As cheap non-food imports from China become more difficult, Temu is looking to become an FMCG player in Europe. The Chinese platform is already approaching local suppliers of food and cosmetics in Germany.
Local range
A few months ago, Temu set up a German division to approach suppliers of food, cosmetics, garden products and other FMCG products. The platform, which until now focused on low-cost non-food items from China, now wants to become a supplier of food as well, with products from Europe for Europe. Trade magazine Lebensmittel Zeitung reports that Temu is mainly approaching smaller manufacturers of confectionery and beauty products.
Temu confirms the plans: it says it wants to “expand the local range and improve service for European customers”. For now, its FMCG offering remains limited, but German meat products manufacturer Wurstbaron has been selling on the platform for several months and says it is satisfied with the results. Mr Tom, a brand of nut bars, has also partnered with Temu. There are also plans to move beyond Germany, with Switzerland being the next target, Tages Anzeiger newspaper reports.
It is not surprising that Temu is looking to diversify: the platform’s business model is under pressure from US import duties and a looming European levy on small e-commerce packages.
