A man walks past a Starbucks coffee shop in Beijing on August 2, 2018. Starbucks on August 2 announced a partnership with e-commerce giant Alibaba that will give the US coffee giant greater access to China's growing food-delivery market as it faces increased competition from local firms. Photo: AFP
Alibaba expands Starbucks delivery service to more Chinese cities as it ramps up competition with Luckin
- The market for on-demand delivery is crucial for Chinese internet giants as it opens up an entry point to other services such as online payments
- Starbucks and Luckin are vying for a bigger share of a fast-growing coffee market in the world’s most populous nation
A man walks past a Starbucks coffee shop in Beijing on August 2, 2018. Starbucks on August 2 announced a partnership with e-commerce giant Alibaba that will give the US coffee giant greater access to China's growing food-delivery market as it faces increased competition from local firms. Photo: AFP