Metro AG, Germany’s largest retailer, is forming an alliance with Alibaba Group Holding to develop e-commerce on the Chinese online retailer’s website.
Metro will sell private-label products to Chinese consumers through Alibaba’s site, the companies said in a recent statement. The retailers will also explore ways in which to cooperate in sourcing and using data.
“Alibaba Group and Metro Group will work together to help more European consumer brands establish fast-track solutions for expanding into the Chinese market,” Alibaba chief executive officer Daniel Zhang said in the statement.
Metro has been expanding in Asia and last month said that it is hunting further targets after agreeing to buy Classic Fine Foods Group, a Singapore-based supplier of gourmet products, for as much as $328 million.
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