent, and high-risk for contamination. Waoji's two food safety incidents—once involving short-shelf-life fresh produce and once during the mooncake season—both occurred in categories with the highest food safety risks.
With white-label products, consumers blame the brand; with private-label products, they blame the retailer itself. Private label turns years of store trust into a bet on every batch—a single recall damages the credibility of the entire channel.
IV. For Retailers Building Private Labels: Six Quality Control Reinforcement Checklists
As private labels scale, quality control must remain a top priority:
Private label is the most certain battle for supermarkets in the coming years. But its moat, on the surface, lies in supply chain and value for money.The foundation is actually food safety.
Walmart's system is undeniably rigorous: 95% GFSI certification, six layers of checks, and nearly 500 audit points—yet it was exposed by two alerts within just two months. This proves that quality control doesn't end with "establishing a set of rules." It requires relentless scrutiny of every batch, every factory, and every promise printed on packaging.
For consumers, a supermarket's own brand means higher trust; for the retailer, this trust...It takes years to build, but one box of mooncakes labeled "0g" yet testing at 0.67g can destroy it all.