Alibaba Group is reported to be offering about $1.5 billion to acquire Pupu, a China-based online grocery delivery company. The move begins a bidding process and is described as part of Alibaba’s broader effort to gain market share in online commerce amid its rivalry with Meituan.
According to reporting cited by Bloomberg and other outlets, Pupu is positioned as one of the remaining larger independent online grocery platforms. The proposed price is framed as substantially higher than competing bids: Sun Art Retail, a China retailer and former Alibaba affiliate now backed by private equity firm DCP Capital, is reported to have submitted an offer of about $600 million.
The same coverage notes that Meituan has also been active in the grocery space, including a separate transaction valued at about $717 million. Taken together, the reports portray escalating competition among major platforms and investors for control of key players in China’s online grocery delivery market.
