Cafe in Yunnan: Good Environment Leads to High Quality

Yunnan’s tropical regions predominantly feature a high-altitude, mountainous three-dimensional climate, offering unique natural and geographical advantages for coffee cultivation. Beyond its distinctive flavor, Yunnan coffee carries a rich cultural heritage and tradition. In Zhukula Village, recognized as the birthplace of Chinese coffee, there remains an ancient coffee grove spanning 13 mu (approximately 2.15 acres) with 1,134 coffee trees, including 24 trees over 100 years old. In addition to cultivating coffee, the villagers have developed the traditions of brewing and drinking coffee, creating a vibrant cultural landscape.

Development of Yunnan's Coffee Industry

The coffee industry has emerged as a thriving green sunrise industry in Yunnan. According to relevant data, Yunnan's coffee plantation area reached 82,700 hectares in 2023, with a production volume of 107,500 tons, including 24,400 tons of specialty coffee, which accounts for 23% of total production. Additionally, deep processing reached 60,000 tons, constituting 64% of production, and specialty coffee commanded a selling price of 62 yuan/kg. Yunnan's coffee plantation area, production, and output value account for over 98% of the national total, underscoring its pivotal role in China's coffee industry. Coffee-growing regions in Yunnan include Lincang, Baoshan, Pu'er, and Dehong, with a total planting area of approximately 1.39 million mu (2021 data), making Pu'er the largest among them. Currently, there are about 252,300 households and 1.02 million people engaged in coffee cultivation in Yunnan. In 2009, the Yunnan Coffee Industry Association was established, and Pu'er City also established the Yunnan International Coffee Exchange Center. The Yunnan Dehong Tropical Agricultural Science Research Institute has conducted research and public education on coffee variety breeding, agricultural technology, and pest and disease forecasting. Yunnan aims to become Asia's most influential specialty coffee production area, leveraging its strong industrial foundation and abundant resources. "The reputation of Yunnan coffee is growing as renowned as that of Pu'er tea." Pu'er is inseparably linked to tea. However, few people know that Yunnan has been cultivating coffee beans for over a century, with large-scale coffee cultivation taking place for nearly 40 years.

In January 2015 and January 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Yunnan twice, emphasizing the importance of leveraging its unique resource diversity to enhance plateau-featured agriculture and contribute significantly to the supply of essential agricultural products nationwide. Located within the world’s golden coffee-growing belt, Yunnan had a coffee plantation area of 82,700 hectares in 2023, accounting for 1% of the global total and over 98% of the national total, making it unparalleled in China. The global coffee consumption market is rapidly expanding, and China's coffee market is flourishing. Major global coffee giants such as Nestlé, Starbucks, Illycaffè, Newman’s Own, Louis Dreyfus, Sucafina, and Volcafé have all entered the Chinese market. This presents Yunnan coffee with new opportunities for market growth while also exposing it to the challenges of global competition. The development of Yunnan's coffee industry has garnered great attention from national leaders. It carries the shared prosperity dreams of one million coffee farmers across 31 counties in nine border regions and connects with the aspirations of 1.4 billion people for a better life. Industry insiders note that in recent years, the rate of specialty coffee production in Yunnan has increased significantly, and a surge of Yunnan coffee brands has entered the national market. This represents only part of Yunnan coffee's success on the consumer end. With a series of policy incentives and project support, the entire Yunnan coffee value chain is showing renewed vitality.

Characteristics of Yunnan Coffee Beans

Coffee cultivation in Yunnan began as early as the late 19th century, reportedly introduced by a French missionary. Large-scale, agricultural coffee cultivation started around 1988. At that time, coffee giants such as Nestlé dominated the bulk purchase market by investing in coffee plantations in Yunnan and buying large quantities of beans, primarily for instant coffee production.

Around 2009, some small estates in Yunnan began to realize the market potential of specialty beans and started cultivating various specialty coffee varieties. Yunnan produces both Robusta and Arabica beans. Arabica beans are mostly classified as specialty coffee beans. Coffee drinks sold by brands such as Luckin Coffee, Manner, and Starbucks are made with Yunnan Arabica beans. Previously, Yunnan coffee was commonly known as Yunnan Small-bean Coffee, which is essentially a nickname for Arabica coffee, which has strict requirements for its growing environment, thriving in mountainous areas with abundant rainfall and significant day-to-night temperature differences. Some specialty coffees even specify details such as bean variety, estate, processing method, and the altitude of cultivation. Currently, the most commonly cultivated variety in Yunnan is Catimor, a hybrid between Arabica's Caturra and Robusta's Timor. Catimor possesses the strong disease resistance of Robusta; however, it comes at a cost, as it is somewhat inferior to Typica in terms of aroma and flavor complexity. Of course, some farmers in Yunnan are now growing other specialty coffee varieties, such as Bourbon, Caturra, and Catuai. Yunnan’s ecological environment offers exceptional advantages for the growth of Typica, Bourbon, and Catimor. The bright acidity and unique flavor profile of Yunnan coffee beans are unparalleled, matching the quality of any foreign specialty coffee beans, making them highly favored by global consumers.

Challenges Faced by Yunnan Coffee

Coffee is a fruit that requires specific conditions in terms of climate, soil, and labor. One of the challenges faced by coffee farmers in Yunnan is the highly variable climate; weather conditions can differ significantly between mountain tops and valleys, making it difficult to ensure consistent flavor in green coffee beans. This results in inconsistencies in the flavor of coffee from the same plantation, even for the same variety, meaning that the signature flavor still requires further exploration. Moreover, coffee has a long value chain, including cultivation, processing, roasting, and retail. The cultivation and processing stages are often linked, as coffee cherries are fresh fruit that need to be processed immediately after harvesting to remove the pulp. The most common processing methods are sun-drying and washing, which require coffee farmers to have a basic understanding of fermentation techniques.

Currently, most specialty coffee in Yunnan is cultivated on a small scale by local farmers, with relatively basic techniques for cultivation, harvesting, and processing, leaving significant room for improvement. Currently, over 90% of Yunnan coffee is exported as green beans, which yields low profits. Higher profits are found in producing specialty coffee. However, coffee farmers are far removed from the market frontlines and receive limited training in coffee cultivation techniques, leading to inconsistent quality in specialty coffee production and low bargaining power. Therefore, Yunnan coffee has significant room for improvement and needs to accelerate its brand-building efforts. Enabling more Chinese consumers to appreciate specialty Yunnan coffee is the first step toward bringing it to the global stage.

The Process of Enhancing Yunnan Coffee’s International Influence

Liu Haifeng, Marketing Manager of the Yunnan Coffee Exchange Center, once told a reporter from Beijing Youth Daily: "Although coffee giants like Starbucks and Nestlé have been sourcing coffee beans from Yunnan for many years, they didn’t want people to know their beans were from Yunnan. In the past, if you visited well-known coffee shops in cities like Beijing or Shanghai, they wouldn’t openly showcase Yunnan coffee beans, as if it were something to be ashamed of." To dispel the stigma surrounding Yunnan coffee and enhance its recognition and international influence within the industry, Yunnan has implemented numerous measures over the years, achieving significant results. On July 9, 2014, the Yunnan Coffee Exchange Center Co., Ltd. (later renamed the Yunnan International Coffee Exchange Center) was officially established as a key coffee industry service platform promoted by the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee and the provincial government. Following its establishment, the center appointed Mr. Ted Lingle, the creator of coffee cupping standards and a globally renowned coffee expert, as a senior advisor. Through strategic cooperation with the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI), the center developed a coffee quality testing system that aligns with international practices while catering to Yunnan's unique conditions. Additionally, it published the Planting Standards Manual and Processing Standards Manual tailored to different regions in Yunnan and created a flavor wheel for Yunnan coffee. These quality testing standards have been fully implemented in transactions, earning recognition from both production areas and domestic and international markets. In 2018 and 2019, the Yunnan Coffee Exchange Center successfully hosted the Pu’ er International Specialty Coffee Expo (referred to as the Coffee Expo) for two consecutive years. Each year, the event attracted more than 100 coffee organizations and enterprises from over 20 countries and regions. This significantly enhanced the international influence of the Yunnan International Coffee Exchange Center, accelerated the specialization of Yunnan’s main coffee-producing regions, such as Pu’ er, and laid a solid foundation for the international development of Yunnan coffee.

Experiencing Yunnan's Coffee Culture

A visit to Yunnan wouldn't be complete without exploring its coffee estates. These unique specialty coffee estates offer the opportunity to experience the processes of coffee cultivation, harvesting, roasting, and production, while immersing oneself in the natural, ecological, and cultural beauty of the coffee plantations.

1, Xiao’aozi Coffee Estate, founded by coffee cultivation expert Liao Xiugui in 1997, is a comprehensive experience estate offering educational tours, sightseeing, coffee tasting, and camping. This coffee estate, rich in history, has seen three generations dedicated to coffee farming. Here, visitors can admire the blooming flowers, appreciate the coffee trees, sip coffee under the starlit sky, and enjoy the aromatic surroundings. Xiao’aozi Coffee Estate is truly a serene and leisurely destination!

2, Tianyu Coffee Estate, located in Nandaohe Village, Nanping Town, Simao District, offers specialty coffee experiences, educational programs, and starlight camping. One of its highlights is its unique coffee-inspired cuisine, including lemon coffee, coffee-roasted chicken, coffee fruit salad, and coffee fruit wine—just hearing these names is enough to make anyone's mouth water. Sitting in the rows of coffee trees, one can savor the flavors of distant mountains and forests, surrounded by the gentle breeze, blooming flowers, and the rich aroma of coffee—everything feels so tranquil and delightful.

3, Yeyatang Valley Estate boasts over 30 years of coffee cultivation and management experience. Through three generations of exploration, the quality of its coffee has steadily improved. With its unique advantage as an original coffee-growing region, the estate has become a popular destination for coffee enthusiasts and volunteers exploring Pu’ er coffee. Volunteers visiting the estate can not only experience the joy of working in the coffee fields and deeply savor the "flavors of distant mountains and forests," but also learn how to brew Pu’ er coffee and gain insights into the stories and culture of this coffee’s origin.

Internet Pathways for Coffee Culture Dissemination

The film Coffee or Tea? tells the story of three young men who had been struggling in the city. Returning to a remote village in the mountains, they serendipitously started an e-commerce business, embarking on an inspiring entrepreneurial journey. This is a tale of small-town dreamers chasing big ambitions in a transformative era. Audiences were captivated by Yunnan coffee after watching the movie, enchanted not only by Yunnan’s stunning scenery but also eager to taste the unique flavors of the distant mountains and forests depicted in the film. Filmed in Lancang Lahu Autonomous County in Pu’er, Yunnan, and centered around Yunnan coffee, this movie broke through cultural barriers and propelled Yunnan coffee to trending topics. Statistics show that Yunnan coffee’s WeChat index has doubled over consecutive days, and topics about the film on Weibo have garnered billions of views. Driven by this wave of attention, Yunnan coffee has entered the public spotlight.

The documentary The Coffee Here is a Little Sweet uses nine minutes to tell the heartfelt story of a grandfather and grandson growing coffee together in the mountains. It highlights how, on this land, some people have resisted the allure of foreign-branded packaging, maintained their original intentions, upheld cultural confidence, and firmly believed in the strength of Chinese brands. Currently, Baoshan’s coffee industry is seizing a critical development opportunity, embarking on the fast track of brand building and beginning a new journey toward global recognition. In the future, under the leadership of the Baoshan government and with the dual support of China Mobile Yunnan Company’s 5G technology and China Mobile Migu’s extensive resources, Baoshan’s small-bean coffee is expected to achieve even faster development. It aims to drive rural revitalization through industrial upgrades while shining brightly on the global stage. This will allow coffee enthusiasts worldwide to savor premium Baoshan small-bean coffee, spreading this rich and aromatic Chinese flavor across the globe.