Starbucks ties up with Meituan to bolster presence in crucial China market

Broader platform: Chinese tourists walk past a Starbucks Coffee outlet in Beijing’s Forbidden City. Its latest store in the city enhances the in-store experience by creating awareness on heritage craft. ― AP

BEIJING: Starbucks, which has seen sales slow in China due to COVID-19's fallout, is attempting to widen its reach in its second-biggest market globally by distributing its coffees through the country's dominant food delivery firm, Meituan.

The U.S. coffee chain said on Tuesday it has entered into a partnership with Meituan that will allow its Chinese customers to order coffee delivery and make reservations at its stores via the super-app's platforms.