Rakuten Forms New Strategic Alliance with Walmart

Rakuten and Walmart jointly announced the start of a strategic alliance between the two companies. As a part of this alliance, Rakuten will establish a joint venture with Walmart's subsidiary Seiyu with the aim of launching a new online grocery delivery service in Japan, to be known as "Rakuten Seiyu Netsuper." And in the US, Walmart will become Rakuten Kobo's exclusive mass retail partner for the Kobo brand, offering Kobo's lineup of eBooks, audiobooks and eReaders at both Walmart stores and Walmart.com.
At the press conference on January 28, Mickey, Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon, Walmart eCommerce U.S. President and CEO Marc Lore, Seiyu GK and Walmart Japan Holdings President and CEO Takeshi Kamigouchi, as well as Rakuten Kobo's Chief Marketing Officer Alan MacNevin took to the stage to announce this exciting news.