Musgrave, the company behind SuperValu and Centra, has struck a deal with the Chinese Alibaba Group to export products direct to consumers in China using the latter’s Tmall Global platform.

Initially, Musgrave will supply up to 40 own-brand products including SuperValu breakfast cereals, coffee, jam, biscuits and healthy snacks, opening a flagship SuperValu virtual storefront on Tmall Global. Over time, the storefront will be opened further to Irish food producers seeking access to the Chinese market.

CEO Chris Martin said: “We are exploring new opportunities to grow our business, including export, and we are excited by the opportunity to partner with Alibaba Group.

“Chinese consumers are increasingly purchasing overseas through online shopping. We expect that the heritage of SuperValu and the provenance of our products will be attractive to Chinese consumers. They are seeking out western foods from trusted sources and as we develop in China we will be working closely with Bord Bia and our Irish suppliers who have a reputation for authenticity and quality.

“As part of our commitment to them we look forward to exploring the new opportunities which the growing Chinese market can offer. Alibaba provides the ideal platform for us to take our first steps on this journey.”

In Association with

Tmall Global is an extension of Alibaba Group’s B2C Tmall business, which enables overseas merchants to enter China’s online retail market. Using Tmall Global, merchants can conduct business from overseas without the need for physical operations in mainland China. Tmall Global gives access to hundreds of millions of visitors on Taobao Marketplace and Tmall.com, while Chinese consumers can buy a variety of branded products from other countries.