Creative coffee becomes new highlight in China's coffee market

As China's coffee market has become increasingly competitive in recent years, many coffee brands have come up with new and creative coffee to appeal to customers.

The coffee creations always combine a wide range of elements. In a coffee culture festival held in Shanghai’s Changning district not long ago, blended coffee has caught the eye of many coffee drinkers. One example is coffee featuring lychee and rose, whose color gradually turns pink from lilac as a result of sedimentation. A concoction made with wine also appeared at the festival.

Chinese herbs are used to make coffee on the table at a store of Zhima Health, the sub-brand of Chinese pharmaceutical company Tong Ren Tang. (Photo/vip.people.com.cn)

Some coffee shops also draw inspiration from the traditional Chinese cuisine of different parts of the country. Some in Yuncheng city, north China's Shanxi Province, have brought Americano and vinegar, a local specialty together, giving the beverage a sour taste. In Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, some coffee stores have integrated Nanjing salted duck, a mouthwatering local dish, with coffee.

China's coffee market has likewise witnessed a “crossover” coffee shop model. Tong Ren Tang, a well-established traditional Chinese pharmaceutical company with a long-standing reputation, launched its own brand of coffee. Zhima Health, its sub-brand, launched some coffee products such as latte with goji berries, and Americano with Siraitia grosvenorii.

Quite a few coffee shop owners are open to innovation. One in Shanghai believes that inventive coffee shows how popular the coffee culture is in Shanghai. "Shanghai is home to an enormous number of coffee shops, allowing customers to enjoy it at different prices. This is why diverse coffee creations are seen here," the owner said.