Yang Wang~~Jie Min
January 22, 2026
Alibaba Enters Into Strategic New Retail Partnership With Starbucks in China
1 min
AI-made summary
- Simpson Thacher advised Alibaba in its strategic retail partnership with Starbucks in China
- The collaboration, starting in September 2018, will introduce coffee delivery services, establish 'Starbucks Delivery Kitchens' for order fulfillment via Hema supermarkets, and integrate various platforms to create a virtual Starbucks store
- The initiative aims to provide a personalized online Starbucks experience for Chinese customers
- The Simpson Thacher team involved lawyers specializing in M&A and intellectual property.
Simpson Thacher represented Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) in connection with its strategic new retail partnership with Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) in China. Powered by capabilities across key businesses within the Alibaba ecosystem, this partnership will enable best-in-class coffee delivery services beginning September 2018, establish “Starbucks Delivery Kitchens” for delivery order fulfillment through Hema supermarkets, and integrate multiple platforms to co-create an unprecedented virtual Starbucks store, bringing an unparalleled and personalized online Starbucks Experience to Chinese customers.~~The Simpson Thacher team includes Yang Wang, Lupeng (Amy) Liu, Jun Feng and Jie Min (M&A); and Marcela Robledo (Intellectual Property).
Article Author
Yang Wang~~Jie Min
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