Alibaba Group Holding’s parcel and meal delivery arms have returned to pre-coronavirus outbreak staffing levels as China’s largest corporations get back to work after Beijing’s entreaty to safeguard economic growth, reported Caixin.
Cainiao, of which Alibaba owns more than 60%, is again at full strength after a few weeks during which the epidemic disrupted transport and held up shipments. Meal delivery unit Ele.me and grocery chain Freshippo are also back at full strength and operating at “full capabilities,” an Alibaba spokeswoman said.
That recovery underscores how the world’s No. 2 economy is slowly getting up to speed after the Covid-19 epidemic confined millions to their homes and paralyzed roads and rail nationwide. Cainiao, the company at the heart of Alibaba’s e-commerce business, oversees a network of millions of delivery people who can handle upwards of 1 billion packages daily at their peak.
Last week, Alibaba rival JD.com forecast at least 10% revenue growth this quarter, suggesting online retailing in China was proving more resilient to the coronavirus epidemic than expected.