At a Glance (China Coffee Network): On June 12 at Xinyin 1950, the hiss of espresso machines, the clink of pitchers, and the hum of conversation blended into one, the air thick with coffee aroma. At the “Coffee Rush Assembly—You’re Irreplaceable” 2026 Yunyan Third-Season Coffee Culture Event, Tan Tian, business manager of the brand-overseas department at Shanghai Dragonshine (Longtou Shares), had just signed the “Coral Plan” with Guizhou Blackstone Culture Development Co., Ltd. on behalf of his company—a bean-sourcing project aimed at finding high-quality coffee that will bring premium East African green beans to Guiyang.
This was Tan’s first visit to Guiyang, and his first time at a Yunyan coffee culture event. In just a few days, his understanding of Guiyang’s coffee culture shifted so dramatically that he described it with repeated exclamations of astonishment. He stated plainly that on the matter of coffee, Guiyang will surely rank among the nation’s leaders, and that Yunyan District’s coffee culture events, held for several consecutive years, are bound to become a benchmark for Western China.
“Guiyang people’s love for coffee really impresses me.”
Tan was a first-time visitor to Guiyang this year. Before coming, he had little image of this southwestern city. But in just days, his perception was completely refreshed.
Over the past few days, Tan walked into several cafés at random and found nearly all of them full. “Guiyang locals’ passion for coffee is very high—and they truly know their stuff,” he said. He noticed customers would ask about a bean’s origin, processing method, and flavor description: “They want a cup with a clear flavor and clear character, not just any bitter, caffeine-laden liquid.”
Tan compared this with other cities: “Most people just want a caffeinated drink to stay awake. But in Guiyang, people want flavor. That’s a completely different concept.”
He repeatedly stressed one statistic: “Guiyang has nearly 7 million people and over 3,000 cafés. Shanghai has over 20 million people and only about 10,000-plus cafés. Per capita, Guiyang has the highest café density in the country.”
A similar shock came at the event itself. The launch day was a weekday; Tan had expected only warm-up and groundwork, with crowds arriving on the weekend. To his surprise, the event started at 11 a.m. but by 10:30 a.m. the area was already packed. “Guiyang people’s love for coffee really impresses me,” Tan said bluntly.
“Guiyang grows no coffee beans, but can become a hub for specialty green beans.”
At the day’s launch ceremony, Tan signed and announced the “Coral Plan” coffee green-bean selection standards and bean-hunting project with Lei Ming, general manager of Guizhou Blackstone Culture.
The name derives from coffee cherries’ resemblance to red coral, symbolizing the search for high-quality bean sources. As a state-owned enterprise, Shanghai Dragonshine has stable East African green-bean operations; Guizhou Blackstone Culture, meanwhile, is deeply rooted in local selection standards—the two proved a natural fit.
“We’ve already produced a batch of high-quality beans this year and brought them to Guiyang for the event,” Tan said. Going forward, beans certified under the “Coral Plan” will carry a dedicated mark on their packaging—”telling everyone this is a high-quality bean.”
But he brought more than beans—a longer-term layout. “Coastal regions have more convenient bean trade and developed ports. As an inland city, Guiyang is an important hub.” Tan plans to use his advantage as an importer to connect the link from East Africa to Guiyang, “so that Guiyang’s roasters and cafés can source high-quality green beans as conveniently and cheaply as coastal cities.”
In other words, Guiyang grows no coffee beans, but is poised to become a distribution node for specialty green beans in Southwest China. “We’ll next partner deeply with local Guiyang coffee owners and processors,” he said, as several local roasters approached his booth; he turned, handed over his card, and talked with each in depth.
“Guiyang is an advanced region—not learning, but leading.”
“Shanghai is one of the cities with the most developed coffee culture—what advanced concepts can you bring to Guiyang?” Faced with a reporter’s question, Tan waved his hand: “No advanced concepts to speak of. Guiyang people’s understanding of coffee, I think, is no less than Shanghai’s or Shenzhen’s. This isn’t a traditional advanced region sharing experience with a backward one—Guiyang itself is the advanced region.”
On the event’s atmosphere, Tan said bluntly it was no less than Shanghai’s Lujiazui coffee events. Even in the coming years, this Yunyan event will surely become a banner for all of Western China.
On Guiyang’s coffee industry future, Tan offered his judgment: “Guiyang people’s need for coffee isn’t a simple need, but a need for quality. On this point, they’re ahead of the whole country. So I believe Guiyang will walk to the front of the nation on coffee.”
Reprint Notice & Disclaimer: This article is reprinted from Guiyang Net / Guiyang Daily. Original reporting by Zhao Hao; edited by Chen Jing. All rights belong to the original publisher.
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