3 6 Ke·2025-07-10 02:10Core Insights - Major internet companies are rapidly entering new business areas, particularly in the community discount supermarket sector, with Meituan's "Happy Monkey" supermarket set to open soon, despite the company denying the reports [1][4] - The community discount supermarket model, exemplified by Hema NB, is gaining traction, with Hema NB's store count reaching 303 in just two years, indicating a successful expansion strategy [5][7] Community Store Acceleration - The community store model has become a hot investment area in the retail market, with companies like Walmart and JD also exploring similar formats [4] - Despite the buzz, the expansion of community discount stores has been slow historically, with examples like Aoleqi taking four years to grow its store count significantly [4][5] Hema NB's Rapid Growth - Hema NB has successfully expanded through a "1+N" model, focusing on densely populated areas and offering self-pickup points for online orders, which has contributed to its rapid growth [5][7] - Hema NB aims to achieve a profitable model with a target of 150,000 RMB in monthly sales and a 15% gross margin, which, if successful, will lead to nationwide expansion [5][7] Discount Store Model Evolution - The community discount store model is characterized by hard discount strategies, which have become increasingly popular among consumers in China [8][9] - The global discount retail market shows that China has significant room for growth, with only 3.8% of retail sales currently coming from discount retail [8] Supply Chain and Pricing Strategy - Hema NB's pricing strategy includes significant discounts on everyday items, leveraging a streamlined supply chain and a focus on self-branded products to maintain low prices [18][19] - The model emphasizes the importance of supply chain efficiency, allowing for competitive pricing and improved inventory turnover [18][19] Challenges and Market Dynamics - The community supermarket sector is becoming increasingly competitive, with new entrants and established players like Lianhua and Aoleqi intensifying the price competition [21][22] - The franchise model adopted by Hema NB, while enabling rapid expansion, poses risks as profitability heavily relies on consistent sales performance at individual stores [21][22]