Starbucks to join forces with Alibaba to deliver coffee in China
The coffee chain’s tie-up with Tencent on mobile payments and social gifting is unaffected by its new venture with Alibaba’s ele.me
Hong Kong/Shanghai Starbucks will join forces with Alibaba Group to begin delivering its drinks and baked goods in China, according to people with knowledge of the plans, rolling out an effort to stave off competitors and turn around sales in the country. Ele.me, the meals delivery service owned by Alibaba, will handle the logistics in a deal that will be announced on Thursday, according to the people, who asked not to be named because the information is not yet public. Starbucks said last week that it planned to start deliveries with a partner this autumn in Beijing and Shanghai. A Starbucks representative said the company does not comment on speculation. Alibaba said the company and Starbucks were “always exploring new ways to deepen our long-term partnership in China”. The two companies partnered to make visits to Starbucks’ Roastery hi-tech store in Shanghai interactive. Starbucks is coming to the delivery game late as it faces a rare sales decline in the world’s second-biggest ...
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