(Answered) : Food and beverage has been one of the fastest growing categories in China, driven in part by changing consumer taste preferences

Food and beverage has been one of the fastest growing categories in China, driven in part by changing consumer taste preferences in favor of foreign brands. Mars Inc., parent company of sweet treats such as Snickers, M&M’s, and Dove, decided to capitalize on this trend in order to expand its business. The company formed a strategic partnership with Alibaba, the world’s largest online retailer. Under the agreement, Mars will sell 17 brands on Tmall.com, Alibaba’s business-to-consumer (B2C) platform, as well as Ruraltaobao.com, Alibaba’s new platform targeting China’s 600 million rural citizens. The partnership benefits Mars by helping improve the brand’s