Chinese retailer aims to sell Rmb5bn of Chilean products over three years with strategic cooperation agreement
JD Super, the supermarket division of China retailer JD.com, has marked the start of the 2024/25 Chilean cherry sales season by launching the Chilean Specialties Festival.
The launch event for the first seafreighted cherries was officiated by Rene Mauricio Hurtado Navia, Chilean ambassador to China; Chao Junwen, secretary-general of the China Chamber of Commerce for Foodstuffs and Native Produce; and Juan Latife, general manager of leading Chilean cherry exporter. Garces Fruit China.
The event came as JD Super signed a strategic cooperation agreement with a number of Chilean brands, aiming to achieve Rmb5bn (US$687.4mn) in sales of Chilean products, including cherries, wine, and salmon, over the next three years.
Through large-scale direct sourcing, JD Super said its procurement team has reduced the import costs of Chilean cherries, making it possible to offer consumers prices approximately 15 per cent lower than other e-commerce platforms for the same grade and size.
“This large-scale procurement cooperation will allow JD Super to continue leveraging our strong supply chain capabilities and work closely with Chilean partners to offer a wider variety of Chilean products at competitive prices and services to Chinese consumers,” said a spokesperson of JD Super.
In order to showcase the quality of the Chilean cherries on offer this season, JD Super will offer a caliper with each box so consumers can test the grade of their cherries and ensure they have received high-quality fruit.
JD’s online channels and its 7Fresh omnichannel supermarket chain have already been selling airfreighted Chilean cherries since October. This product offering, which JD Super said has been met with enthusiasm from Chinese consumers, is supported by the company’s extensive national cold-chain logistics network and instant delivery services that can deliver orders within 30 minutes.
