Coffee market in China: From urban cafes to rural tourism destinations
Chinese consumers are drinking coffee more regularly. According to a 2025 iiMedia survey, 36% of respondents drink coffee four to six times a week, while 29% drink it every day. This is particularly the case among the younger generations and urban professionals. While drinking coffee while studying or working is the main occasion in China’s […]
Manner Coffee: Can a premium-accessible chain keep its edge in a brutal coffee market?
From a tiny Shanghai storefront to 2,000 locations, Manner Coffee has become a prominent player in China’s coffee market. Its model is built around accessible specialty coffee, minimalist design, and lifestyle collaborations that align with the rise of coffee consumers in China’s tier-1 cities. However, this balance is becoming harder to maintain. Competitions among coffee […]
Will Cotti Coffee win the price war against Luckin Coffee?
Founded in August 2022 by former Luckin Coffee executives Lu Zhengya and Qian Zhiya, Cotti Coffee (库迪咖啡) has experienced rapid growth. As of May 2024, it had the third-highest number of coffee shops, with 6,505 stores, following Starbucks with 7,102 stores and Luckin Coffee with 18,360 stores. Despite its meteoric rise and the growing number […]
Brewing a remarkable resurgence: Luckin Coffee’s tale of innovation and redemption
In the hyper-competitive Chinese coffee market, few stories are as gripping as that of Luckin Coffee (瑞幸咖啡). Once embroiled in a scandal that led to its expulsion from Wall Street in 2020, Luckin Coffee has not just clawed back to its former glory but has also eclipsed some of the industry giants. As of early […]
Costa Coffee in China: a ubiquitous player
Although coffee got off to a late start in China, coffee shops are now scattered through tier-1 and tier-4 cities alike, and consumption is on the rise. One chain that captures the premium side of China’s coffee market is Costa Coffee. This case study of Costa Coffee in China shows how the British coffee shop […]
Podcast transcript #15: The challenging Chinese coffee industry
Find here the China paradigm episode 15. Learn more about Carol Liu’s story in China and find all the details and additional links below. Full transcript below: Matthieu David: Hello everyone and welcome in this new episode of China Paradigm, the China business podcast where we interview entrepreneurs in China. Today I am with Carol […]
[Podcast] China paradigm #15: How to successfully run a coffee shop chain in China
In this episode of China paradigm, Matthieu David, CEO of Daxue Consulting, catches up with Carol Liu, who managed up to 5 coffee shops in China she co-created with her husband. Liu’s Coffee chain “Big Sur” is serving 500 coffee cups a day and emphasizes high quality, using top-notch coffee machines and bean-grinding machinery from […]
[Interview] Shanghai is for Entrepreneurs: Big Sur and the coffee shop industry in China
How Carol Liu, the founder of Big Sur Tea and Coffee Shop, forged a new path in the coffee shop industry in China Carol Liu invested in one of the best coffee machines on the market, La Marzocco. For Carol Liu (刘晓光), her story is a part of a growing crowd in Shanghai. Once China […]
Local coffee brands in China
LOCAL COFFEE BRANDS IN CHINA Overview of the coffee market in China According to data from China Coffee Association Beijing, the coffee consumption growth is increasing at an annual rate of 15 percent. Even if the population individuals drink an average of 5 cups of coffee per year, compared to the world’s average of 240 […]
Market Report on: Costa Coffee in China
Costa was founded by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa in 1971 and is now part of the Whitbread family of brands. Costa operates in 25 countries and is now the number two international coffee shop operator with 1,600 stores: 1,069 in the UK; and 531 overseas. Outlets Analysis of Costa Coffee in China According […]