By Xu Xin, Li Zhiwei, Bai Yuanqi, People’s Daily
In the undulating highlands of southwest China, Yunnan’s distinctive natural environment – characterized by low latitudes, high altitudes, large day-nighttemperature fluctuations, and fertile, slightly acidic soils – creates conditions reminiscent of the world’srenowned coffee-growing regions. These attributes have allowed small-grain coffee to flourish, earning the province a growing reputation among coffee connoisseurs.
Data from Kunming Customs show that in 2024, Yunnan exported 32,500 tonnes of coffee – a remarkable year-on-year increase of 358 percent. This skyrocketing growth has positioned Yunnan as a rising player in the global coffee market, with key export destinations including Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, and Vietnam. The province’s expanding global presence is further bolstered by efficient logistics, such as the China-Europe freight train service, which ensures European consumers receive their coffee orders in as little as 15 days.
German coffee entrepreneur Eric Baden, who runs Coffee Commune in Shanghai, is one of Yunnan coffee’s most ardent advocates. Through his writings for the Specialty Coffee Association, Baden has introducedthe region’s offerings to coffee lovers and roasters around the world.
For over a decade, Baden has championed the unique qualities of Arabica coffee beans grown in Yunnan’s red soil. His efforts were validated in 2019 when Yunnan’s P86+ Arabica beans clinched a silver medal at the largest coffee roasting competition in Australia and New Zealand – a milestone that, in his view, highlights the province’s growing global recognition.
Pu’er, often dubbed”China’s coffee capital,”plays a pivotal role in the supply chain, providing raw beans for industry giants such as Nestle, Starbucks, and Luckin Coffee. According to Starbucks’ website, since establishing a farmer support center in Yunnan in 2012, the company has worked closely with localgrowers to refine cultivation techniques and improve bean quality, expanding the reach of Yunnan coffeeinternationally. In addition to meeting Chinese domestic demand, the premium beans are exported to markets across Asia, Europe, and the U.S., with Starbucks even offering a Yunnan single-origin coffee in its Chinese product lineup.
Advances in processing technology have further bolstered Yunnan’s coffee industry. In 2024, 31.6 percentof the province’s coffee was classified as specialty grade, and an impressive 80 percent of beans underwent deepprocessing. New products, such as freeze-dried powder and cold brew concentrates, are gaining popularity, particularly in Vietnam’s ready-to-drink market, where consumers applaud the coffee’s smooth, richly nuanced flavor accented by a hint of fruity acidity.
The online marketplace has taken notice as well. On Amazon, Yunnan coffee varieties are selling briskly, with many customers commending the beans’ exceptional qualityand distinct character.
A new generation of entrepreneurs is playing an instrumental role in spreading Yunnan coffee across the globe. Lin Shuxian, born in the 1990s and once a resident of Yuxi in Yunnan, moved to Spain in 2021. Driven by nostalgia for home flavors and a keen insight into untapped opportunities in the European coffee market, she began promoting Yunnan coffee in Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands in 2022. Through her company, “Shu from Yunnan,”she exports Yunnan green coffee beans to Europe, helping to introduce the region’s distinctive offerings to a wider audience.
Today, Yunnan coffee is increasingly featured in boutique cafésin Spanish cities like Barcelona, Malaga, and Caceres. In Zaragoza, major roasters continue to source Yunnan green beans from Lin’s company, roasting, packaging, and distributing them to a growing market.”They bought 360 kilograms of green beans from me, and the entire batch was gone within a week,” Lin said. “Yunnan coffee gives roasters a unique opportunity to explore a range of exciting flavors.”
Yunnan coffee is now gaining significant international attention. A report by the International Coffee Organization believes that China has the potential to have a bright and formative future in coffee, noting its firm integration into the global coffee value chainand its own unique place within the global coffee industry.
