The snack industry, a battleground characterized by fierce competition involving aggressive pricing strategies, retail expansion, and intense brand rivalry, finds itself on the brink of significant transformation as we step into 2025. This shift comes as various stakeholders in the sector brace for new dynamics, particularly surrounding private label products, a strategy gained traction among major players and seen as a fundamental way to differentiate their offerings in a sometimes oversaturated market.

One such company leading the charge is Mingming is Busy, which has recently made headlines with its announcement of a dedicated private label initiativeOn February 17, 2025, they held a press conference to unveil their new brand, embarking on a journey towards innovation in product development and market engagementThis represented a significant marker not just for their business but for the entire snack retail sector.

Private labels may not be an entirely new concept; retailers like Sam's Club and PAND are prime examples of how businesses can leverage in-house brands to create product differentiation, strengthen brand loyalty, and optimize profit marginsYet in the context of the snack industry, this approach was relatively uncharted territory until nowUnlike other sectors, the capacity to implement private labels requires a robust supply chain and extensive retail presence, which fewer companies had been willing or able to tackle until now.

Mingming is Busy has established itself as a keen observer of consumer trends and has shown an ability to adapt rapidlyTheir journey started in 2024 with the introduction of large snack packaging and self-branded “Big Snack Stores.” Private labels mark the latest iteration of their innovative ethos.

This business evolution reflects a broader narrative within the retail industry, reminiscent of insights from 7-Eleven founder Toshifumi Suzuki, who articulated that retail is fundamentally about meeting shifting consumer needs

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Originally, the explosive growth of snack retailing was driven by consumer demand for cost-effectivenessHowever, the current trend toward private labels aligns consumers' desires for quality versus price, charting a course towards a more sophisticated stage of industry maturity.

The arrival of private labels is not just a trend but a pivotal turning point for the snack retail sector as we progress further into 2025.

Consumer enthusiasm for private labels has resurged dramatically across social media platforms, with products like PAND's DL Mooncakes, craft beers, and teas, as well as Sam's offerings like Swiss rolls and juices, capturing substantial market attention and even inspiring acts of influencer-led cross-shopping.

This buzz began to swell in 2023, with major international retailers including Costco, Aldi, and Walmart joining the fray alongside domestic contenders such as PAND, Hema, and Dingdong Maicai, which have also rolled out standout private label profiles.

According to discount retail expert Zhang Zhenyu, the uptick in private label products is essentially a byproduct of the mature phase of the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and retail industries, where adaptation becomes imperative to sustain consumer interest and demand.

Global data corroborate this; a report by Circana indicates that private label sales reached a record $271 billion in 2024—a substantial share attributed to the growth in refrigerated foods, snacks, and beverages.

Turning our gaze to China, the report titled "China Private Brand Development Research Report (2024-2025)" highlights a notable rise in the average number of new private label products launched per retailer—from 83 in 2022 to 142 by 2024. This explosive growth reflects a staggering average renewal rate of around 80%. Such data elucidates why the realm of private brands has become a fiercely contested battleground for merchants and supermarkets alike: private label products facilitate differentiation from standardized offerings, bolster brand equity, and contribute to sustainable profitability.

Retail outlets are witnessing a considerable uptick in revenue from private label sales

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For instance, Sam's Club noted that more than 30% of its product sales had shifted towards private labels, accounting for over a third of its revenue, while in November 2024, PAND's chairman indicated that the company's private label SKUs surpassed 100 with a remarkable sales figure of 1.1 billion yuan.

This wind of change, which has swept into the snack retail sector in 2025, stems from Mingming is Busy’s aggressive move to cultivate its private brand portfolio, now boasting over 30 items across various categories set for introduction throughout March and April.

According to the founder Zhao Ding, the rationale behind pursuing private labels is to challenge the industry's predilection for price wars, rooted in the concept of homogeneity within product offeringsAs competition increasingly hinges upon price undercutting, product quality often suffersMingming is Busy is leveraging private labels to usher in an era where value transcends price in significance.

While the private label model is well established as a feasible business strategy, merely launching private brands doesn't guarantee successIt’s critical for new private labels to distinguish themselves meaningfully from established brandsTo that end, Mingming is Busy has devised a strategy comprising three foundational pillars: adopting an approach of low prices paired with high quality, enhancing product quality control to cultivate consumer trust, and rebranding with a new unified identity for their products.

This strategy breaks down into two segments: the Red Label series, priced affordably and embodying an ethos of extreme savings—consumers can purchase a 600ml bottle of no-sugar oolong tea for just 1.9 yuan; and the Gold Label series, which prioritizes quality without compromising accessibility, verified through stringent material selection and testingA 50g pack of Thumb-Sized Jerky, made from high-grade pasture-raised beef from Brazil or Argentina, retails at 9.9 yuan

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The goal is to cement brand consciousness through a cohesive new identity symbolized by the “MM Supermark” brand mark.

While many retailers align their strategies around SKU offerings and pricing under pressure, Mingming is Busy seeks to enhance transparency concerning quality controlTheir initiative includes installing cameras in production facilities, allowing customers to monitor the production via QR codes on packaging—a move aimed at establishing consumer trust through transparency.

Moreover, the emphasis on clear ingredient lists, with initiatives to phase out sodium dehydroacetate, combined with the plan for a “Health Index” tag to classify products based on nutritional content, additives, and processing standards, reflects a commitment to consumer empowerment, allowing informed purchasing decisions.

Increasing transparency is expected to strengthen the bond of trust between the retail channels and consumersAs stated by consumer industry investor Song Yu, "The reason for buying into your private brand—especially in market segments heavily populated by branded goods like milk and beer—stems from consumer trust in your channel." This perceived reliability makes private labels a potentially fruitful enterprise.

Mingming is Busy's foray into private branding wilfully embraces three critical considerations: scale, channels, and supply chains.

Many industry insiders regard the shift towards private branding in the snack retail sector as not only overdue but a natural evolution contingent on deeper operational practicesEnhanced consumer expectations necessitate a refined delivery of value propositions, particularly as retailers transition from purely offering products towards a more nuanced approach involving customer engagement.

Over the last two years, the snack retail sector saw rapid expansion with proactive initiatives such as store openings and dealership acquisition; however, this operations-centric focus gradually gave way to a competitive equilibrium as brands like Mingming is Busy and Wancheng Group announced significant market advancements

The emergence of private labels marks a reflection of this nuanced operational shift.

The meteoric rise of the snack sector corresponds with evolving consumer priorities: a demand for varied brands, instant satisfaction through local availability, and undeniably lower costs stemming from bypassing traditional intermediaries in favor of direct approachesAdding private labels to their arsenal allows retailers to double down on quality, thereby maintaining competitive value in product offerings.

According to Mingming is Busy’s Vice President Wang Ping'an, the impetus behind pursuing private branding lies in the necessity to drive down the inflated prices of products while simultaneously elevating quality—that dual pursuit is integral to fulfilling consumer aspirations for heightened living standards.

During transformative moments in borrowing scopes, the first movers often gain not only scale advantages but also create formidable barriers, thus becoming leading enterprisesIn the context of private labels, organizations must exhibit acute consumer insight, agility in product development, and the capacity for supply chain integration.

Indeed, Mingming is Busy's success in gauging consumer sentiment culminated in the triumphant launch of its spicy snacks during the May 2024 holidays, evidenced by the enormous online reach achieved in a brief timeframeTheir acute understanding of their consumer base permits real-time responses to evolving market behaviors—so, it follows logically that such acuity will be correlated with their private brand offeringsThe latest products introduced under their private label, including sugar-free oolong tea and various ready-to-eat snacks, cater directly to emerging consumer trends—especially appealing to the younger segments.

The potential for outcome-focused brand adaptations in response to market shifts underlies a productive dialogue between the marketplace and its stakeholders, including suppliers

As market actors accelerate the advent of a diverse panoply of offerings, so too should they accommodate an evolving landscape that fundamentally privileges product innovation packaged in a customer-centric fashion.

The significant break within the snack retail sector heralded by Mingming is Busy embodies a complete re-thinking of existing paradigmsThe transformation is as aligned with the recent iteration of turning innovation into operational excellence across broader retail contexts, as it is with substantive product evolution that prioritizes consumer satisfaction.

As the snack industry approaches this critical juncture—termed the 3.0 era by Zhao Ding during the conference—the focus transitions from merely product-driven approaches towards couched offerings steeped in quality assurance at accessible price pointsCombining classic snack offerings with diversified retail experiences augurs a future in which consumer needs dictate market narratives far more than mere pricing strategies.

Reports indicate that the forthcoming 3.0 store types initiated by Mingming is Busy push towards an all-encompassing discount arrangement—while also introducing adept purchasing strategies across product lines that ensure variety and convenience.

This new era doesn’t solely imply increased SKU diversity but rather signifies an evolved purchasing experience that rapidly adapts to real-world consumer scenariosFuture iterations of their stores will likely unveil service innovations, potentially introducing meal bundles catering to breakfast or casual dining—an invitation for convenience and efficiency in a fast-paced consumer environment.

Ultimately, the ambitious restructuring of the snack retail landscape routed through Mingming is Busy’s strategies speaks to a more expansive vision—one that echoes through different strata of consumer lifestyles while simultaneously fostering channels of ongoing innovation

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