Brands/Products
Starbucks, Alibaba Partner to Satisfy Coffee Customers in China
By Dipo Olowookere
A partnership aimed to transform the coffee industry in China has been signed between Starbucks Coffee Company and Alibaba Group Holding Limited.
The strategic “New Retail” partnership will enable a seamless Starbucks Experience in China allowing the firm use the Alibaba ecosystem, including Ele.me, Hema, Tmall, Taobao and Alipay, to offer delivery services beginning September 2018.
This will allow the company establish “Starbucks Delivery Kitchens” for delivery order fulfilment and integrate multiple platforms to co-create an unprecedented virtual Starbucks store – an unparalleled and even more personalized online Starbucks Experience for Chinese customers.
The announcement marks a historic moment as two iconic, global companies build on their distinct retail and technology strengths to revolutionize the customer experience. Leveraging the Alibaba ecosystem and New Retail infrastructure, Starbucks will be able to further unify a seamless Starbucks Experience between its stores and online for customers.
“Thanks to the elevated customer experience delivered by our over 45,000 partners, Starbucks is growing and innovating faster in China than anywhere else in the world,” said Kevin Johnson, president and chief executive officer, Starbucks Coffee Company. “Our transformational partnership with Alibaba will reshape modern retail, and represents a significant milestone in our efforts to exceed the expectations of Chinese consumers. Starbucks China is one to watch, and I have full confidence in the team that will bring the new innovation behind the Starbucks Experience to life.”
Daniel Zhang, Chief Executive Officer of the Alibaba Group, said, “Starbucks is more than a destination for premium coffee and we share the same vision to pioneer a new coffee culture and lifestyle through innovation and technology. Alibaba is thrilled to expand our existing partnership with Starbucks by leveraging our cutting-edge New Retail infrastructure and digital power to enable an unprecedented experience for consumers. This partnership is again a testament to the success of our New Retail strategy.”
The strategic partnership is part of Alibaba’s broader New Retail push, which aims to transform how commerce is conducted by merging online and offline experiences. New Retail was introduced by Alibaba in 2016 and has since become a hallmark strategy of the retail industry.
Creating an Unparalleled Order and Delivery Experience Powered by the Alibaba Ecosystem
Best-in-class coffee delivery service through Ele.me
Working with Ele.me, China’s leading on-demand food delivery platform with 3 million registered delivery riders, Starbucks will pilot delivery this September in 150 stores located in key trade zones in Beijing and Shanghai with plans to accelerate and expand its delivery program to more than 2,000 Starbucks stores across 30 cities by the end of calendar year 2018.
Both Starbucks and Ele.me collaborated to develop a unique, customized delivery infrastructure that has been meticulously determined each step along the way, including dedicated Ele.me delivery riders, precise delivery time, and custom carriers. Both companies have created a tailored order-to-delivery Starbucks program that upholds the unparalleled experience and quality that customers have come to expect in Starbucks retail stores. Through this delivery partnership, Starbucks and Ele.me have pioneered a best-in-class coffee delivery service standard for Chinese customers.
“Ele.me has a robust infrastructure for on-demand delivery in China. We are pleased to partner with Starbucks to launch these reliable and trusted delivery services to satisfy customers’ needs and capitalize on the delivery sector’s great potential. It is an important milestone for Ele.me to deepen our collaboration with retail chains and further expand our penetration in the food delivery sector,” said Wang Lei, Chief Executive Officer of Ele.me.
Distinct Fulfillment and Delivery Capabilities through Hema Supermarkets
In addition, Starbucks will partner with Hema supermarkets to be the first retail brand to establish dedicated “Starbucks Delivery Kitchens” within their locations. The “Starbucks Delivery Kitchens” will utilize Hema’s distinct fulfillment and delivery capabilities to complement the delivery of handcrafted Starbucks coffee and tea beverages offered through existing Starbucks stores. Starbucks will also leverage Hema’s highly effective consumer insights and unique fulfillment expertise to further penetrate and better serve the needs of individuals and families in communities across China.
This intentional strategy will inform the future network planning for new Starbucks stores, combined with “Starbucks Delivery Kitchen” locations, to further expand the scale and reach of Starbucks delivery services, while enabling our partners (employees) to continue to elevate the third-place experience for the customer. Starbucks will open “Starbucks Delivery Kitchens” in selected Hema supermarkets in Shanghai and Hangzhou as soon as September 2018, with plans to expand its presence to other cities over time.
“Our Chinese customers have a high expectation of their Starbucks Experience and we are proud to introduce a premium delivery experience that reflects the same service and quality they’ve come to love and expect from us in our stores – we will never compromise,” said Belinda Wong, chief executive officer, Starbucks China. “More significantly, through our partnership with Alibaba, we are breaking the physical and virtual barriers between the home, office, in-store and digital space, making China the first Starbucks market to deliver a seamless Starbucks Experience across all facets of our customers’ lives and further reflecting the uniqueness and strategic importance of the market.”
Digital Innovations Transforming the Retail Industry
A key strategic initiative under the partnership is the development of a pioneering, first-of-its-kind virtual Starbucks store in China. This digital partnership will see Alibaba develop a centralized online management hub, with the unique capabilities to integrate and deliver a consistent Starbucks Experience across multiple digital platforms. This innovation will transcend the traditional limitations of a single-app visit by providing the consumer an elevated, and even more personalized Starbucks digital experience across the Starbucks app and Alibaba’s customer-facing mobile apps, including Taobao, Alipay, Tmall and Koubei.
This latest innovation will revolutionize the traditional offline-to-online model by effectively extending the reach of the Starbucks Experience into the everyday lifestyle ritual of the Chinese consumer, regardless of time or place. Whether it is at home or in the office, within a Starbucks store or online, Starbucks customers will be able to access and enjoy a one-stop Starbucks Experience when purchasing merchandise online, buying a Starbucks handcrafted beverage to be delivered to a friend or sending a Starbucks gift of love on the “Say it with Starbucks” social gifting platform. Starbucks will progressively integrate its Starbucks Rewards (SR) membership platform onto the centralized system to leverage its consumer insights to deliver a truly personalized experience to its customers, while establishing a strong foundation for the future development of Starbucks digital experiences in China.
Starbucks and Alibaba are trusted business partners who share common values in the spirit of innovation and the unrelenting pursuit of product and service excellence. This deepened partnership is a significant step as both companies partner together to elevate the customer experience across China.
Brands/Products
Subscribers to Enjoy Free Upgrades on Select DStv, GOtv Packages
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
MultiChoice Nigeria has commenced a one-month campaign tagged Open Time, offering new and existing subscribers free package upgrades.
A statement from the company disclosed that the promotion runs from June 1 to 30, 2026, and gives eligible DStv and GOtv customers access to higher subscription packages at no additional cost in the month of June.
However, these upgrades are on select DStv or GOtv packages. Subscribers will automatically be upgraded to a higher package at the price of their current subscription for the duration of the offer.
MultiChoice said the upgrade is intended to give subscribers a broader viewing experience for the month, spanning drama, sport, action and children’s programming available on the higher-tier packages.
Customers who pay for DStv Compact Plus or DStv Compact bouquets will be upgraded to DStv Premium, while DStv Confam customers will be upgraded to DStv Compact. DStv Yanga customers will receive access to DStv Confam.
Similarly, GOtv Supa and GOtv Max subscribers will receive access to the GOtv Supa Plus package, while GOtv Jolli subscribers will be upgraded to GOtv Max.
The upgrades will remain active for as long as the customer’s account is fully paid during the campaign period. At the end of the promotion on June 30, subscriptions will revert to their original packages.
Subscribers can renew or activate their accounts via the DStv and GOtv websites, the MyDStv and MyGOtv apps, USSD, banking channels or at payment points nationwide.
Brands/Products
Fringe Wigs Now Available at Twinkles Beauty
Twinkles Beauty has added fringe wigs to its catalogue, bringing one of the most directional styles in contemporary hair fashion to its growing international customer base. The launch positions the brand to meet demand for a look that has moved steadily from editorial runways into everyday wardrobes, earning a permanent place among the styles modern women return to consistently.
The fringe wig delivers something that most other wig styles do not: an instant change to the entire aura of the face. A well-constructed fringe alters the visual proportion of the forehead, draws attention to the eyes, and produces a finish that reads as intentional and precise. Unlike the bone straight wig, which leads with length and sleekness, or the body wave unit, which leads with movement and texture, the fringe wig leads with structure at the very front of the style. It is a design decision that changes everything about how a look is perceived, and it is why the fringe has maintained its relevance across decades of changing fashion without ever feeling dated.
Twinkles Beauty was founded with a clear commercial mandate: make premium human hair accessible to women who have historically been underserved by international pricing structures and inconsistent quality standards. The brand has built its operational foundation across Nigeria & Ghana before extending its delivery network to customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and multiple additional international markets.
Every product in the Twinkles Beauty catalogue, from its frontal wigs to its precision-cut bob units and glueless options designed for everyday wear, is held to the same sourcing and construction standard regardless of the length or style category it falls under.
The fringe wig collection enters that catalogue with the same expectation. Units are constructed from premium human hair, with lace options that blend against a range of skin tones and cap architecture built for secure, comfortable wear. The collection covers multiple length options, meaning a customer who prefers the clean, above-the-shoulder finish of a shorter fringe unit and one who wants the same style at a longer, more dramatic length are both accommodated within the same launch. The fringe detail is consistent across lengths, delivering the defining characteristic of the style at every size available.
The addition reflects a pattern that has defined how Twinkles Beauty has grown its catalogue over time. New collections are introduced in direct response to what the brand’s customer base is purchasing and requesting, not simply in response to broad market trends. This intentional design means the store covers the full range of what a woman shopping for premium human hair actually wants. The collection spans from the ultra-sleek finishes that bone straight and HD lace units provide, to the textured, high-volume options that deep wave and curly units deliver, and now to the sharp, face-framing precision that the fringe collection brings.

Shopping on Twinkles Beauty
The full fringe wig collection is available now at Twinkles Beauty. Placing an order is a straightforward process:
- Visit twinklesbeauty.co and click the Shop tab in the navigation menu.
- Browse the Wigs category and select Fringe Wigs from the available options.
- Choose your preferred unit and review the product specifications, including length, density, lace type, and colour.
- Add your selected unit to the cart and proceed to checkout.
- Complete payment using any of the secure payment methods displayed at the checkout stage. Pricing is finalised on the product page and does not change at checkout.
- Receive your order confirmation and use the Track Order feature on the website to monitor your delivery.
Customers with questions before or after purchase can reach the Twinkles Beauty support team directly through the Contact Us page. The brand also maintains an active presence on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook for customers who want to see products styled before making a selection.
International customers in the US, Canada, and the UK move through the same checkout process and receive the same delivery standards as customers ordering from within West Africa. Transparent pricing, reliable logistics, and consistent product quality apply across every market Twinkles Beauty serves.
Brands/Products
MultiChoice Nigeria Strengthens Dealer Partnerships at Engagement Forum
MultiChoice Nigeria, a CANAL+ company, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with its dealer network at the MultiChoice Dealer Enterprise 2.0 forum held on Monday in Lagos.
The forum brought together the company’s mega dealers across Nigeria to discuss evolving market realities, customer expectations and new initiatives designed to support long-term business growth.
In her opening remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, Kemi Omotosho, described dealers as critical partners in the company’s growth journey and customer experience delivery.
“Our dealers remain the bridge between our business and millions of customers across the country. As the market evolves, it is important that our partnership model also evolves to ensure sustainable growth and shared value across the ecosystem,” she said.
The company unveiled enhancements to its dealer engagement across its DStv and GOtv businesses, reinforcing its commitment to supporting dealer profitability, operational growth and long-term sustainability.
Speaking on the initiatives, Chimaobi Eluigwe, Vice President, Sales, MultiChoice Nigeria, said the move reflects MultiChoice Nigeria’s intention to build a stronger and more rewarding partnership while positioning the dealer network for future growth.
“We are intentional about creating opportunities that allow our dealers to grow sustainably with the business. This is about strengthening partnerships, improving value creation and ensuring our dealers remain well-positioned for the future,” he said.
Dealers at the forum welcomed the initiatives, describing them as a positive step toward strengthening collaboration and improving business confidence.
According to Cordelia Ikeanyi, Managing Director at Eastland General Resources, the renewed engagement and enhanced benefits structure demonstrate MultiChoice Nigeria’s commitment to recognising the value dealers bring to the business.
“This is a step in the right direction for dealers. The improved communication and engagement from MultiChoice have made partners feel more valued and included, and the new initiatives will support business expansion and help us explore untapped opportunities,” she said.
Also speaking at the forum, Ifeanyi Onyibo, CEO of Radac Communications Limited, noted that dealers have experienced more engagement and clearer communication in recent months, describing the renewed approach as a positive development for the dealer ecosystem.
“There has been a noticeable improvement in communication and engagement, and initiatives like this give partners greater confidence in the direction of the business,” he said.
The forum also featured a feedback session where dealers shared market insights, customer trends, and recommendations aimed at improving service delivery and strengthening customer experience across the country.
Awards were presented to top-performing dealers in recognition of their sales performance, customer service excellence and commitment to growing the MultiChoice business nationwide.
With the Dealer Enterprise 2.0, MultiChoice Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with dealers to strengthen partnerships, improve collaboration and drive shared growth across the country.
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