The average growth rate of global coffee consumption is two percent, which is close to market saturation, whereas coffee consumption in China is growing at an astonishing rate of 15 percent annually. According to data from the International Coffee Organization, the market size of China’s coffee industry will reach RMB 1 trillion in 2025. Its coffee market is entering a stage of rapid development, and new brands are constantly emerging.
On January 6, Chinese President Xi Jinping communicated his encouragement to Howard Schultz, chairman emeritus of Starbucks Corporation, expressing his wish for Starbucks to continue to play an active role in promoting Sino-U.S. economic and trade cooperation and the development of bilateral relations.
Coffee from Abroad
The Starbucks Index is an indicator that reflects one region’s economic vitality and investment environment. The more Starbucks stores there are in a place, the more dynamic its economy is. Since entering the Chinese market in 1999, Starbucks has opened 4,700 stores in nearly 190 cities. It is among the first international coffee brands to enter China and has served as a bridge for cultural integration.
In 1989, the American urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg proposed “the third place” in his book The Great Good Place: outside the home and office, the place where people want to spend a good time. This concept was developed by Schultz into the cornerstone of Starbucks culture. It was also quickly embraced by Chinese citizens, and a growing number of them are now accustomed to working and socializing in the café.
Affected by the epidemic, Starbucks’ business was facing some issues, so opening stores in China turned out to be a life-saver.
This story is from the April 2021 edition of China Today (English).
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2021 edition of China Today (English).
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A City with Vision for the Future
LOCATED on the edge of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, at one of the farthest points in China from the sea, stands a city that began to embrace its great economic takeoff just 10 years ago.
Setting out on the Great Rejuvenation
THE centenary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was marked by a grand gathering held on July 1 at Beijing’s Tian’anmen Square.
A Similar History Has United Us
— Interview with Carlos Miguel Pereira, Ambassador of Cuba to China
The CPC's 100 Years of “Routine Miracles”
AT a grand ceremony commemorating the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at Beijing’s Tian’anmen Square on July 1, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, solemnly declared the completion of building China into a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the country’s first centenary goal.
An Open Xinjiang with Multi-Ethnic Beliefs
SINCE ancient times, Xinjiang has been a region where ethnic groups live together, religious beliefs are diversified, and many cultures coexist. Primitive religion and Shamanism were initially prevalent in the region.
Xinjiang in My Eyes
ON May 24, 2021, I boarded a flight to Urumqi from Beijing with a group of Chinese and foreign journalists to learn more about Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a vast territory that is home to many ethnic groups and diverse cultures. The visit has left me with lasting memories and a deeper understanding of the people and the region as a whole.
Stability and Development Are the Strongest Evidences of Human Rights
OVER the past months hostile elements in certain Western countries have trumped-up charges against China concerning human rights in Xinjiang, spreading lies about “forced labor,” “genocide,” and “religious oppression” in the region.
BRI Nexus Promoting Multilateralism in a Post-Pandemic World
BORN of centuries-long interactions between China and other civilizations along the ancient Silk Road, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) appears as the quintessential manifestation of multilateralism on the world stage since the Second World War which was, sad to say, one of quite a different kind.
Tourism Boosts Rural Revitalization in Ili
THEY say you never know how big China is until you come to Xinjiang, and never know how beautiful Xinjiang is until you come to Ili.
Xinjiang's Cotton Industry Gets Smart
LOCATED in the northwest of China, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region boasts long hours of sunshine and ample water for irrigation — making the region geographically ideal for growing cotton. Cotton grown in Xinjiang, which has good coloration and long fiber, is favored in both domestic and foreign markets.
