Japan’s Kao Group and JD.com said Thursday they have formed a strategic partnership and plan to open a Kao-branded store in May on the JD Worldwide platform.
The online store will initially feature maternal and children’s products, with additional product lines expected to be introduced in the future, the companies said.
Kao owns a wide range of consumer brands including Laurier, Attack, Bioré and Merries.
Last year, China announced it will abolish its longstanding one-child policy, allowing parents to have up to two children. The move has sparked interest in baby-related businesses in China, but while there is bound to be an increase in spending as parents are given more leeway to expand their families, it’s still unclear how significant the impact will be.