Wumart

Corporate brand

A Chinese retail group operating supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience stores, and related digital, logistics, and supply-chain businesses.

Last updated October 9, 2026

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Overview

Wumart is a Chinese retail group founded in Beijing in 1994 by Zhang Wenzhong. The company developed from a Beijing-based retail operation into a multi-format chain serving consumers across northern, eastern, and northwestern China. Its core formats include Wumart supermarkets, hypermarkets, and convenience stores, with merchandise spanning food, fresh produce, household necessities, consumer goods, clothing, and selected appliances. The company has been particularly associated with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, where it became one of the largest supermarket operators. Its wider store network extends into other parts of China, and the group has also pursued expansion into northeastern and southern markets. In addition to physical retail, Wumart's business activities include internet-based retail, location-oriented e-commerce, information and Internet-of-Things technology, logistics, and supply-chain services. Location-based e-commerce operations have been developed in cities including Beijing, Hangzhou, Yinchuan, and Wuhan. Wumart's retail positioning is mass-market and value-oriented. Its operating proposition emphasizes accessible prices, broad everyday assortment, and convenient neighborhood access rather than luxury or specialist retail. The brand has used multiple store formats to reach different shopping missions: larger stores provide a broad grocery and general-merchandise range, supermarkets focus on routine household shopping, and convenience stores serve quick and local purchases. The group has also expanded through corporate transactions. In 2020, Wumart acquired an 80 percent stake in Metro China, the Chinese subsidiary of German retailer Metro AG. The transaction broadened Wumart's presence in China's wholesale and retail food ecosystem and became a significant step in the group's development beyond its original regional supermarket base. Wumart is headquartered in the Wumart Commercial Building in Beijing's Haidian District, while its registered office is in the Badachu High-Tech Park District of Shijingshan District. Public reference material describes the group as having more than 1,000 stores across its operating regions. Its activities therefore combine consumer-facing retail with digital commerce, technology infrastructure, distribution, and supply-chain capabilities.

History

Wumart was established in Beijing in 1994 by Zhang Wenzhong. It emerged during the period when China's consumer economy and organized retail sector were developing rapidly, and it built its identity around serving routine household needs through modern supermarket formats. The company became strongly associated with Beijing and, over time, with the broader Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei retail market. The business expanded its physical presence through several formats rather than relying on a single store model. Hypermarkets offered a large assortment of groceries and general merchandise, supermarkets addressed regular household shopping, and convenience stores provided localized access for smaller and faster purchases. This format diversification allowed Wumart to operate in different neighborhoods and city locations while maintaining a common value-oriented retail proposition. As its regional network grew, Wumart extended operations beyond northern China into eastern and northwestern markets. Reference material describes the group as having more than 1,000 stores in North, East, and Northwest China. The company also continued seeking growth in northeastern and southern regions. Its scale made Wumart one of China's early and larger domestic retail groups and the largest supermarket chain in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area according to the cited reference material. Wumart's development was not limited to stores. The group added internet retail, location-based e-commerce, Internet-of-Things technology, logistics, and supply-chain operations. It developed location-oriented e-commerce activities in Beijing, Hangzhou, Yinchuan, Wuhan, and other major cities, linking local retail infrastructure with digital ordering and fulfillment capabilities. These activities reflected the growing importance of omnichannel retail in China's consumer market. A major strategic development came in 2020, when Wumart acquired an 80 percent stake in Metro China, the Chinese subsidiary of Metro AG. The transaction connected Wumart with Metro China's established wholesale and food-distribution operations and expanded the group's corporate footprint beyond its historical supermarket and convenience-store base. The company's headquarters are in the Wumart Commercial Building in Haidian District, Beijing. Its registered office is located in the Badachu High-Tech Park District of Shijingshan District. Wumart's current business profile combines physical stores, digital retail, technology, logistics, and supply-chain services, although the available reference material does not provide a complete current corporate structure, leadership roster, or detailed financial disclosure.

2020
Wumart acquires a majority stake in Metro China
[1]Wumarten.wikipedia.org
Wumart acquired 80 percent of Metro China, the Chinese subsidiary of Metro AG.
2017
The group continues store expansion
[1]Wumarten.wikipedia.org
Reference material reports that Wumart opened 103 stores during 2017 as it continued expanding its retail network.
1994
Wumart is founded in Beijing
[1]Wumarten.wikipedia.org
Zhang Wenzhong founded Wumart, establishing the retail group that would later expand across multiple Chinese regions and store formats.

Products and positioning

Mass-market Chinese retailer focused on everyday value, broad assortment, convenience, and regional store coverage.

Hypermarket retail
Wumart hypermarkets
Large-format stores offering groceries, fresh food, household necessities, consumer products, clothing, and selected appliances. The format is designed for broad, planned shopping trips and combines food retail with general merchandise.
Supermarket retail
Wumart supermarkets
Regular neighborhood and urban supermarkets focused on food, fresh produce, daily necessities, and other routine household purchases. Supermarkets form a central part of Wumart's regional store network.
Convenience retail
Wumart convenience stores
Smaller local stores intended for quick purchases and convenient access to everyday food, beverages, household goods, and other frequently needed products.
Digital retail
Location-based e-commerce
Digital retail services connected to local store and fulfillment networks. Reference material identifies operations in Beijing, Hangzhou, Yinchuan, Wuhan, and other major Chinese cities.

Controversies

2018
Supreme People's Court acquits founder Zhang Wenzhong in criminal case retrial
Wumart founder Zhang Wenzhong was previously sentenced for fraud, corporate bribery, and misappropriation of funds. On May 31, 2018, the Supreme People's Court retried the case, revoked the original judgment, and declared him not guilty. This incident is included as a major historical judicial controversy; the original guilty judgment has been revoked.
Source

2020
Acquire a controlling stake in Metro ChinaM&A
Background
Wumart pursued expansion beyond its established supermarket and convenience-store operations through a transaction involving Metro AG's Chinese subsidiary.
Action taken
The group acquired an 80 percent stake in Metro China.
Aftermath
The transaction broadened Wumart's presence in China's retail and wholesale food ecosystem. The available reference does not provide detailed post-transaction operating or financial results.
Source

Recent events

2020-04-27
Wumart completes acquisition of an 80% stake in Metro China[7]物美完成收购麦德龙中国80%股权finance.sina.com.cn
Reported: 2020-04-27
Wumart completed the transaction to acquire an 80% stake in Metro China. The report states that Wumart paid approximately 11.9 billion yuan for the stake.
2020-04-23
Wumart completes acquisition of 80% of Metro China[8]物美完成收购麦德龙中国80%股权finance.sina.com.cn
Reported: 2020-04-23
Wumart completed the acquisition of an 80% stake in Metro China; Metro Group retained a 20% stake.
2019-10-11
Wumart and Metro agree on acquisition through a joint venture[9]物美与麦德龙达成通过合资公司收购的协议hy.stock.cnfol.com
Metro Group and Wumart Group announced that they had reached a final agreement to establish a joint venture in which Wumart would hold an 80% stake.

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