Iceland launches products in China via JD

Supermarket is latest British brand to make the move

British supermarket chain Iceland has made its first foray into the Chinese market after its products went on sale online through e-commerce retailer JD.

The store is selling Iceland's own-brand products such as biscuits, cereals and sauces as well as a selection of other branded items including cosmetics.

"The rapid growth and opportunities the market in China offers were significant, and we decided it was time to act," said Iceland's founder Sir Malcolm Walker. "JD is a magnificent partner for us and we are excited to see the response of customers in China to our product range."

China remains the largest single e-commerce economy in Asia as the Chinese mainland’s burgeoning middle class continues to grow and embrace quality over price.

"We're delighted to be working with Iceland to bring their renowned products to Chinese consumers for the first time," said Yang Ye, general manager of JD. "With consumer demand for imported British products growing rapidly, this is an ideal time for a respected brand like Iceland to enter the China market. Iceland adds to the growing number of British brands on our platforms as we continue our push to bring the best of Britain to Chinese consumers.”

The move comes as JD plans to sell 2 billion pounds ($2.78 billion) worth of UK products to Chinese consumers in the next two to three years.

In February, British Prime Minister Theresa May met JD chairman and CEO Richard Liu during her first state visit to China. Among the topics discussed were JD's plans to help more UK brands reach the Chinese retailers' 266 million customers.

Over the last two years, the number of UK brands on JD has doubled, with sales in 2017 growing 100 percent year-on-year.

World famous brands such as household appliance maker Dyson, Clarks shoes, Johnnie Walker whisky and Lipton tea have been popular with JD consumers and over the past three years, Dyson sales on JD have increased by more than 60 times.