你好: China’s Growing Coffee Culture

A Starbucks coffee shop in China

While Germany is known for its beer, China is known most for its tea- the Chinese only drink an average of about four cups of coffee per year, which doesn’t even compare to the American consumption of the drink. But, the coffee culture is quickly growing.

Coffee first came to China in the 1800’s from French Missionaries in the Yunnan province. 200 years later, the first Starbucks opened up in Beijing. Coffee’s climb in popularity rose quickly, however, if you were in China a few years ago you would’ve struggled to find a cup of coffee.

Nowadays, with Starbucks entering the market, coffee is much more accessible for the Chinese to enjoy. They now have 1500 outlets in 90 cities, and are planning to double their locations by 2019.

Coffee is being consumed mostly in Shanghai and Beijing by a young audience. With China’s urbanization and overseas ventures, the Chinese have been exposed to the drink and its popularity in other countries.

However, with Starbucks being a foreign chain, many local coffee shops are increasing in popularity. Since the Chinese do not like the bitter taste of coffee, a fondness for the milk-based coffees such as frappuccinos and lattes is the typical order. The Chinese also have specialized coffee drinks, like green tea frappuccinos, that cater to their preferred tastes.

It’s fair to say that Starbucks is a leader in the coffee market in China- their high price in the Chinese market establishes Starbucks as a luxury brand, which has been received very well by the population.

I think it’s interesting that it’s taken this long for the coffee market to really explode in China. Given that there’s an enormous population, market, and foreign travel, I would’ve assumed that the market would’ve been larger or at least been established for more than 20 years. After researching, I determined I was wrong.

I’m sure the coffee market in China is going to continue to go, but much like Germany, the primary drink associated with China will continue to be tea. The average person in China consumes 400 cups of tea per year- and I don’t anticipate that changing any time soon despite the introduction to caffeine.

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