Pharmanutra accelerates international expansion in the Far East through the Alibaba ecosystem

SDA Bocconi Report confirms the growth of e-commerce towards China

The latest SDA Bocconi Report, presented today by Alibaba, highlights the strategic role of digital marketplaces in supporting the European economy and the international growth of SMEs. Between 2022 and 2024, Alibaba platforms generated €38.6 billion in GDP across the six largest EU economies, creating more than 143,000 jobs in 2024 alone.
Italy stands out as a key contributor, with €10.25 billion added to GDP and sales to China reaching €5.2 billion in 2024, up by nearly half a billion euros compared to the previous year. The most in-demand product categories among Chinese consumers include fashion and leather goods (67%), beauty and chemicals (10%), and home furnishings.

The report also highlights the strong rebound of Chinese tourism in Europe, with Italy recording a +61% increase in visitors driven by the Fliggy platform, as well as emerging opportunities in ASEAN markets through Lazada, opening new growth prospects for Italian brands in countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Pharmanutra: a successful digital model for internationalisation

For the Pharmanutra Group, these figures confirm the effectiveness of the digital strategy implemented in recent years.
As stated by Carlo Volpi, COO and Board Member of Pharmanutra: “The Alibaba ecosystem has been a true accelerator for our international expansion, enabling us to strengthen our positioning, enhance brand visibility and develop a more advanced omnichannel approach. The experience with SiderAL® — launched on Tmall Global with the strategic support of Adiacent (Sesa Group) — clearly demonstrates how a digital, consumer-centric model can reduce market entry barriers, accelerate execution and provide deeper insights into direct-to-consumer dynamics in a highly competitive market such as China.”

Looking ahead, Pharmanutra aims to further consolidate its presence in China and seize the opportunities offered by emerging Southeast Asian markets, leveraging Alibaba platforms as a driver of international growth. The Group’s objective is to continue innovating by investing in digital solutions and advanced marketing strategies to bring its high-quality products to an increasingly broad global audience.