This week, major developments reshaped the retail landscape: Sam's Club completed its expansion in Northeast China; ALDI opened four stores across four cities simultaneously; Hema expanded its NB franchise network beyond Hema; and a draft national standard for pre-prepared dishes was approved. The industry is rapidly redefining its structure.
1. This Week's Headline
1. Sam's Club Opens in Harbin: First Store in Northernmost China Begins Construction, Achieving Full Coverage Across Four Northeast Cities
On 10 15, Sam's Club in Harbin New District officially broke ground. This marks the northernmost store since Sam's Club entered China 30 years ago. The project spans 4.17 million square meters of land with a total floor area of 6.54 million square meters, featuring two levels of member shopping space and over 1,000 parking spots. It is expected to open for business in 2028.
Two days ago on 10/13, the Changshan Sam's Club store was officially confirmed. Combined with the already open Dalian Xigang and Shenyang Heping stores, as well as the under-construction Shenyang Huanggu store, Sam's Club now covers all four major sub-provincial cities in Northeast China: Dalian, Shenyang, Changchun, and Harbin.
2. ALDI opens four stores in four cities simultaneously, debuts in Taizhou, and approaches 130 locations nationwide.
On 10/24, ALDI opened stores simultaneously in Taizhou, Wuxi, Nanjing, and Suzhou. Taizhou marks its first entry into Jiangsu Province, becoming the 8th city in the province to host an ALDI store. As of that day, ALDI operated over 127 stores across China, including 76 in Shanghai and 51 in Jiangsu.
Private label share reaches 90%. Membership fees, small-pack low prices, and 7-day no-reason returns. On 11/7, we'll open 3 more stores; within two weeks, Jiangsu adds 7 new locations.
3. Draft national standard for prepared foods approved: dishes from central kitchens no longer classified as pre-made meals
The draft of the "National Food Safety Standard for Pre-prepared Dishes" has been reviewed and will soon be open for public comment. The most significant change is:Dishes prepared in central kitchens are not considered pre-made meals.Additionally, no preservatives are allowed. The shelf life must not exceed 12 months.
II. Leading Company Updates
Sam's Club / Walmart China
- Harbin construction starts: First store in Heilongjiang breaks ground; now fully covering four Northeast cities
- Foshan Chancheng Grand OpeningOpened on 10/23, the 71th store in operation nationwide
- Addressing Quality ConcernsOfficial response to "quality plummeted" claims: zero tolerance
- US Joint Membership: Walmart+ and Sam's Club Plus Joint Membership Annual Fee is $120 (US only)
- Open 10 stores this yearTied a new all-time high; signed new projects in more than 10 cities, including Nanjing Yanjizi and Shantou.
Hema / Super Hema Calculation NB
- Expand Franchise NetworkNew: 7 cities added to franchise program; Yangtze River Delta expanded to 11 cities with over 550 stores.
- Franchise RequirementsStandard store of 600㎡ requires an initial investment starting from ¥265 million; franchisees do not interfere with operations.
- Supply Chain Red Lines: All franchise cities are within a 300-kilometer radius of the central warehouse.
- Hema Fresh: 2026 fiscal year GMV exceeded 1070 billion RMB, with profitability for the second consecutive year.
ALDI China
- Grand opening in four cities with four storesGrand opening in Taizhou, Wuxi, Nanjing, and Suzhou on 10/24
- All Stores Nationwide: Over 127 total, with 76 in Shanghai and 51 in Jiangsu
- Private Label System: 14 own-brand series, self-brand share 90%
Yonghui Superstores
- Hot Pot Season is here: 10 23, Chengdu launch — 7 key scenarios + 3 production bases
- Supply Chain Expertise: Xiangjia Breeding Base, Xilin Grassland Sheep Base, Xinjiang Organic Ranch
- Custom Eggs: Co-developed direct farming bases with CP Group, "only 12 days" ultra-short shelf life
Oriental Selection
- Hefei First Store Grand OpeningOpens on 10/23
- Beijing Community Supermarket: Plan to open a 2000 sqm community supermarket
- Paid Membership: 35.3K users, annual fee of 199 yuan
Other Corporate News
- China Resources VanguardXi'an: Three stores closed; resources reallocated to upgraded renovation locations.
- JD Discount SupermarketHengshui and Tangshan in Hebei secure two more appointments
- HotMaxx: Surpassing 1000 stores, OK Fresh Concept Store Opens
- AEON GroupJapan plans to close 100 supermarkets; China shifts strategy: "closing big stores, opening small ones"
- Zhongbai Lawson: Launch meat and vegetable sales, positioning as a "micro market."
- Hongqi ChainQ3 revenue reached 69 billion yuan, with cloud-managed smart stores exceeding 1000.
3. Industry Trends and Insights
🔹 Membership store expansion accelerates northward; Northeast China becomes a key battleground
Sam's systematic expansion in Northeast China marks a pivotal leap for the membership warehouse model, achieving nationwide coverage. In fiscal year 2026, Sam's China achieved total omnichannel sales exceeding 1400 billion RMB, with paid memberships surpassing 1070 million. Meanwhile, Costco operates only 7 stores in China, Fudi suspended upgrades at its Beijing flagship, and RT-Mart's M Membership Store eliminated membership fees—Differentiation in the membership sector is intensifying.
Hard-discount franchise boom: supply chain density is the moat
Hard discount players' NB franchise redlines at 300 km, HotMaxx expanding from standard goods to fresh produce, and ALDI's private label share at 90% — competition in the hard discount sector has shifted from "who can open stores" to "who has the denser supply chain." China's hard discount market penetration is only 8% (Germany: 42%, Japan: 31%).Huge growth potential.
🔹 Supermarkets shift from selling ingredients to selling solutions
The Yonghui Hot Pot Season reflects a fundamental shift in the underlying logic of scenario-based retail operations. Hema emphasizes dine-in plus instant delivery, Sam's Club pursues a high-end imported goods strategy, Guoquan focuses on standardized pre-prepared ingredients for communities, while Yonghui chooses to root itself upstream at production sources. Different paths, same destination:The era of low-price competition through simple bulk listing is over.
IV. Policy and Supply Chain
📋 National Standard for Pre-made Dishes: Draft approved. Dishes from central kitchens are no longer classified as pre-prepared foods; preservatives are prohibited, and the maximum shelf life is 12 months.
🔗 Supply Chain Dynamics
- Yonghui × CPB co-builds a dedicated egg farming base with "only 12 days" ultra-short shelf-life management
- Samyang Foods' Jiaxing factory is set to begin operations by year-end, with a total investment of 10 billion yuan and an annual production capacity of 11.3 billion instant noodle servings.
- Hongqi Chain Zigong Logistics Distribution Center Begins Operations, Serving Southern Sichuan Region
V. This Week's New Arrivals
Wangjiadu High-Protein Beef Chinese Sausage
Sam's Club Channel | 406g/pack ¥99.9
100% pure beef ≥86%, protein ≥20g/100g, Sichuan-style spicy dual-mushroom fermented
Wojixian High-Calcium Star Extract Crunch
Walmart Channel | 70g/pack ¥9.99
Star-shaped, kale + apple powder. Contains 350mg calcium per 100g.
Youxiang High-Calcium Seaweed Tablets
Dingdong Maicai | 132g/can ¥13.9
8 types of ocean vegetables, kelp paste ≥ 45%, low sugar and high calcium
Chacha Konjac Fish Slice
ChatCha Konjac Princess | 100g/pack ¥19.9
× Tai Er Collab, Golden Soup Pickled Cabbage Flavor, Simulated Fish Texture
Hema Guizhou-Style Ice Shave Cup Popsicle
Hema Private Label | 60g × 6 cups/box ¥24.9
Recreates the authentic Guizhou bingjiang flavor: Mango & Peanut dual flavors, featuring chewy mochi balls.