The “Scenario Premium” Behind a Cup of Coffee

At a Glance (China Coffee Network): A coffee shop in Xiangtang Village, Pukou, Nanjing, themed around gardenia flowers, attracts many visitors on holidays. Its coffee prices are not exactly “affordable,” so why does its popularity never fade? The answer may lie in the word “scenario.”

A coffee shop in Xiangtang Village, Pukou, Nanjing, themed around gardenia flowers, attracts many visitors on holidays. Its coffee prices are not exactly “affordable,” so why does its popularity never fade? The answer may lie in the word “scenario.”

Source: Xinhua Daily, Wei Xiaomin.

When a cup of coffee is placed amid mountains, fields and gardens, it forms an inseparable consumption whole together with space and atmosphere. The premium consumers pay buys not only a “refreshing drink” but also the comfort of the environment, the pleasure of aesthetics and the value of social sharing. The scenario injects emotional added value into the product, upgrading consumption from “owning something” to “experiencing a place” — an important direction of the current consumption upgrade.

The rise of scenario consumption reflects a profound shift in consumption demand. As material supply becomes extremely abundant, people’s consumption aspirations tend to diversify. The elderly value smart elderly care and health management, while young consumers pursue personalized experiences and brand identity… The advantage of a super-large-scale market lies not only in its total volume but also in the vast differences among individual needs. Capturing signals from these differentiated demands may reveal an entry point for innovation. And the essence of scenario premium is precisely a precise response to this new demand, transforming intangible atmosphere, emotion and aesthetics into priced consumption content.

However, a scenario premium is by no means “build a set and you can sell at a high price.” Its value needs to be supported by a solid core. Xiangtang Village did not simply move a cafe into the countryside, but deeply tapped the gardenia, a phenological resource, combining local aesthetics with four-season operation so that the scenario has lasting vitality. In contrast, some blindly copied “internet-famous check-in spots” have only a refined shell but lack endogenous content; once the novelty of the scenario fades, they are deserted, let alone a sustainable premium capability. It can be seen that a scenario premium must be built on a “real scenario” — one that can withstand repeated experiences, always interact with human emotional needs, and continuously grow new content.

At the same time, a scenario premium also needs a value yardstick. Prices can be above cost, but should not depart from value. If the premium is abused and degenerates into a marketing gimmick that harvests sentiment, it will not only overdraw consumer trust but also, in turn, erode the brand’s vitality. Whether a scenario premium is reasonable is measured by whether the high price consumers pay is exchanged for an irreplaceable increment in experience.

The scenario premium of a cup of gardenia coffee seems small, yet it reflects a profound change in the consumer market. It reminds us that beyond function, “emotional value” and “aesthetic value” are becoming scarce resources. And Xiangtang Village’s exploration also shows that only scenarios rooted in local culture, respecting the sedimentation of time and sincerely serving demand can make the premium come naturally, injecting lasting momentum into the consumer market.

Source: Xinhua Daily, Wei Xiaomin.