Shanghai, April 19th (Xinhua) — How does a cup of coffee from China attract fans overseas?
Reporter Li Jiajia from China News Service
Why does coffee have culture as a fruit? "When Zhu Qi, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Science and Art Society, asked this question, everyone in the interview room laughed. His answer is: coffee is not competitive, it is bitter enough, and bitterness is its persistence; Coffee has its own heart and can blend with various ingredients; Coffee comes from different roasters and Mena reactions, and the requirement for self iteration constitutes its constantly innovative approach.
From openness to inclusiveness to innovation, these three virtues of coffee complement the urban character of Shanghai, "said Zhu Qi.
This statement took place in the office of Chen Bai, the chief planner of the Lujiazui International Coffee Culture Festival. In April of this year, this coffee festival, which was born in Pudong, went abroad for the second time and landed in Paris.
The "Encounter China" section of the 2026 Paris Coffee Festival features boutique coffee brands with oriental flavors that are highly favored by foreign customers. Photo provided by the Organizing Committee of Lujiazui International Coffee Culture Festival
Ten Year Journey: From 24 Brands to Coffee City
In 2016, when Chen Bai decided to establish a coffee festival in Lujiazui, Pudong, China's premium coffee market was still in its infancy.
The first coffee festival was held by the Huangpu River, with only 24 brands and only a few truly boutique coffees. At that time, someone asked him: Why do we do outdoor activities? Chen Bai replied, "I hope to provide a social setting where you can sit down and chat, and have a cup of coffee in the sunshine
Ten years later, Shanghai has become the city with the most coffee shops in the world. Relying on Pudong's advantages of openness and institutional innovation, Lujiazui has also become one of the areas with the highest density of coffee shops, the most prosperous consumption, and the strongest cultural atmosphere in China. With 122 commercial buildings, 300000 white-collar workers, and over 14 million annual visitors, this place has become the "first stop" and "first runway" for international brands entering China.
Chen Bai summarized the changes in the past decade into several stages: initially, it was "inviting in" to show the diversity of coffee to the Chinese people; Then comes the 'growth out', where Chinese local brands begin to sprout and grow; Now, he feels it's time to 'go out'.
First Arrival in London: An Unexpected 'Circle of Fans'
In 2025, the coffee festival will go abroad for the first time and choose London.
Actually, I was unsure at that time, "Chen Bai admitted. The result was unexpected. At the London Coffee Festival, there was a long queue in front of the booths of Chinese brands. White Whale Coffee brought Yunnan specialty coffee beans roasted in Shanghai; Xizang's Ningdu Coffee has made a special flavor with yak dregs; Shanghai Niuniu Coffee brought a Chinese made grinder, and a caf é owner near King's Station in London placed an order on the spot. Chinese professional fully automatic coffee equipment technology company CAYE Coffee Technology also signed an order worth over ten million yuan.
The most common thing foreigners say when they see our things is' very good '. ”Lu Yao, founder of White Whale Coffee, recalled. He started by pushing a tricycle onto the first coffee festival and now owns his own coffee roasting factory.
Liang Ziwen, co-founder of Shanghai Niuniu Coffee, has undergone a transformation from "bringing in" to "bringing out". In London, we brought the domestic brand Linkbar. An Italian brand with the same performance may be sold for 100000 yuan, and our price is only half that. ”He sighed and said, "In the past decade, I have witnessed the changes in China's coffee industry
At the Paris Coffee Festival, foreign guests are tasting premium coffee from Yunnan, China. Photo provided by the Organizing Committee of Lujiazui International Coffee Culture Festival
Landing in Paris: Walking into the 'spiritual homeland' of coffee
In April this year, the coffee festival landed in Paris with about 10 local Chinese brands.
Is Paris the 'spiritual homeland' of coffee? Not necessarily, "Chen Bai said with a smile," but France is an important pole of coffee culture. Going to Paris means we have the confidence to talk to them
Chen defined this trip as' going in '- if London last year was a test, then this year is truly entering the heart of Europe. "It is impossible without pressure, but it is also full of confidence." This confidence stems from the changes of Chinese coffee in the past decade: from the local flavor of Yunnan, to the special flavor of yak dregs in Xizang, to the endless "coffee+" creativity. At the Lujiazui Coffee Festival, there were even Shanxi aged vinegar coffee, Guangzhou pot coffee, Chengdu spicy coffee
There are so many cities in China, each with its own local culture. These cultures are inexhaustible, which is the most unique competitiveness of Chinese coffee, "Chen Bai said." I hope to use coffee as a carrier to let foreigners see the rapid rise of Chinese culture
Future vision: Chinese coffee being seen and appreciated
At the Lujiazui Coffee Culture Industry Center in Pudong, there is a table tennis racket signed by Olympic champion Xu Xin on display – a commemoration of last year's trip to London. As a partner of the coffee festival, Xu Xin started playing table tennis on site in London, sparking a wave of enthusiasm.
This has a particularly good meaning, "Zhu Qi said. In the 1970s, "ping pong diplomacy" opened the door to Sino US relations; Nowadays, Chinese coffee is going global and seems to be telling a new story.
From London to Paris, from exploration to exploration, Chinese coffee is finding its place. Not to replace anyone, but to be seen and understood.
Coffee itself is just a beverage, but it carries culture, "Chen Bai said." We hope that through our trip to Paris, foreigners can see what Chinese coffee is – it's not just a drink, it's a carrier of Chinese culture and stories
For the future, Chen Bai has a bigger vision: "The current global coffee benchmark is the Milan International Coffee Show in Italy. I hope that in 10 years, this stage will be in China, in Shanghai, and in Lujiazui, Pudong
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