New Retail in Action Issue 3: Alibaba buys stake in Lianhua Supermarket

Alibaba acquired an 18% stake in Lianhua Supermarket, a key affiliate of Bailian Group, to expand its New Retail footprint. Lianhua operates over 3,600 outlets across hypermarkets, supermarkets, and convenience stores, providing a vast physical network for digital integration. The partnership aims to modernize Lianhua's stores with Alibaba's data capabilities. This investment follows Alibaba's earlier moves in Suning and Intime, demonstrating its goal to dominate physical retail through online-offline synergy.