Lattes adorned with pork sauce or infused with the liquor baijiu are appearing on menus as coffee companies compete for supremacy in the booming Chinese market.
In China, coffee is increasingly becoming the beverage of choice for many.
Last year, China surpassed the United States as the country with the highest number of branded coffee shops globally, according to a report by World Coffee Portal. The number of coffee outlets in China surged by 58% in 2023, reaching nearly 50,000, compared to around 40,000 in the U.S.
Previously, foreign brands like Starbucks, Canada’s Tim Hortons, and Britain’s Costa Coffee dominated the Chinese coffee market. However, they now face fierce competition from local Chinese coffee chains such as Luckin, Cotti, and Manner, as well as independent cafes in major cities like Beijing.
This growing competition means that coffee drinkers have more options than ever before, ranging from classic Americanos to lattes infused with pork flavors or Chinese liquor.
While tea remains deeply ingrained in Chinese culture, some young, middle-class consumers are turning to coffee for its caffeine boost, finding it better suited to the demands of a competitive job market and workplace.
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