China’s coffee lovers skip urban grind for a rural buzz, but is cafe craze sustainable?
China’s coffee consumption has been increasing by double-digits annually, and many new ‘rural cafes’ are trying to brew success as the risk of homogenisation looms
She seldom visits the same suburban cafe twice. Asa Jin has her cuppa, takes in the view, snaps her share of pictures for social, and then considers which among the rising number of coffee shops she will visit next.
“Most rural cafes are leaning into a trendy, influencer-driven vibe, but it’s not sustainable,” said the 37-year-old freelancer from Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, explaining that many shops try to lure customers with “unique natural settings” – perfect for coffee-sipping social media users like herself.
“But after one visit, the sense of novelty has already faded,” she said.
Fortunately for Asa, there is probably another cafe just around the corner. Or closer, in many cases.
While tea has long been the drink of choice for Chinese people, a coffee culture has boomed and is now spreading to the countryside. Citing customs data, Xinhua said: “China’s net coffee imports increased by 130,800 tonnes from 2020-2024, representing 6.53-fold growth, with an average annual compound growth rate of 65.7 per cent.”
China now has 300-billion-yuan (US$42 billion) coffee industry, and consumption is expected to rise by double-digits again this year, according to the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs.