Exclusive Interview with Wang Wei of Fresh Legend: 9 Years of 1 Billion Loss Investment, Reshaping Community Fresh Produce New Standards with Quality and Efficiency

In the ever-changing retail industry, Wang Wei, founder of Fresh Legend, has carved out a unique path in the community fresh food sector with his distinctive business philosophy and long-term vision. While many companies focus on rapid expansion and short-term traffic, Wang Wei led Fresh Legend through nine consecutive years of losses, investing 1 billion yuan, refining 200 stores ten times, and ultimately turning a profit in the tenth year. The average daily sales per store increased from 18,000 to 24,000 yuan, gross profit margin rose from 14% to 28%, and prices were reduced by nearly 10%.

Wang Wei believes that Fresh Legend’s ability to stand firm in a competitive market relies on staying true to the consumer’s core needs, avoiding blind trends, and resisting internal competition. This philosophy is reflected in many of Fresh Legend’s operational details. For example, the company invests over 10,000 yuan daily in tastings, offering consumers high-end ingredients and specialty products, with annual tasting expenses reaching 4 million yuan. The cost per customer for tastings is 1.5 yuan. Tastings are not just promotional tools but an experience that allows consumers to enjoy “many firsts” in life and create lasting memories. To ensure quality, Fresh Legend has established a dedicated tasting team funded entirely by headquarters.

In terms of food safety, Fresh Legend spares no effort, investing nearly 10,000 yuan daily in full product inspections, with over 4.2 million yuan allocated in 2025 alone. The company works closely with ingredient bases, implementing strict medication use protocols, and standardizing planting and breeding processes. Over 90% of vegetables are supplied directly from bases using a “minimum purchase guarantee + technical guidance” model, ensuring farmers’ income while guiding proper medication use and meeting pesticide residue standards. Additionally, Fresh Legend developed a unique “discounted” fresh product software system to precisely control inventory nodes and prevent expired products from entering the market at the source.

Technological innovation is key to improving efficiency. Wang Wei states that competition in retail ultimately depends on efficiency, and technological innovation can solve industry pain points. Fresh Legend has invested nearly 1 billion yuan in science and technology, including 100 million yuan in proprietary software development and 200 million yuan in supply chain and distribution centers. In inventory management, the company leverages a robust information system to achieve real-time control, using methods like “finding the greatest common divisor + precise shelf life management” to address the short shelf life and demand fluctuations of fresh products. For example, a block of tofu with an average daily sales of two pieces can have significant demand swings, yet Fresh Legend manages inventory precisely. In processing, the company has invested heavily in high-standard processing centers, hiring American experts to set hygiene standards and procedures, implementing strict zoning to prevent cross-contamination. For live fish, proprietary preservation technology allows fish to rest in ice water below 4°C, remaining fresh and unblackened for a day and a half after slaughter, reducing waste.

Looking ahead, Fresh Legend plans to focus on autonomous vehicle delivery. To address the challenges of managing small store inventories and high delivery costs, the company collaborates with autonomous vehicle firms to develop retail-specific delivery robots. Large stores serve as central warehouses and processing centers, with multiple delivery waves via autonomous vehicles enabling “zero inventory” operations at small stores. Currently, the monthly operating costs of these vehicles have significantly decreased, while maintaining product freshness. To solve the “last mile” delivery challenge, Fresh Legend is optimizing vehicle design and actively communicating with property managers. Test runs have achieved five to six delivery waves per day, working up to 15 hours, with plans to pilot in large stores and potentially cut labor costs by half.

On building private brands, Wang Wei has a unique perspective. He believes many peers misunderstand private brands, either outsourcing manufacturing to big factories with label swapping or engaging in price wars that lead to homogenization. True private brands should feature distinctive qualities, higher standards, and unique scenarios. Fresh Legend’s private brand strategy includes three directions: low-cost series like the “Point 99” line, which matches big factory quality at lower prices to ensure profit; specialty series that highlight geographic indications and intangible cultural heritage products, collaborating with local small and medium enterprises to create “unavailable elsewhere” items; and scenario-based series targeting young consumers, offering single-serve and small-packaged products such as “Solo Drunk,” “Balcony BBQ,” and “Instant Noodles Real.” The company adheres to a “co-creation” philosophy, working with flexible factories to quickly respond to market changes and iterate products rapidly.

Regarding the future of retail, Wang Wei predicts two major trends: “space competition” and “time competition.” Community supermarkets will evolve from “small neighborhood markets” to “big refrigerators downstairs,” with smaller store formats closer to consumers and integrated with autonomous vehicle delivery to achieve “no inventory, quick turnover.” 24-hour stores and late-night eateries will become new growth points. Fresh Legend plans to implement AI-driven unmanned stores tailored to young consumers. He also notes that under the trend of consumption downgrade, consumer demands are shifting toward cost-effectiveness and entertainment-driven spending. Retailers must accurately grasp these changes and align closely with consumer needs. Wang Wei emphasizes that retail is an ecosystem, with each company occupying its own niche. There’s no need to pursue the largest scale; instead, focus on defining your position, sticking to your principles, and excelling at a few core areas. His lifelong wish is to become China’s best vegetable seller and dedicate his life to this craft.