Source | Instant Liu Says JD.com Self-operated Brands: The 'Multi-platform Layout' in the Delivery Arena Recently, many users have noticed that JD.com's brands have simultaneously appeared on Meituan and Taobao Flash Purchase/Ele.me platforms. The self-operated delivery service 'Qixian Kitchen' has simultaneously landed on both competing platforms with strategies such as free delivery and stackable expansion red packets. 'Qixian Coffee' has also been launched simultaneously, and JD.com's self-operated medical aesthetics clinics, Qixian Supermarket, and pharmacy businesses have also taken root on both platforms. This 'two-way entry' situation forms a stark contrast with the intense confrontation with Meituan during the 'delivery war' initiated by JD.com earlier this year, inevitably leading to speculation about whether JD.com will continue to push on external platforms. Three months ago, JD.com launched Qixian Kitchen, while Meituan had already deployed 'Raccoon Canteen'. At that time, the two sides engaged in multiple verbal clashes over issues like 'ghost kitchens' and 'platform profit grabbing'. Now, JD.com has not chosen sides but instead entered both Meituan and Taobao Flash Purchase simultaneously, staging a real-life version of 'turning enemies into friends'. From 'at daggers drawn' to 'two-way cooperation', this not only rewrites the competitive logic of instant retail but also reveals the core rule of the internet industry: no eternal rivals, only eternal interests. When JD.com's supply chain capabilities connect with Meituan's traffic network and Alibaba's consumer ecosystem, so-called camp opposition naturally dissolves in the face of common commercial interests. From Confrontation to Collaboration: A Clash of Philosophies and an Ice-breaking Journey The birth of Qixian Kitchen stems from Liu Qiangdong's strategic bet on the food delivery market. In June 2025, he previewed in a media communication the launch of a 'disruptive food delivery model'. A month later, the first store landed in Changbao Building, Dongcheng District, Beijing. The store adopts a fully controllable chain model: multiple Xianglu Technology cooking robots achieve automated production, with the cooking process live-streamed via high-definition cameras; ingredients are pre-processed in central factories and delivered via cold chain throughout, ensuring food safety from the source. JD.com invested 1 billion yuan in startup funds, launched the 'Dish Partner Plan', recruiting providers of 1,000 signature dishes, with selected participants receiving a guaranteed minimum share of 1 million yuan; and plans to open 10,000 stores within three years, focusing on lower-tier markets. It is reported that the first store's operational data is impressive: within a week of launch, average daily orders exceeded 1,000, repurchase rate was 220% higher than the industry average, and it also drove a 12% increase in orders for restaurants within a 3-kilometer radius. When Qixian Kitchen launched, Meituan was promoting 'Raccoon Canteen'. The latter attracts brands with centralized kitchens and shared facilities, emphasizing 'the platform only provides infrastructure, never self-operates'. The philosophical conflict between the two sides quickly became public. Meituan stated that Raccoon Canteen's search volume surged 40 times, reiterating 'leaving traffic to merchants'; JD.com responded with the 'Three Absolutes' principle — never let merchants lose money, never let restaurants work for the platform, and never whitewash ghost kitchens. Qixian's head, Liu Bin, bluntly called Raccoon Canteen a 'second landlord model', while JD.com insists on 'asset-heavy self-operation', controlling the entire chain from ingredients to finished products. Interestingly, even during the debate, JD.com did not close the door to cooperation. Liu Bin repeatedly told the media: 'Our mindset is very open. As long as consumers have demand and platforms are willing to cooperate, we are happy to participate', and 'Qixian Kitchen is not a collection store for a single platform; we will never set limits on the consumer side'. This 'attack when possible, cooperate when retreating' strategy laid a key foundation for the later simultaneous entry into Meituan and Taobao Flash Purchase. Why Two-way Entry? Interests, Personal Ties, and Strategic Shift The cooperation between JD.com and Meituan is inseparable from the eight-year friendship between Liu Qiangdong and Wang Xing. From the 'Dongxing Bureau' in Wuzhen to private meetings over the years, the two have maintained communication. In June 2025, before entering food delivery, Liu Qiangdong specifically invited Wang Xing to dinner, with Yao Jinbo and Cheng Wei as companions, stating his intentions face-to-face, saying 'Brother Xing and I are good friends'. Even when business later became competitive, Liu Qiangdong publicly expressed respect for Wang Xing at JD.com's wine tasting event, emphasizing 'entrepreneurs should not become enemies due to competition'. This friendship transcending competition became the emotional bond that broke the deadlock. The deeper reason lies in the practical challenges JD.com's food delivery faces. Although Qixian Kitchen started successfully, the cooking robots are still under stress testing, the 10,000-store plan requires tens of billions of yuan, and with Taobao Flash Purchase entering with '50 billion yuan in subsidies', the script of the delivery arena has quietly shifted to a 'tiger fight' between Meituan and Taobao Flash Purchase, making it unrealistic for JD.com to continue following. At the same time, Meituan has 690 million annual active users and a delivery network covering 90% of districts and counties; Taobao Flash Purchase relies on Alibaba's ecosystem of 1 billion consumers. Two-way entry becomes the optimal solution: it not only gains traffic to break through growth bottlenecks but also uses self-operated quality control to fill the platforms' supply gap in 'high-quality food delivery'. Not Either/Or, but All: JD.com's Multi-platform Strategy Officially Sets Sail JD.com's simultaneous entry into Meituan and Taobao Flash Purchase marks its official shift to a 'multi-platform synergy' strategy. This fulfills Liu Bin's statement of 'no limits on the consumer side' and reflects JD.com's initiative and flexibility as a supplier in choosing platforms. For JD.com, this achieves diversified order sources, maximized user coverage, and fosters healthy competition among platforms to secure better cooperation terms. As an insider said: 'We remain open to all platforms; the core is to ensure self-operated quality control and obtain incremental orders.' At the same time, this means JD.com has officially shifted from 'zero-sum game' to 'open collaboration'. With supply chain at its core, JD.com amplifies value through multiple platforms, achieving a win-win situation of '1+1>2'. Liu Qiangdong once said: 'All JD.com's businesses revolve around the supply chain. The front end may not make money, but value must flow.' When both Meituan and Taobao Flash Purchase become value outlets for JD.com's supply chain, a new page has quietly turned in the history of co-opetition in China's instant retail.