Mars Inc teams up with Alibaba to tackle China
Last updated: 10:10 29 Jun 2016 EDT, First published: 05:10 29 Jun 2016 EDT
Global food manufacturer Mars Incorporated has teamed up with online and mobile commerce firm Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA) in an effort to tap into other markets.
The ‘global strategic business partnership’ will see Mars’s brands, including Dove, Snickers, M&M's and Pedigree sold on Alibaba’s platforms across China.
The company will “establish integrated online, offline business model to more effectively serve its hundreds of millions of consumers in China”, the company said.
"Mars is an invaluable addition to our ecosystem, and this collaboration is a significant milestone for Alibaba as we now have established close partnerships with three of the world's top food and beverage companies," said Jet Jing, Vice President of Alibaba Group.
“China's younger generation is the new driving force of consumption,” Cecilia Li, managing director of Wrigley China, a subsidiary of Mars.
The pair will also work together on an e-commerce food safety program and educate online consumers on buying food products.
“They rely on e-commerce, and place great value on the trustworthiness of the companies behind their brands and products,” Li added.
