Aldi opens e-commerce sales channel in China

By

Benjamin Fitzgerald

Published
Mar 7, 2017

German discount supermarket Aldi chain has teamed up with online marketplace Tmall to launch its first foray into the Chinese e-commerce market.

Hoping to appease the tastes of Chinese consumers, Aldi will use the Alibaba-operated Tmall as its primary sales platform. Aldi will offer a selection of wine, snack and breakfast products, under its own brand name, and will tap its Australian suppliers to serve the new Asian market, according to an Aldi statement.

A 'soft launch' is expected for March 20, which will see Aldi products offered to a specific number of consumers. This will be then followed by a full launch in Shanghai on April 25, Aldi said.

It is rumoured that Aldi stores could also be launched in the near future, if online sales are positive. The Chinese entry is being run by Aldi South, which also owns Aldi US and runs the chain in Britain. It entered the Australian market more than 15 years ago.

An Aldi China spokesperson told Business Day late last year that there is strong demand for "Made in Australia" products in China.

"We know there is a strong demand among Chinese consumers for Australian manufactured products and our goal is to provide a competitively priced alternative for shoppers seeking quality groceries," she told local media.

However, Alibaba Europe manager Terry von Bibra told Reuters the Chinese middle-class was becoming increasingly interested in "Made in Germany" products.

The news comes as competing German discount chain Lidl announced its United States expansion plans earlier in the year. Lidl will open its first stores in the US ahead of schedule this summer, with plans for up to 100 stores within a year, it said.