Ocean Spray, one of the world’s leading producers of cranberry juices, juice drinks and dried cranberries, is joining Alibaba Group’s upcoming 11.11 Global Shopping Festival for the first time, adding to a growing roster of international fresh and packaged foods producers that are participating in the giant 24-hour online sale.
Ocean Spray recently opened an online flagship store in China on Alibaba Group’s Tmall Global platform, a move that “places us in the epicenter of the largest consumer base in the world,” said Peter Wyman, president of Ocean Spray International.
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“We have been selling select products through designated retail outlets on Tmall Global for a while now, and we’ve seen strong demand from Chinese consumers,” Wyman said in a statement. Working directly with Alibaba will enable the U.S. agricultural co-op to tell its brand story and introduce new products to Alibaba’s 386 million annual buyers, he said. “The consumer access and streamlined digital e-commerce business opportunity Alibaba offers are unmatched. The sky is the limit in China, and we are excited about what’s ahead, beginning with our participation in 11.11.”
Online shoppers last year purchased purchased $9.3 billion worth of goods through Alibaba’s marketplaces during the 11.11 festival, the largest online sale in the world. In the run-up to the event this year, Alibaba officials have said they are expanding the range of the largely Chinese event by adding more international brands and merchants. Alibaba expects more than 5,000 international brands from 25 countries and regions to participate in festival this year.
“Alibaba is the gateway to China for international brands and businesses, and Ocean Spray’s arrival on the Tmall Global platform underscores this position,” said Alvin Liu, general manager of Tmall Global.
For the upcoming Nov. 11 sale, Alibaba is also expanding the categories of merchandise available online beyond mainstays like apparel and consumer electronics to fresh and packaged foods from international retailers, keeping pace with growing demand among Chinese consumers for high-quality and trustworthy fare. The company this week announced iconic U.S. brand Coca-Cola will join the 11.11 sale this year.
