Benlai

What Benlai does

Benlai (本来生活), founded in 2012 in Beijing by Yu Huafeng, is a Chinese fresh-produce e-commerce platform that operates a tri-sided P2B2C model connecting agricultural producers (P-side), enterprise customers (B-side), and mid-to-high-end consumers (C-side). The company pioneered branded fresh-produce e-commerce in China, most notably via the "褚橙" (Chu Orange) co-branding, and today reports 30M+ registered consumer users, 10,000+ enterprise customers (or 100,000+ per its own website), coverage across 300+ Chinese cities, and 300,000+ daily orders. Distribution and product architecture rest on three pillars: the 本来生活 e-commerce platform (web, mobile app, and WeChat mini-program), the 本来鲜 community-store network of 10,000+ neighborhood outlets running a "second-generation" store model, and the 鲸巢供应链 (Jingchao Supply Chain) cold-chain logistics arm, which operates 150,000 sqm of mixed-temperature warehousing across 11 shipping cities and 18 high-standard warehouses.

The underlying technology stack combines proprietary WMS/TMS/IMS systems for "数智化" (digital-intelligent) lean warehouse and transport management with a tiered membership platform (Platinum, Diamond, Black Card) that uses annual billing and expiring points to drive retention. Producer-side services include branded product development, global sourcing ("全球买手直采"), and a "生根计划" rural-revitalization program; enterprise services span five B2B consumption scenarios (traditional benefits, consumption assistance, employee self-service, digital platforms, open platforms) delivered through custom product and platform offerings. Quality assurance is anchored by an SGS strategic partnership and ISO 9001 / 27001 / 13485 certifications.

Benlai monetizes through four primary streams: (1) transaction fees from marketplace activity (including C2C commission), (2) recurring membership subscription revenue from the three-tier program, (3) enterprise B2B services revenue from corporate gifting, employee benefits, and procurement contracts, and (4) managed services for agricultural producers covering branding, distribution, and certification support. The company achieved operational profitability in 2019 and has reported four consecutive profitable full fiscal years as of 2022; it is recognized as a Hurun Global Unicorn and a Red Herring Asia 100 honoree (the only Chinese e-commerce company so listed), and holds National High-Tech Enterprise status in both Beijing and Shanghai. No funding round has been publicly disclosed since the ~$200M 2019 Series D led by Mingde Holdings.

Name

Benlai

Legal name

北京本来工坊科技有限公司

Website

https://benlai.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Benlai is a Beijing-founded fresh-produce e-commerce platform operating a P2B2C model that serves 30M+ mid-to-high-end consumers, 10,000+ enterprise customers, and 1,000+ producer partners across 300+ Chinese cities via its app, WeChat mini-program, 10,000+ community stores, and a proprietary cold-chain logistics network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce E-commerce / Online Grocery Retail

NAICS

Farm Product Warehousing and Storage (493130)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Wholesale-to-Business Online Ordering (B2B Food E-Commerce) (AFAIAMAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Produce & Floral Cold Chain Logistics (TLAIAIAH), Cold Chain Fulfillment & Pick-Pack (E-grocery/D2C) (TLALABAL), Foodservice & Hospitality Supply Marketplaces (CRAFAHAE)

Keywords

• Fresh produce e-commerce
• Cold chain logistics
• Enterprise food procurement
• Community grocery retail
• Branded agricultural products

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Platform Transaction Fees (C2C): Commission-based revenue from C-side sellers transacting on the marketplace platform, charging transaction fees on completed sales.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Recurring revenue from tiered membership program (Platinum, Diamond, Black Card) offering preferential pricing, exclusive products, and priority services.
3. Enterprise Corporate Services: B2B revenue from corporate gifting solutions, employee benefit programs, and agricultural product procurement services for enterprise customers.
4. Agricultural Producer Services: Branding, marketing, and distribution services for agricultural producers seeking to reach urban high-end consumers, including product development and quality certification support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Benlai operates a branded fresh food vertical e-commerce platform serving 30M+ mid-to-high-end consumers and 10,000+ enterprise customers via a P2B2C model. The company sells proprietary and sourced fresh produce through its mobile app, WeChat mini-program, and website, while offering enterprise consumption solutions covering traditional benefits, consumption assistance, employee self-service, and digital platforms. Supporting operations include the Jingchao Supply Chain (鲸巢供应链) cold chain logistics service covering 300+ cities with 150,000 sqm mixed-temperature warehousing, and 10,000+ Benlai Fresh (本来鲜) community retail stores.

Product overview

Benlai (本来生活) operates a platform-based business model centered on its core e-commerce platform (本来生活网/本来生活App/本来生活小程序) for C-end consumers and enterprise services for B-end clients. The company provides fresh food products through global sourcing, custom product development, and proprietary brands. Supporting operations include 鲸巢供应链 (Jingchao Supply Chain) for cold chain logistics and warehousing, and 本来鲜 (Benlai Fresh) for community retail. The B2B enterprise services module offers employee benefits, consumption assistance programs, and digital platform solutions to 100,000+ corporate clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 鲸巢供应链: 中国生鲜仓配运营专家，为产销两端客户提供从仓储到营销全流程一体化服务
• 本来鲜

Products and services

• Benlai Life (本来生活) E-commerce Platform China's leading branded fresh food vertical e-commerce platform serving 30 million+ mid-to-high-end consumers with farm-to-table new retail services across all scenarios and categories, featuring global buyer direct sourcing, custom product development, and proprietary brand offerings.
• Benlai Mobile App (本来生活App) Mobile application for C-end consumers providing fresh food e-commerce services with features including global buyer sourcing, custom product development, and proprietary brand offerings, plus integrated membership management and order tracking.
• Benlai WeChat Mini-Program (本来生活小程序) WeChat mini-program enabling consumers to access Benlai's fresh food e-commerce services through the WeChat platform with integrated shopping, membership, and payment functionality.
• Enterprise Services (企业服务)
• Jingchao Supply Chain (鲸巢供应链) Cold Chain Logistics
• Benlai Fresh Community Stores (本来鲜) Community fresh grocery store brand serving 10,000+ stores nationwide, meeting community users' needs within a 300-meter radius for timely and cost-effective fresh food through hybrid online-offline retail.
• Tiered Membership Program (Platinum/Diamond/Black Card)
• Benlai Express Same/Next-Day Delivery (本来快)

Quantifiable outcome

• 300,000+ daily orders processed
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• 良储餐饮 (Liangchu Catering)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic cooperation with Liangchu Catering for restaurant supply chain solutions, combining Benlai's agricultural product sourcing and cold chain capabilities with Liangchu's catering expertise to serve the B2B food service market.
• SGS (Societe Generale de Surveillance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic cooperation with SGS for quality certification and testing services, enabling Benlai to provide third-party quality assurance for agricultural products and build consumer trust through independent verification.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Yiguo (易果生鲜): Earlier-generation Chinese premium fresh food e-commerce platform that pioneered the category. Historic peer to Benlai in vertically integrated premium fresh delivery, though its trajectory underscores the category's execution risk.
• Dingdong Maicai (叮咚买菜): Same-day fresh grocery delivery platform operating in major Chinese cities with its own front-end warehouses. Competes head-to-head with Benlai on premium fresh produce delivery speed and assortment for urban consumers.
• Missfresh (每日优鲜): China's earlier front-end warehouse fresh delivery pioneer serving urban consumers with subscription memberships. Direct historical peer to Benlai in the premium fresh e-commerce category, though it has faced severe operational and financial difficulties.
• Meicai (美菜网): B2B fresh produce supply platform serving restaurants and small businesses in China. Closely comparable to Benlai's enterprise/B2B side, particularly around food service supply chains where both serve commercial buyers.
• Hema (Freshippo): Alibaba-owned omnichannel fresh grocery chain combining app-based ordering with physical stores and same-day delivery. Directly competes with Benlai in premium fresh produce delivery to urban Chinese consumers, with greater scale but a different store-led model.

Broad incumbents

• Tmall Fresh / Alibaba Fresh: Tmall's fresh food category and broader Alibaba fresh ecosystem. Competes with Benlai on premium fresh produce online, though within a much larger general marketplace rather than a curated vertical.
• JD Fresh (京东生鲜): Fresh produce and cold chain offering inside JD.com's broader e-commerce marketplace. Comparable to Benlai in B2C fresh grocery delivery and B2B supply capabilities, but operates as part of JD's much larger retail platform rather than a premium-only focus.
• Pinduoduo / Duoduo Grocery: Group buying and marketplace-driven fresh produce offering from Pinduoduo. Overlaps with Benlai in B2B/B2C agricultural distribution but competes primarily on price rather than premium positioning.

Emerging players

• Songshu Pinpin (松鼠拼拼): Community group-buying platform for fresh produce and groceries. Comparable to Benlai's community commerce angle via Benlai Fresh stores, though with a group-buying rather than membership model.

Regional players

• Cha Yan Yue Se: Asian-inspired tea and snack brand with its own retail and digital channels. Adjacent comparable rather than direct peer - illustrates alternative premium consumer brand and physical/digital retail model relevant to Benlai's premium positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors11 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Benlai