MEBO Group to set up Safeway’s first China branch in Shanghai next year

At present, MEBO Group is already introducing brands sold on Safeway into China via its MEBOGO International Trade and Service Sharing Platform set up in 2021.

Products sold include general foods as well as health supplement brands Open Nature and Signature Care.

Formerly known as Beijing Guangming Traditional Chinese Medicine Institute for Burns, Wounds & Ulcers, MEBO Group specialises in health foods, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. It currently has two headquarters – one each in China and the US.

Aside from developing its own products, it also helps overseas brands build presence in China via its MEBOGO platform, where it sets up online stores for them via cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) channels Tmall and JD Global.

Speaking to the media at Healthplex Expo 2024 held in Shanghai, spokeswoman Wang Fang revealed the plans in bringing Safeway’s first physical store into China.

“We work with America’s second largest supermarket chain Safeway. It is currently our strategic cooperation partner. Because they are the second largest supermarket chain in North America, they carry a lot of products with them, and their products enter China via our platform, where we have helped them set up online stores on Tmall and JD Global.​

“The plan that we have next is to set up Safeway’s physical store in Shanghai next year,”​ she said.

According to Wang, the plan is to run a small-scale operation in the initial phase.  

Shanghai, on the other hand, has been selected due to various reasons, including its advantages in logistics chain.

“Shanghai is a very suitable choice for setting up such a store, be it from the economic, financial aspects or supply chain logistics, Shanghai offers advantages in these areas and is definitely our first choice for setting up the store…In fact, we believe Shanghai is even more suitable than Beijing in setting up the first Safeway store in China,” ​she said.

Safeway is part of Albertsons Companies – one of the largest food and drug retailers in the US.

Sam’s Club is a prime example of American supermarket chains entering China.

The membership-only retail store owned by Walmart had grown rapidly in China during the pandemic.

To name a few, its stores could be found in Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Suzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou.

From China to the world ​

Aside from introducing overseas brands into China, Wang said MEBO Group also focused on exporting China products to the global market.

An example is the health supplement GI Regenerate gastrointestinal softgel. The product contains a proprietary blend containing sesame oil,cera flava, flavone, vitamin E, beta-sitosterol, linoleic acid, and oleic acid designed to "repair and replace damaged gastrointestinal cells with healthy new cells which may improve the overall health of the GI tract". ​

Having secured the health foods status in China in 2001, the product is now available in various countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines, and Lebanon.

The company also hopes to tap on its expertise in regenerative medicine into other areas, including health foods designed for cellular repair.