1. Metro's 30 Years in China: B2B2C Strategy Takes Root as Suppliers Shift from "Vendors" to "Partners"

On 10 26, Metro unveiled its new brand proposition, "Quality Ingredients, Expertly Selected," alongside a B2B2C business flywheel strategy. On 10 29, the 30th anniversary partner summit was held, attended by over 300 suppliers and a total of 700 participants.

Metro China's Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Zhou Yang, stated, "It's not a pivot—it's an extension." The same customers are restaurant owners and cafeteria managers by day, and parents buying groceries for their children by night. Metro aims to serve this single customer base with the same product assortment and service standards. The execution is concrete: complete renovations of 20 stores within 2027 years, with a focus on upgrading fresh produce, ready-to-eat meals, and bakery items; expand the national network of fulfillment centers to over 100 locations by year 2027; and deploy the Taicang Smart Logistics Center in year 2028. Under the "1 flagship stores + N fulfillment centers" model, fulfillment centers will offer nearly 2000 SKUs, covering a radius of 3–5 km with delivery as fast as 30 minutes. For private labels, "Mai Zhen Xuan" serves quality-focused households, while "Yike" caters to corporate clients.

The meeting also defined five key directions for "the right products": ready-to-eat options, pre-cut vegetables and semi-finished prepared meals, reduced thawing loss and raw material waste, unified quality standards with differentiated packaging for B2B and C2B markets, and co-developed exclusive specifications and bundles.

What does this mean?For suppliers, this week's press conference is the most critical one to read word for word. Metro has embedded "co-developing exclusive specifications, sharing standards, and using a unified quality control system" into its partnership framework. This means entry into Metro's ecosystem has shifted from "can you supply?" to "can you co-develop products together?" Factories capable of providing pre-cut vegetables, prepared ingredients, semi-finished goods, and differentiated specifications now have significantly greater opportunities. Those limited to producing standard OEM items will face further compression in their negotiation power.

2. Yonghui Turns Loss to Profit in First Three Quarters: Cost-Cutting Succeeds, Revenue Generation Remains to Be Tested

On the evening of 10 30, Yonghui Superstores released its Q3 202026 report: revenue for the first nine months totaled 352.42 billion yuan, a year-over-year (YoY) decrease of 16.95%; net profit attributable to the parent company was 1.70 billion yuan, compared to a loss of -7.10 billion yuan in the same period last year, marking a turnaround from loss to profit; adjusted net profit was 580.24 million yuan. Looking specifically at the third quarter alone, revenue dropped 8.29% to 114.5 billion yuan, and the net loss narrowed by over 80% YoY to 8269.06 million yuan.

Breaking down key figures: As of the end of Q3, a total of 338 stores have been renovated, with the store count now at 383, a year-over-year decrease of 67. Gross margin improved by 2.06 percentage points year-over-year, while operating expense ratio decreased by 2.3 percentage points. Sales from our private label portfolio reached 40.89 billion yuan, accounting for 10.94% of total sales (Yonghui Custom: 30.48 billion yuan; Quality Yonghui: 10.14 billion yuan). Online sales totaled 75.53 billion yuan (20.21% of total), with an average of 18.56 thousand self-operated home delivery orders per day. There are 502 products exceeding 10 million yuan in sales, including 19 products exceeding 100 million yuan; over 200 new 10-million-plus products were added in just the third quarter.

What does this mean?The majority of the turnaround stems from "spending less"—a low base established by last year's mass store closures and renovations, combined with reduced one-time losses this year. This doesn't mean stores are fundamentally stronger. With adjusted net profit at only 580 yuan and continued Q3 losses, the single-store profitability model remains unstable. The real value lies in product improvements: private label share surged to 10.94%, and million-unit SKUs expanded by over 200 in a single quarter—marking the first clear evidence of "product power" translating into actual revenue. For suppliers, Yonghui's selection logic has sharpened toward items that drive volume and sustain margins; products failing to qualify for the million-unit SKU list face rapidly diminishing shelf value.

3. JD Discount Supermarket's Tangshan Flagship Store Kicks Off: The Offline Assault of Hard Discounting Begins

On 10 30, JD Discount Supermarket opened its first store in Tangshan at Rongxi Hui in Lunan District. Within just 8 hours of opening, long queues formed, and the store had to limit foot traffic immediately. At only 9.9 yuan for 30 fresh eggs, over 2 million units were sold within 30 minutes. The Honggai Gaofen liquor priced at 42.9 yuan was completely sold out in 20 minutes. Red Gate pork shoulder slices at 3.9 yuan per jin, Fujian Pinghua honey pomelos at 0.59 yuan per jin, and large hairy crabs at 6.9 yuan each were restocked repeatedly. For the first time, JD's private label products were fully launched in Tangshan: Jingxianfang Grade 1 Cold-Pressed Premium Fragrant Peanut Oil (5L) sold for 69.9 yuan and topped the store's bestseller list within one hour of opening.

This isn't just a store. Our first Hengshui location opened on 11/6, connecting nodes across eastern and southeastern Hebei. The store features local adaptations: Xiqian chestnuts, integrated fresh flower and produce displays, a dedicated kids' zone, and dual entrances to reduce backtracking.

What does this mean?JD Discount Supermarket's strategy is clear: large-format stores, extensive categories, direct sourcing from origins, and private labels as price anchors. For regional supermarkets, this is a tougher competitor than Hema or ALDI. It doesn't rely on membership fees or differentiated imported goods; instead, it leverages its supply chain to slash prices on essential daily necessities. Once loss-leaders like eggs, pork, and pomelos are undercut, foot traffic in nearby supermarkets will steadily drain away. Winning business with these channels demands strong direct-sourcing capabilities and extreme cost efficiency—minimizing intermediaries at every step.