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Starbucks, Alibaba launch voice ordering and delivery

September 19, 2019

Starbucks is taking another step toward evolving the digital experience for customers in China by launching voice ordering and delivery capabilities within Alibaba's smart speaker, Tmall Genie, according to a company press release. Customers may now order by using their voice for delivery within 30 minutes. The platform uses Alibaba's on-demand food delivery platform, Ele.me.

"The Starbucks feature through Alibaba's Tmall Genie ushers in a new era of digital customer engagement for Starbucks, leveraging ground-breaking digital technology to create an unprecedented experience that elevates our connection with customers to new heights,” Molly Liu, vice president and general manager digital ventures, Starbucks China, said in the release. "We are focused on ensuring that Starbucks voice ordering is truly personal, and we look forward to offering our customers more convenient moments and new opportunities to engage with Starbucks on a single integrated platform as they move throughout the day."

The launch of the service marks the 1-year anniversary of Starbucks and Alibaba's partnership which advances the New Retail infrastructure and digital power in China — one of the fastest-growing markets in the world for coffee consumption. The announcement also builds on several significant collaborations between the two companies that enable a seamless Starbucks Experience for Chinese customers, such as establishing back-of-house kitchens, Star Kitchens, within Alibaba's Freshippo supermarkets in China.

Through Alibaba's Tmall Genie, customers place an order using their voice and can track their order in real-time within the 30-minute delivery timeframe.

Starbucks Rewards members also can earn Stars and receive membership updates, including benefits, on the Tmall Genie. Soon, members will be able to receive personalized recommendations when using voice commands to place orders that are tailored to previous order preferences and popular items from Starbucks seasonal menu. As another added benefit, Starbucks fans in China can also listen to the latest Starbucks in-store playlists through Alibaba's music streaming app, Xiami Music, according to the release.

Powered by Alibaba's speech AI and voice print payment technology, Tmall Genie orders come with splash-proof lids for hot and cold beverages, tamper-proof packaging seals and individual hot and cold delivery containers. An exclusive Starbucks-themed Tmall Genie is available through the Starbucks virtual store in China, which unifies Starbucks offerings within Alibaba's mobile apps, including Taobao, Alipay and Tmall, according to the release.