China Coffee Market Snapt Shot

The following information is a snapshot of the coffee market in China and comes from our preliminary research, reading and live experience.

The actual word for coffee in Chinese is 咖啡 (pronounced ka fei), however even as little as seven years ago, the generic word for coffee in China was Nescafé.

In recent years due to the desire to emulate the west and take on their culture, a new word is being used to describe coffee for the hip, fashionable and upwardly mobile – Starbucks.

From a nation of tea drinkers, coffee is far from a mainstream product. Coffee has generally been viewed as a product for westerners, and as such has remained a symbol of the western lifestyle. Quite often the consumption of coffee is viewed as a symbol of success, as only those with a high disposable income can afford to buy it.

The consumption of coffee is driven by the young, fashionable and increasingly wealthy. The place to be seen if you want to `be’ someone is an internationally branded coffee store.Visits to coffee shops are driven by :

• The Western Decor
• Music and ambience
• The crockery (branded cups particularly interest customers)
• Variety of beverages
• Variety of fresh cakes and other sweet treats
• Merchandise relating to coffee and the brand

Coffee drinkers are:
• Young (20 – 40) and fashionable (the place to be seen)
• Business people meeting place
• Lovers (great place to impress a date)
• Friends meeting place

Customers to coffee shops in China do not view their coffee as a morning kick start but as a relaxing after work drink. The most common time for coffee to be consumed is after work and in the evening/night.

Please keep reading our  other coming articles about Coffee in China.

The Best Coffee in Shanghai!

Comments

[jimmii]

hello thats interesting. i like starbucks coffee and am planning on going to shanghai soon, so i can have lots of coffee.

what other chains are there - like the second cup or gloria jeans?

[Sabrina]

Hi Jimmii, there are not many other coffee brands in Shanghai. One brand called "Zhen Guo" (真锅)has quite a few chain stores and they are also in the high market.

Shanghai is not a place for good coffee;you would be disappointed if you are a real coffee lover.Try some tea house maybe and you might like them.

I prefer to make some filtered coffee(tasty and cheap) at home if I were in Shanghai.