The second Grainfull Coffee Culture Festival takes place near the China Grand Canal Museum in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, May 18, 2024. (CFP)
Cities within the Yangtze River Delta have hosted more than 40 coffee-related events this year, including festivals and cultural weeks, with nearly half taking place in May.
This vibrant coffee consumption in the delta region, which includes Shanghai and the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui, reflects a booming coffee culture in China. With consumption growing at an annual rate of 15%, the country is one of the fastest-growing coffee markets globally.
Data from the online-to-offline life service platform Meituan shows that by December 13, the number of coffee shops in the delta listed on the platform surged by over 33% year-on-year, with average daily online orders growing more than 72%. Cities like Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, and Wenzhou account for over 54% of the region’s coffee shops listed on Meituan.
A view of Qifeng Coffee, a popular café in Xuzhou, November 12, 2024. (CFP)
As an indicator of local acceptance of the beverage, coffee festivals are most prevalent in Shanghai, followed by Hefei, Nanjing, and Wenzhou.
Once focused solely on promoting coffee, festivals now increasingly incorporate local culture and tourism. For example, this year’s Shanghai West Bund Coffee Festival transformed a 1.5-kilometer stretch of riverside into an integrated experience of "coffee + culture, sports, travel and exhibition".
The rise of cafés in the delta’s rural areas is another notable trend. In Ningbo City, a café in Yongwang Village overlooks expansive rice fields, while a store in Anji County, Huzhou, set a national record by serving 8,188 cups in a single day. Similarly, Shecun Village in Nanjing is home to 16 cafés, attracting a steady stream of visitors.
According to statistics, China’s coffee imports have nearly doubled over the past decade. With coffee consumption projected to reach 378,000 tonnes in 2024, the country is set to become the world’s sixth-largest coffee consumer. The Yangtze River Delta is now serving as a prime example of the growing coffee consumption among Chinese residents.
