在昆明喝咖啡 | Coffee in Kunming

Since 2020, Wang Qian, a new media practitioner, has been ordering a cup of Americano every working day. “When my work schedule is tight or when I’m under a lot of stress, a cup of coffee will help me get energized. Coffee has become a part of my daily routine.”

Behind a small cup of coffee lies great “business expertise”.

In recent years, small cafes of different styles have sprung up like mushrooms after rain in the streets and alleys of Kunming, and more and more people have started to drink Yunnan coffee. This proves the fact that coffee, as a characteristic plateau agricultural product of Yunnan, is playing an increasingly important role in the green food card, one of Yunnan’s “three calling cards”.

To many people, coffee is bitter. The cafes hidden in the streets and alleys of Kunming all have their own way of brewing coffee, making for a variety of different flavors. In addition to the bitterness, local ingredients such as bean paste, chili peppers, preserved rose petals, as well as liqueurs are added into the coffee, making it more acidic, sweet or spicy. Just like the city itself, the coffee is also diverse and inclusive. You will never know what kind of coffee you will find at the next café you visit.

2019 seems to have been a watershed year for the coffee market in Kunming.

Kunming, a city known for its laidback lifestyle, was an “awkward” place to many cafe owners.

“Although Kunming is the capital of China’s main coffee producing province, it is still far away from the main producing cities, such as Baoshan and Pu’er. Besides, with no industrial chain, it is difficult to reduce costs and if trying to sell these products to other provinces or even abroad, we are bound to encounter bottlenecks in channels and output. In addition, because of the slow pace of life in the city, the main consumer group, urban white-collar workers, have limited demand for coffee, which results in slow market growth.” Tina, manager of ‘Taoxi’, a community cafe on Shangyi Street, explained.

Statistical data further prove the intuitive experience that the market brings to people.

Looking at the coffee industry in Yunnan as a whole, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic provided an excellent development opportunity, as the import of coffee beans was greatly affected. However, the delivery cycle of Yunnan coffee beans remained stable, resulting in an explosive development in 2020.

According to data from Qianzhan Jingjixueren, in 2019, the coffee planting area in Yunnan reached 1.5673 million mu, accounting for over 99% of the coffee planting area in the whole country, with an output of 145,000 tons. The raw coffee beans and deep-processed coffee products of Yunnan Province were sold to 55 countries and regions including the RU, the US, Japan, and South Korea, producing an export volume of nearly 1 billion yuan. According to statistics from Kunming Customs, 56,100 tons of coffee beans and related products were exported from Yunnan Province in 2019.

“Like other agricultural produce, the rise of planting volume of coffee beans reflects the demand of the market.” said Zhu Zeyu, founder of Yunnan Anke Coffee Co., Ltd, which is located in an old factory on Houxin Street. After having renovated the factory, the first floor is now used as a roastery, while the second floor is a comprehensive space integrating a SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) coffee training academy, a coffee bar, and a public open space. “Since the outbreak of the pandemic, our roasted beans have been sold well. We sell at least 30 tons per month, and the sales volume is still growing.” Zhu Zeyu said.

Adding “Kunming flavors” to coffee has become a powerful way to attract consumers.

“We are in Kunming, at 1,891 meters above sea level. Through coffee, we want to share the Yunnan we know with you. We are All-ttitude1891.” Siwei is preparing a speech for her live broadcast to let people know more about Yunnan coffee and her cafes. “All-ttitude1891” has two stores, one on Beimen Street and the other on Houxin Street, two streets with traditional Kunming characteristics. The cafes have become “must-visit” shops and are popular among young people. Siwei, who has been working in the coffee industry for years, knows that to be successful, just making sure that the products look good is not enough. As a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef, she is thinking outside the box to come up with new creative coffee drinks. She has created more than a dozen coffees which incorporate Yunnan elements such as Tonghai sweet liquor, chili powder, saponaria rice, Tuodong sweet soy sauce, and chili peppers, reflecting the 1891 brand concept. Not everyone enjoys the bitterness of coffee, but with the addition of Yunnan flavors, she has something for everyone. Special coffees such as “Banna Girl”, “Zhuxin Market”, “Red-headed Gull Latte” and “Haiyan Village Sunset”, bring up great Kunming memories to those who drink it.

In Taoxi, Tina also makes papaya juice Americano, a seemingly bizarre combination providing the customers with a completely different taste of coffee.