Online outlet connects US farmers with Chinese homes

Within a few hours of being harvested, fresh cherries from across the Pacific are quickly cleaned, sorted, packed, shipped via air and delivered directly to Chinese customers.

To make this happen, people have to place an order on Tmall.com, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's business-to-consumer shopping website.

Tmall.com recently promoted a food campaign with the United States Department of Agriculture's trade office in Shanghai. The campaign, which began on June 27 and ran until Monday, featured more than 60 different items, including Boston lobster, Alaskan wild salmon and cod, Sun-Maid raisins and fresh Northwest cherries from the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Utah, according to Keith Hu, international marketing director of Northwest Cherry Growers.