Alibaba's grocery unit Freshippo expanded its number of physical stores in China, the company said on Friday, as the business prepares to spin off from its parent company and go public. Freshippo, known as Hema in China, plans to open 12 new stores across mainland China in major cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Last week, JD set up a new business unit to house its grocery business 7Fresh, and appointed a company veteran to lead the division. Users can order online and get groceries delivered, but can also head to the physical stores known for their fresh produce such as lobsters. The expansion comes three months after Alibaba split itself into six separate business units in a bid to get the company back to growth.

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Persons: Alibaba's, Hema, JD, Alibaba's Freshippo, Alibaba, Freshippo Locations: China, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou