UB opens flagship store in China

United Biscuits has officially opened its flagship eCommerce store for consumers in China on Alibaba Group’s Tmall Global platform.

The launch of the store is strategically timed to take place just before Alibaba’s 11.11 Global Shopping Festival on 11 November. This 24-hour sale is China’s annual shopping event that in previous years has outperformed Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the US. In 2014, Alibaba generated €8.6bn in gross merchandise volume during the 24-hour sale on 11 November alone.

China is a strategic market for UB. It is the fourth largest biscuit market in the world, despite biscuit consumption per capita being still only half the world average. UB launched its McVitie’s Digestives in China in 2012 via traditional retailers, and since introducing the brand to the market, Chinese consumers have taken a real liking to these wholesome British food icons.

Marcel Willems, United Biscuits regional general manager Greater China says: “China is a very important market for United Biscuits, and we have high expectations of our flagship store on Tmall Global. McVitie’s is an iconic British brand, and via our Tmall Global store, we are making the brand accessible to another 386 million potential consumers across China, who all now have the opportunity to buy the Original McVitie’s Digestives in British packaging, directly from the source.”

Amee Chande, Alibaba group managing director, UK, says: “Increasingly we see Chinese consumers searching for unique food items that represent a culture or lifestyle that they cannot find in China. McVitie’s are one such brand that have created a wonderfully British product that has the heritage and quality that the Chinese consumer is looking for.”