The company unveiled a beta of the site in April. Initially, the website took orders from consumers in select London postcodes, offering a range of ambient and frozen foods, household products, baby items, beverages, personal care, beauty, health, pet supplies, and nicotine products from major brands. Hundreds of Morrisons own-label food and drink lines are also available. Other categories added since include electronics, home appliances, and home & living.
To help establish the UK operation, JD.com assembled an experienced team of UK grocery buyers and category executives who had previously worked for retailers such as Sainsbury’s, Asda, Tesco, Ocado, and Amazon.
According to The Grocer, JD.com is hiring for roles covering multiple functions, including its growing network of UK warehouses and distribution centres as well as head office roles such as category manager, data analyst, accountant, developer, and user experience designer.
This will increase JD.com’s current UK 250 full-time headcount by 60%, + more employed on a contract basis.
JD.com in The Grocer said: “Joybuy is JD.com’s online retail business in Europe, dedicated to creating a more joyful shopping experience for our customers.
“Our service in the UK is currently in the beta testing phase, but we’re continuing to recruit great people to create an amazing customer journey, as we build towards our full commercial launch later this year.”
JD.com has been in inconclusive talks to acquire Sainsbury’s Argos, suggesting they have big plans for the UK.
JD.com were online-only but now has over 10,000 retail outlets and an annual turnover of more $150bn. It has also diversified into sectors such as technology, logistics, and healthcare.
In recent years, they have been expanding outside China, establishing operations in several EU countries and across Asia. The Joybuy brand has already been rolled out in Belgium, France, Germany, and Luxembourg.
In July, JD.com launched a €2.2bn offer for German electronics retailer Ceconomy, which runs more than 1,000 MediaMarkt and Saturn stores across Europe. The deal is expected to be completed in early 2026.
JD.com previously weighed a bid for UK-based consumer electricals chain Currys but withdrew its interest in March last year.
NamNews Implications:
- A new kid (with significant potential) is arriving on the block…
- (Hint, hint: ‘one of China’s largest retailers’)
- Suppliers getting in early may find it fractionally easier than playing catch-up later.
- Your colleagues in the EU and China should be able to add substance to your case for action
- ...inside and outside your company...
- Over to you…
