(Yicai Global) May 18 -- Freshippo, the fresh produce retailer under Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding, annouced yesterday to set up eight procurement centers around the world to introduce more foreign groceries to the Chinese market.

The overseas procurement centers will help to penetrate and link global markets through localized operations, Huang Ling, general manager of Freshippo’s import division, said at the signing ceremony in Shanghai yesterday, during which the firm penned strategic cooperation agreements with 13 retail groups, international brands, global associations and consultancies.

New Zealand’s kiwi fruit giant Zespri International, US strawberry retailer Driscoll, Norwegian seafood firm Mowi, Canadian pork producer Canada Pork, Swiss supermarket chain Migros and Japan’s food processing conglomerate NH Foods are some of the 33 international retailers reported to have become suppliers of Freshippo since the start of the year.

Coles’ ice cream hit the shelves in China in April through Hangzhou-based Freshippo. Will Mulholland, general manager of the export department at the Australian retailer, said he hopes the tie-up with Freshippo will help the Melbourne-based firm get a better understanding of the Chinese consumer market.

Recently, Freshippo has signed trade agreements with companies in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Cyprus, Russia and Italy worth USD1 billion.

Editor: Kim Taylor