Ever wonder how  #Aldi  went from a simple discount store to a global retail powerhouse? Meet  Marc Houppermans, Drs , co-founder and Executive Partner at  DRC Discount Retail Consulting GmbH , and a driving force behind one of the world’s biggest discount giants — ALDI Nord Group  ( ALDI Nederland   ALDI SÜD ). For over a decade, as the Managing Director and Board Member, Marc led the transformation of Aldi’s operations in the Netherlands and German, launching game-changing strategies that expanded market share, revamped stores, and redefined what discount shopping looks like today. At Leaders of Trade Croatia 2024, Marc is set to pull back the curtain on what’s shaping the future of discount retail. 🚨 Trends and Predictions for  #DiscountRetailing What’s next for this fast-growing segment? Marc will dive into how private label, agile supply chains, and innovative business models are fueling the global rise of discounters. From Europe to Asia, discount retail is evolving faster than ever—and Marc has the insights to keep you ahead of the curve. With 25 years of experience across sectors and continents, Marc knows how to turn strategy into action, and how retailers can win in a world where value is king. 📅 Leaders of Trade Croatia 2024 takes place on 19th November at The Westin, Zagreb. Want to stay ahead in discount retail? Secure your spot now:  leadersoftrade.com #smartdiscount #zagreb #croatia #leadersoftrade #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting #retailconsulting #google #LoT   #RetailRevolution   #Aldi #RetailTrends   #LeadersOfTrade

Market growth driven by spend rather than inflation With GDP growth ahead of inflation, the economic growth in China has been, and is forecast to be, driven by real increase in output rather than rising prices. The market is expected to see a CAGR of 5.8% from 2020 to 2022, ahead of South Korea and Japan, but slower than India, Vietnam and the Philippines. Most of the country has been virus free since April 2020. The growth of China’s grocery market is forecast to remain robust in the next two years but slightly lower than historical levels. Online will see the biggest market share increase of all channels It is the fastest growing channel. We predict it to grow at a CAGR of 22.3%. Its value will almost double, up by 49.7% between 2020-2022. This channel will see the biggest market share increase of all channels. Alibaba and JD.com are leading the development of unlocking growth potential in underserved cities. Market share will increase from 6.9% in 2020 to 9.2% in 2022. Traditional trade plays a key role With 45% of the total population living in rural areas, nearly half (48% in 2020) of grocery sales in China currently go through traditional trade, such as wet markets, fishmongers and butchers. Traditional trade will continue to be critical for providing food security in rural areas and many smaller cities. As the market continues to mature, we expect traditional trade to lose share slowly to modern trade over time. Hypermarkets to lose market share Hypermarkets will continue to face challenges from online and smaller store discount formats, with market share declining from 20.0% to 18.2% by 2022. Supermarkets, discounters and convenience will strengthen positions in the market Supermarkets will strengthen its position in the market, with the channel reaching a market share of 17.5% in two years’ time. Convenience is also expected to see market share increase, up from 7.8% in 2020 to 8.8% in 2022. See here more more: https://retailanalysis.igd.com/markets/asia/news-article/t/china-grocery-market-to-reach-us162-tn-by-2022/i/27718

The recent visit of a second group of 17 prominent Chinese retailers and FMCG manufacturers to the Netherlands and Germany provided a valuable opportunity to deepen their understanding of the discounter model and value chain, which has not fully penetrated China's grocery sector. This visit followed the first group's trip in May this year. See: China: Chinese retailers exploring German discount retail ( discountretailconsulting.com ) During the visit, the delegation toured discount OEM manufacturers in the Netherlands and Germany, such as Bavaria beer (OEM producer of Schultenbrau and Kordaat beer) and Maxim Cosmetics (OEM producer of Lacura and Cien), illustrating the contrast between FMCG companies experienced in brand and private label production and those focusing solely on private label OEM production. The itinerary included visits to discounter stores, grocery, and drug stores in Amsterdam, Cologne, and Düsseldorf. ILPL and DRC organized a workshop for the top-tier Chinese grocery retailers and FMCG manufacturers, with over 250,000 employees, showcasing the insights and evolution of the discount retail model in Germany, its birthplace. The workshop covered the startup, business model and growth strategies of discounters, emphasizing the crucial role of private label development in the discounter business. The visit continued with an in-depth exploration of a leading European discounter's warehouse and retail stores, offering the Chinese delegation a comprehensive view of the discounter's operational supply chain model and ongoing innovations. The visit concluded with a Q&A session with the former chairman of Aldi and Trader Joe's. Conclusion The participants' enthusiasm indicates that the discounter concept holds significant potential for future adoption in the Chinese grocery market, which is relatively underdeveloped compared to the established discounter presence in Europe. #smartdiscount #china #germany #netherlands #retailers #top #drc #aldi #lidl #norma #netto #penny #ilpl #wanchen #ottno #biyoute #meiyija #ouweishi #nanjingzhongdao #jinhao #linkshop #wuije #suzhouzhuopei #herun #anhuiaiyingshuo #tianhong #hoahan #hunanjiahui #tianjinheima #chongqing #chaoliantrading #jiahuijiulian #wumart #bailiangroup #百联集团 #物美 #hema #chengdu #lifung # 利豐公司   #fengzhicaitrading #chongqingnanchuan #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting #retailconsulting #google

Discount Retail Online Retailer JD.com topped quarterly revenue estimates on Thursday, as the e-commerce giant benefited from steady consumer spending thanks to government subsidies and lower prices. JD.com saw growth in both user base and customer shopping frequency in the July-September quarter, CEO Sandy Xu told analysts on a results call, adding annual active customers hit 700 million in October. As China’s top home appliances retailer, JD.com has benefited from government-backed trade-in policies that began in September last year. However, this has created a high baseline for future growth, which will put pressure on JD.com ’s growth rate in what Xu said was an “industry-wide challenge”. “The electronics and home appliances category has been faced with a high base since the second-half of Q3, which has been weighing on its growth momentum,” said Xu. “We are working closely with brands and manufacturers to navigate through it,” she said. Discounts fuel singles’ day sales Chinese retailers are using heavy discounts and price cuts to lure shoppers who are keeping a tight leash on their spending due to worries over job and income security. Over the Singles’ Day shopping festival, which ended on Tuesday after about a month, JD.com said it had set a new record for sales, without disclosing details. Data from Beijing-based tech and commerce consulting firm Analysys showed that during the shopping event, JD.com saw sales rise 8.3 per cent, while Alibaba’s platforms and Pinduoduo saw growth of 9.3 per cent and 11.7 per cent, respectively. Investments in new business segments are showing signs of paying off, JD.com said. It reported steady growth in order volume in its food delivery unit, where it competes with market leaders Meituan and Alibaba’s Ele.me , which was rebranded earlier this month to Taobao Shangou. However, Morgan Stanley downgraded JD.com to “underweight” from “equal-weight” over the weekend, saying that “tapering trade-in effects and incessant investment in new businesses are set to significantly slow JD’s revenue growth and structurally erode its margins … in the long term.” M Science analyst Vinci Zhang expected JD will reduce food delivery investments, citing “very aggressive moves” from larger rival Alibaba with which JD.com is not able to compete. “So it’s a smart move to just not invest because they’re not going to win either way,” he said. JD.com reported a 14.9 per cent rise in third-quarter revenue to 299.1 billion yuan ($41.99 billion), beating estimates of $41.341 billion, LSEG-compiled data showed. Adjusted profit of $0.52 per American Depositary Share topped expectations of $0.39 yuan. Read more: Discounts drive demand on JD, with active customers reaching 700 million #smartdiscount #china #growth #expansion #jdcom #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting #retailconsulting #google #online

On Tuesday October 17th DRC will be hosted by Retail Cities at the third annual Discounter workshop. In this year’s workshop, the main theme is “Discounter Boom”. Discounters produced very strong topline sales growth in 2022 and early 2023. This is creating a new set of opportunities and challenges for the discounters themselves. At the same time, it creates challenges for suppliers and service providers around forecasting volumes, allocating resources, remaining in stock, problem-solving at high speed, and getting internal support to drive further growth...... Hear more: Discounter Boom - Marc & William Talk Themes - YouTube The workshop session will last 3 hours. #smartdiscount #retailcities #workshop #discounterboom #discount #discountfoodretail #discounter #foodretail #retail #drc #consultancy #discountretailconsulting #retailconsulting #consulting

On Tuesday October 17th DRC will be hosted by Retail Cities at the third annual Discounter workshop. Retail Cities, led by Ray Gaul, organizes this workshop, designed for suppliers and service providers who have product listings in at least one country with either Aldi or Lidl, or both, and wish to expand and improve continually at an international level. In this year's workshop, the main theme is " Discounter Boom ". The workshop is to answer the most difficult questions from suppliers and at the same time it will provide new perspectives on what is going on what experts from the retail industry predict for the future, what other suppliers are doing with these complicated customers, and new ideas around engaging consumers in the discount environment. Discounters produced very strong topline sales growth in 2022 and during the running year of 2023. This is creating a new set of opportunities and challenges for the discounters themselves. At the same time, it creates challenges for suppliers and service providers around forecasting volumes, allocating resources, remaining in stock, problem-solving at high speed, and getting internal support to drive further growth. The workshop session will last 3 hours. Hear more: Discounter Boom - Marc & William Talk Themes - YouTube #smartdiscount #retailcities #workshop #discounterboom #discount #discountfoodretail #discounter #foodretail #retail #drc #consultancy #discountretailconsulting #retailconsulting #consultin g

Today (22.06.2023), DRC was hosted at the Coca Cola Global Discounters Accelerate workshop. We are happy with the enthusiastic feedback from The Coca-Cola Company . #smartdiscount #cocacola #accelerate #aldi #lidl #bim #biedronka #a101 #penny #dia #netto #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting #retailconsulting #global #accbc

Bravo Supermarkets, a leading supermarket chain in the Dominican Republic, and DRC Discount Retail Consulting recently collaborated to organize an insightful two-day workshop in Santo Domingo, focusing on category management, private label, pricing, and discount retail. The workshop garnered considerable success, receiving positive feedback from Bravo's experienced international procurement team and management. The enthusiastic reception from the attendees highlighted the value they found in the workshop’s content and the expertise provided by the organizers. The Impact of Category Management and Private Label Strategies in Retail The significance of private label and discount retail strategies in the retail industry has been growing exponentially in recent years. These strategies play a pivotal role in shaping the shopping experience for consumers, offering a curated selection tailored to their preferences and demands. Furthermore, it's intriguing to observe how these areas are evolving to meet the dynamic needs of the consumers, from incorporating good price and high quality products to adapting to the shift towards own private label brands. The workshop shed light on these evolving trends and provided valuable insights into staying ahead in the competitive retail landscape. Source: DRC

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Süd and Aldi Nord (both German family owned) are working on a merger. The two discounters thus have a total turnover of 115 billion euros and would turn the entire retail trade upside down. The newsmagazine FOCUS online mentions five advantages for customers through this merger. For many years there have been rumors about a possible "Aldi Germany" colossus. In fact, the reports have not come true so far. The press offices of the two discounter giants always commented that Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd were two independently managed companies that were only "family-related". This is also the case this time. However, the "Manager Magazin" reports that the two companies are to grow together step by step. Apparently, Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd are then to be merged into a holding company. Both sides should have equal participation and be represented on a supervisory board. According to "Manager Magazin", this supervisory board will also include external members. Although both companies deny the speculation, the editors claim to have learned that both companies have already paved the way for tax and legal matters. The basic structures of the holding company are already in place, and the migration is being prepared. Aldi Süd and Aldi Nord have been operating as a holding company since the beginning of the year. From the environment of the two families, it is said that there is even an assessment of the cartel office. Accordingly, the authority would agree to such a merger. The result would be a discounter empire with 11,000 stores on four continents and over 240,000 employees. Currently, Aldi Süd has almost 6,520 stores and Aldi Nord about 5,110 stores. In addition, there are more than 540 stores of the Aldi brand "Trader Joe's" in the USA, which are owned by Aldi Nord. Why are there Aldi Süd and Aldi Nord in Germany? Since 1961, the Aldi empire has been separated. The background to this was a dispute between the two Albrecht brothers, about which there are various theories. The most persistent is that the two merchants could not agree on the sale of cigarettes in the stores. However, when asked, economic experts and historians speculate that the two brothers displayed different leadership styles and that there was always friction on simple issues. Be that as it may. Theo Albrecht took over the northern stores 62 years ago, Karl Albrecht the southern ones. This separation has persisted ever since. What would be the benefits of a merger for consumers? 1. Uniform assortment There are major differences in individual promotional offers in the non-food sector and also in branded products. Private labels have already been aligned since the end of 2020. At that time, Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd had standardized their product range. "By the end of 2020, the majority of private labels in the standard range and in promotional items will be identical," the companies emphasized in a press release at the time . An Aldi Nord manager at the time emphasized that the future uniform packaging and joint marketing measures would lead to cost advantages. 2. Cheaper prices for Aldi customers Aldi Süd and Aldi Nord generally pass on these benefits to customers. So far, this has been very clear in the seasonal development of milk, meat, fruit, vegetables and fish. A uniform assortment could further reduce prices, as Aldi Süd and Aldi Nord would buy significantly more goods from manufacturers, as they would then be available in twice as many stores. This would further fuel competition in the retail sector, which would benefit customers. 3. More organic, more sustainability - nationwide Just recently, Aldi Süd introduced a sustainable private label. With "Nur Nur Natur", the discounter stands out from other retailers and, for example, sells non-homogenised milk for the first time. This type of milk, in which the cream settles on the surface, was previously not available at the discounter. Aldi is thus setting a clear organic focus and at the same time appealing to the classic organic market clientele. At Aldi Nord, however, there is no such thing as the "Nur Nur Natur" brand. The organic mess would be ended by a merger. 4. More innovation and technology The merger of the two companies could lead not only to a stronger market presence, but also to higher investments in research and development. The shared pool of resources could drive new technologies and innovations to provide customers with an even better shopping experience. This could lead to new products, improved shopping processes, and new services such as food delivery or a larger online marketplace. So far, innovations have failed because both companies first have to coordinate. Often, the plans are even put on hold. Aldi Süd, for example, had already introduced digital price tags in many stores. Aldi Nord will first test from 2024, as the "Lebensmittel Zeitung" reported. "We have some catching up to do when it comes to digitization," Felix Rottmann, head of Aldi Nord in Germany, is said to have written to his employees on the intranet. 5. Aldi with customer loyalty program A customer loyalty program could also be more easily implemented through a merger. So far, both discounters have shied away from it, as the costs are significantly higher due to the two-brand principle. A digital app, such as the one Lidl currently operates with its Plus program, can only be implemented with great effort and high costs for Aldi Süd and Aldi Nord due to the different product ranges. Such an app is important so that Aldi can better respond to customer needs per store. Experts believe that a customer loyalty program from Aldi could increase the pressure on Payback, Lidl Plus or Deutschland Card in particular. "The customer loyalty programs of major retailers are in a state of upheaval. For Aldi, the coming year would be the ideal time to start such a program," said an Edeka merchant to FOCUS online. The background to this is that REWE is getting out of Payback, for example, and Edeka is replacing the Deutschland Card with Payback. Read more: Aldi plant wohl eine Mega-Fusion - fünf Chancen entstehen dadurch für Kunden - FOCUS online Source: Manager Magazine, Focus online, Linkedin, RetailDetailPlus

Discount Retail Consulting (DRC) feature, which appears as the 5th column in the Red Sea Economic Magazine (April 2026 edition). The column explores how the discounter Customer Value Proposition (CVP) is being redefined to capture market share within the unique competitive environment of the Middle East. The Evolution of CVP: From Low Price to Localized Value In the competitive Middle Eastern grocery landscape, the discounter CVP moves beyond simple price leadership to a model defined by Regional Industry Adaptation. This transition is anchored in three key areas: Cultural and Product Relevance: Rather than relying solely on global standardized models, the proposition must thoughtfully integrate regional tastes such as dates and spices. It also necessitates a "transitional approach" that balances strong private-label development with trusted national and international brands to establish initial consumer credibility. Operational Agility for Demographic Shifts: The value proposition is increasingly favoured by rapid urbanization and rising female workforce participation. These structural realities demand time-efficient formats that minimize decision fatigue for shoppers. Logistical Standards and Hospitality: While maintaining a "no-frills" core, the Middle Eastern CVP adapts store formats to meet local expectations regarding cleanliness and hospitality. This is further supported by halal-certified assortments and high-rotation logistics that reduce waste and ensure freshness. Read the full column in the Middle East Economic Magazine on page 37-39 #smartdiscount #middleeast #redsea #region #development #expansion #growth #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting #retailconsulting #google #twitter #harddiscount #hd

DRC折扣零售咨询公司合伙人马克·胡珀曼斯（MarcHouppermans，以下简称马克）曾经在全球知名折扣店品牌Aldi任职13年，一度做到Aldi荷兰董事总经理的职位，全面负责Aldi在荷兰的门店扩张、供应链建设与自有品牌开发。近年来，他又以咨询顾问的身份参与了多个中国折扣店项目。 眼下，折扣店在中国已经形成燎原之势：盒马旗下超盒算NB门店数超过了400家；奥乐齐已有100余家门店，并且宣布要今年开出至少50家门店；而快乐猴、京东折扣超市两家互联网平台旗下的折扣店项目也加快开店速度。 在这样的背景下，《第三只眼看零售》专访了这位折扣业态的老兵，请他以“过来人”身份对中国折扣店发展进行复盘。 在马克看来，折扣店是一个漫长的赛道，需要开到500家门店才能实现整体盈利。“奥乐齐在澳大利亚和美国市场都是门店数到了500家以后才开始盈利的，在中国也会是这样一个趋势”，马克表示。 他认为，折扣店代表企业Aldi在欧洲是定位全客层消费的，但在中国，更多的中产阶层到奥乐齐消费，而中低收入群体通常在农贸市场购物。折扣店要得到中国全客层消费者的接纳，预计还需要15年。 对于折扣店在中国发展，马克认为有两大制约因素。一是中国消费者对于生鲜商品新鲜度要求高，使得折扣店必须每天都要进行补货操作，势必导致成本上升。而在国外，一家折扣店一周补货两到三次就可以了。 其次是电商过于发达。在马克看来，电商的底层逻辑与折扣店是类似的，都是在追求极致的效率和性价比。因此一些品类有了电商之后就没有折扣店的市场空间。 他举了一个例子，曾有一家德国美妆零售品牌计划在中国开500家连锁店，但当他们认真研究中国市场之后得出了一个结论，中国电商太发达了，在中国开实体店注定要赔本，于是打消了这个念头。 以下为对话全文，将从几个部分展开： 折扣店在中国的发展 关于奥乐齐 折扣店在国外的发展 折扣店的本质 折扣店在中国的发展 《第三只眼看零售》 ：我刚从欧洲考察回来，了解到欧洲折扣店占到社会消费品零售总额的比例大概是23%，并且这个数字还在增长。请问，折扣店发展到终极，它将占到社会消费品总额比例大概是多少，届时零售业格局会发生什么变化？ 马克 ：我认为25%是一个比较平衡的比重。也就是当一个国家的折扣店渗透率达到25%时，整个零售格局趋于稳定，这时全国性的大型零售商会减少到少数几家，行业整合完成。但对于中国而言，这个数字可能要低一些，因为中国非食品折扣店的份额会被电商所侵占，相较而言，中国食品折扣店占比会更高一些。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：折扣店起源于欧洲，你认为中国折扣店的发展与欧洲有什么不同？ 马克 ：折扣店在中国还在起步阶段。最早有个叫做比宜德的折扣店，一度发展到200家门店，后因为投资方不愿意继续投入而被迫关闭；然后是奥乐齐在上海开店，最初很多商品是从澳大利亚进口而来的，然后慢慢进行本土化转型，从中国本土引进了不少商品，并且力推即时品类“奥家厨房”。不过，与Aldi在国外不同，奥乐齐的消费者还是中产阶级比较多。 从整个市场格局来看，当消费者对折扣店这种模式逐渐认可，会有越来越多的企业进入折扣店赛道。目前中国折扣店最大的玩家是阿里巴巴旗下的超盒算NB，它目前有400多家，比奥乐齐数量要多。当越来越多中国企业意识到，折扣店这个模式能跑通的时候，就会越来越多的玩家入局。 中国市场还有个特点，就是中国版图很大，你去北京、成都就会看到不同的折扣店模型。也就是说，一个折扣店品牌只要抓好一座城市，就够它吃的了。因为中国市场足够大。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：与欧洲相比，中国折扣店发展处于什么样的水平？ 马克 ：中国折扣店发展比想象中要快速，在一些方面已经可以与欧洲看齐了。但不同的是，欧洲的折扣店主要在远郊地区赚钱，而中国折扣店主要集中在城市里面，这使得中国折扣店的租金和人力成本要高于欧洲折扣店。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：在中国开折扣店，有什么特别的挑战吗？ 马克 ：中国消费者对生鲜商品的新鲜度有较高要求，这就使得折扣店不得不每天进行补货，大大提升了门店的运营成本。而在欧洲的话，一家折扣店每周补2-3次货就可以了。 另外，中国折扣店还有一个特点，就是必须把到家业务融入自己的商业模型中。当初奥乐齐进入中国，一个目的是希望将中国的商品供应链引入到国外，还有一个就是研究中国的到家业务，希望将这部分能力嫁接到国外的Aldi门店中。 关于奥乐齐 《第三只眼看零售》 ：让我们谈谈奥乐齐，我在欧洲看到了它的“原型”Aldi，感觉Aldi整体装修简陋，对标中低消费群体，而奥乐齐装修时尚，面向的是中产消费群体，二者还是有明显差异的，你如何看这一现象？ 马克 ：事实上，Aldi在欧洲面向的是全客层消费者，在它的停车场会经常见到玛莎拉蒂或者是保时捷。而奥乐齐中产阶级消费者接受度比较高，这是由于中国的中低端消费者更习惯于到农贸市场买菜。但我相信，随着奥乐齐的扩张，不断教育消费者，它的消费群体就会慢慢延伸至全客层。那个时候，折扣店算是真正被大众消费者所接纳。 Aldi在华业务的一个关键转变是积极地从进口商品转向本地采购的自有品牌产品。通过与一流的中国快速消费品制造商直接合作，Aldi不仅验证了本地供应链的成熟度和能力，还实现了任何硬折扣商所追求的“终极目标”——大幅削减采购和物流成本。这一举措使其从一家小众的“外国特色”商店转型为具有价格竞争力的“本土巨头”。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：这个（教育消费者）过程需要多长时间？ 马克 ：中国市场太大了，我认为这个过程需要15年。也就是说，15年左右时间，折扣连锁才真正被广大消费者所接纳。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：在中国角逐折扣店的各方势力中，你比较看好谁？ 马克 ：我比较看好拥有电商背景的折扣店品牌，因为电商的逻辑和折扣店本质是一样的，都是讲究规模效应，追求极致的效率和性价比。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：你刚刚谈到比宜德超市，我去过它的门店，我感觉它更接近欧洲经典的折扣店模型，但它最终倒闭了，你能不能分析一下这其中的原因？ 马克 ：的确，比宜德更接近Aldi在欧洲的原型，反倒是奥乐齐在中国增加了更多的生鲜品类和创新。比宜德是因为投资方不愿意继续投资而被迫倒闭。我认为这是它的时机不对，发展太早了，没有赶上当前这波折扣店热潮。另外，如此前所说，中国消费者对生鲜商品的重视度很高，而比宜德在这方面做得不够好。这也是它倒闭的一个原因。总而言之，有点可惜。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：目前很多企业都想进军折扣店领域，你能不能大概测算一下，一个折扣店从创立到盈利需要多久的市场培育期？ 马克 ：以Aldi为例，它进军澳大利亚和美国市场的时候，门店数开到500家才实现了整体盈利。我认为奥乐齐在中国也是类似的发展节奏。奥乐齐要在中国开出500家，就意味着它要走出上海开店，这意味着它的租金成本和人力成本会下降，但它的物流成本会上涨。当然，如果它自有品牌发展比较好的话，这个盈利周期会缩短。 整体估算下来，一个成功的折扣店模型，它在400多家门店的时候可以实现大多数门店盈利，当门店数来到了500家，便可以实现整体盈利。 折扣店在国外的发展 《第三只眼看零售》 ：你能否以Aldi为例，谈一谈折扣店的总部成本和供应链成本分别占到销售额的多少比例是比较合理的？ 马克 ：正常预期的话，总部成本占到两个点，供应链成本占到三个点，加起来占到销售额的5%算是合理的。Aldi在德国因为门店密度较大，总部成本能占到大约一个点，而美国和澳大利亚会高一些。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：请你谈谈Aldi的盈利模型吧，它的综合毛利率是多少？利润率能达到多少？ 马克 ：Aldi早期的时候毛利率大约13%，从去年开始它迅速提升到了22%，它的税折旧及摊销前利润率为6%至7%。这是Aldi在德国的数据，因为它在德国有一半的物业是自己持有的。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：你曾经担任Aldi荷兰的董事总经理多年，请谈谈Aldi当年是如何进入荷兰的？它与当地最大的零售商AH超市（AlbertHeijn，欧洲零售巨头AholdDelhaize旗下超市业态）是如何竞争的？ 马克 ：Aldi进入荷兰之后，以比AH超市平均低20%-30%的价格优势迅速占领了市场，从AH超市手中抢夺消费者。尽管AH超市并非折扣业态，但它后来凭借自有品牌以及强大的促销手段从Aldi手中赢回了部分消费者。就在二者激烈竞争的时候，欧洲另一家折扣店巨头Lidl进入了荷兰市场。与Aldi不同，Lidl除了低价策略之外，主打更新鲜的商品和更丰富的SKU，也迅速获得当地消费者的认可。 Aldi遭遇荷兰本土AH超市和后来者Lidl的两头夹击，它开始反思自己的经营策略：一味强调价格优势而忽略了消费者在发生变化，他们开始注重新鲜和商品的丰富性。但Aldi固执于原来的低价策略，使其慢慢失去了一些消费者。所以奥乐齐在中国市场注重生鲜和本地化，也应该是吸取了在荷兰市场的教训。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：业内流传这样一个说法，Aldi是没有账期的，并且不向供应商收取任何通道费用，我想求证一下，真实情况是这个样子吗？ 马克 ：在德国，Aldi对供应商有大约30天的账期，不管你是可口可乐或者是其他什么品牌，一概如此。当然，一些保质期短的新鲜商品，Aldi的账期会短一些。关于通道费用，Aldi的大部分商品是没有通道费用的。 折扣店的本质 《第三只眼看零售》 ：对于折扣店，中国零售业界有这么一个争议：一方观点认为，折扣店是一种具体的业态，比如Aldi或者Lidl都属于这类业态；而另一方的观点认为，折扣店是一种经营策略，任何零售商都可以通过降本增效，优化供应链来达到折扣化的效果。对于上述两种观点，你认同哪一方？ 马克 ：将折扣店视为一种降价的经营策略是对折扣店认知不透彻的表现。折扣店是一种心态，那就是无时无刻不在寻找降低价格，提升运营效率，减少现场管理人员的操作方法。坦率而言，一些没有任何零售经验的“素人”比从连锁超市里面出来的行业人士更适合经营折扣店，因为他们没有以往那些条条框框的束缚，而能专注提升效率本身。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：你所经历的折扣店项目中，有没有一些失败的案例，我们能从中吸取哪些教训？ 马克 ：有三条经验需要重视。第一条是，折扣店是一个漫长的赛道，不可能一下子就赚钱。很多习惯开综合超市的企业老板投身折扣店，他们根据以往的预期，幻想开设十几家或者几十家门店就想着去赚钱，这是不可能的。 第二条经验是，服务对折扣店来说不是必要的。一些综合超市的经营者进入折扣店赛道，总是希望在门店增加一些服务和设施，这些是多余的，要知道服务就是成本。 第三条经验是，谨慎增加商品数。一些经营者总是希望在门店陈列更多的商品，以增加销售机会。但更多的商品意味着更多的资金占用和周转天数。总之，折扣店对供应商资源和供应链管理有很高的要求。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：谈到供应商管理，一个折扣店品牌刚刚创立的时候，它的采购量并不大，也没有供应商资源。这个时候如何去从供应商这里获取较低的价格优势？ 马克 ：这就是先有鸡还是先有蛋的问题。当你刚刚进入市场的时候，因为你的采购量有限，一些头部的供应商是不愿意给你更优惠的价格政策的，这个时候你可以寻找不那么头部的品牌去合作，这就相当于变相的自有品牌。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：目前有很多中国零食连锁店，比如零食有鸣、赵一鸣等纷纷转型折扣店，你如何看待这一现象，它们可以成功吗？ 马克 ：多数零食连锁店都是以加盟形式扩张的，而加盟商的核心诉求是能否提升他们的利润。零食连锁店要扩充品类做折扣店，如果新的店型（模型）不能给加盟商带来更多利润的话，这将是一个较大的风险。 《第三只眼看零售》 ：你不断提到，中国消费者对生鲜商品的热衷导致折扣店引入生鲜品类会增加成本。这是不是意味着，生鲜折扣店模式是跑不通的，或者说引入了生鲜的折扣店就不算真正意义上折扣店？ 马克 ：这话对也不对。生鲜经营的确会增加门店运营成本，但如果你的生鲜商品拥有一手货源，你还是有利润空间的。另外，你的生鲜商品经营好了，也会成为企业的核心竞争力。（本文作者之一马庆丰为上海恒秦商业管理有限公司总经理） Read more: 今日头条： https://www.toutiao.com/item/7626565709850329646/ 雪球财经专栏： https://xueqiu.com/8894528164/382925716 知乎专栏： https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/2025512907069224034 新浪微博长文： https://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309405285734360940618 #smartdiscount #china #interview #weibo #supermarketweekly #xuegiu #toutiao #media #aldi #growth #expansion #drc #discount #retail #consulting #discountretail #discountretailconsulting #retailconsulting #google #gemini #grok #twitter #harddiscount #hd #profit #revenue #stores