Five years of struggle: from hundreds of people lining up for coffee to coffee shops all over Henan

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Many coffee lovers regard 2011-2012 as the dividing line of the "coffee era" in Zhengzhou.

At the end of 2011, Zhengzhou's first Starbucks opened at ITC 360, and some may remember that hundreds of people lined up at Starbucks gates that day, many waiting in the cold wind for two hours for a cup of coffee.

The literary youth in Zhengzhou have been waiting for too long. Almost since then, coffee culture has grown wings and quickly flew into the streets of Zhengzhou, and the World Barista Competition has also come to Zhengzhou.

Today, whether you yearn for the environment of Starbucks or the atmosphere of a small boutique cafe, you can find a place near your home.

For more than 5 years, coffee, a pure exotic product, is coming into our lives with the rapid expansion of coffee shops.

[memory]

Hundreds of people lined up at the door on the day Starbucks arrived in Zhengzhou.

Nowadays, people from Zhengzhou meet with friends, and there are a large number of coffee shops to choose from. Speaking of the rapid development of the industry, many people mentioned Starbucks.

November 18, 2011 is destined to be an unforgettable day for Fan Xiaowei, manager of ITC 360 Starbucks coffee shop.

On that day, his store opened, which was Starbucks' first store in Zhengzhou. "it was an unprecedented occasion at that time, with hundreds of people lining up, and some people coming specially from cities outside Zhengzhou. I remember it vividly now, and I'm still very excited."

The enthusiasm of Zhengzhou people for drinking coffee was ignited.

For a period of time after the opening, almost all the literary and artistic young people in Zhengzhou went to experience it. "at that time, the main social software was Weibo, which was refreshed by Starbucks every day." Coffee-loving Xiao V recalled, "at that time, many people went to Starbucks, drinking coffee was secondary, and taking pictures and posting Weibo was the main thing."

At that time, Wang Huixin, who came back from abroad, had been involved in the coffee industry for three years. "Starbucks opens to Zhengzhou is a clear demarcation line, before there are some coffee shops opened in office buildings, the overall number is not many, there are not many coffee shops on the street. After Starbucks came, it seemed that overnight, many street coffee shops appeared in Zhengzhou. "

[development]

The fast-growing coffee shop has experienced a "boom".

In the eyes of many people in the industry, the rapid development of coffee shops in Zhengzhou and the rise of coffee culture began at that time.

In 2012, the WBC World Barista Competition came to Zhengzhou and opened a division in Zhengzhou.

"this is also a sign, which means that the market in Zhengzhou has reached a certain level." Jia Chaoran may not have thought at that time that a few years later, as a staff member, he participated in the 2015 and 2016 WBC World Barista Competition in Zhengzhou, and the level and influence of the Zhengzhou competition was also increasing.

In addition, "after Starbucks became popular in Zhengzhou, driven by it, local coffee shops and other brands also gradually increased."

Around 2013, ITC A used to have at least one coffee shop on one floor, but later, due to competitive pressure, lack of characteristics and other reasons, most coffee shops withdrew from ITC A.

"two years ago, Zhengzhou coffee shop industry also experienced a period of 'Korean wave'." Wang Huixin introduced that this "Korean wave" comes and goes quickly.

"now a large number of consumers are turning to boutique coffee." Jia Chaoran said. On March 16, 2017, the first Starbucks Zhenxuan coffee shop finally settled in Zhengzhou. The Starbucks, located on the first floor of Xidigang Shopping Center, Dide Street, Zhengdong New District, currently sells a variety of Zhenxuan coffee, including Jamaica Blue Mountain.

[observation]

At present, the Zhengzhou market is in a "period of rapid rise".

Round after round of "reshuffle", many coffee shops did not stick to it, but the number of coffee drinkers in Zhengzhou has been increasing, and the total number of coffee shops is also increasing. Today, Starbucks has opened 23 stores in Henan, most of them in Zhengzhou, and there are four around CBD in Zhengdong New area alone.

Fan Xiaowei's feeling is that the consumer group of coffee has also expanded from young people to "suitable for both young and old."

"there is an intuitive feeling that more and more people understand coffee." Fan Xiaowei said that at first, many people just used coffee as a drink, and then some people learned to make coffee by hand.

Jia Chaoran's feelings are also obvious. "in the past, it seemed inevitable to drink coffee with milk and sugar, but now more and more people come to the store to order a cup of American coffee without milk and sugar. This shows that many people have accepted the original flavor of coffee. "

However, many industry insiders say frankly that the coffee shop in Zhengzhou has not yet reached a mature stage. For example, some "private small pavilions", due to the lack of business characteristics, the price is set very high, it is very difficult to survive in the later stage.

However, in the eyes of industry insiders, the industry in Zhengzhou is currently in a stage of benign development. "the demand has been rising, and the market is rising rapidly."

The five years of rapid development of the industry is also an important five years of their lives.

Wang Huixin, who joined the industry earlier, has now set foot in a number of beverage fields, and his career is no longer limited to coffee, but is building his own brand. Jia Chaoran, who joined the profession around 2014, is now a coffee trainer in Shang's study and often exchanges experiences with his peers.

[in the past five years, I want to say]

What has been your biggest change in the past 5 years?

Jia Chaoran: really entered the coffee industry. In the past, many friends thought that drinking coffee was "classy". Now more and more people in Zhengzhou, especially young people, have regarded coffee shops as places for leisure and communication.

What is the best thing in the past five years?

Fan Xiaowei: more than 5 years ago, I accidentally got to know Starbucks and decisively sent my resume to join. From an ordinary green apron star barista to a store manager all the way, he was really lucky to be the manager of the first Starbucks store in Zhengzhou.

What are the biggest expectations for the next five years?

Jia Chaoran: I hope there will be a coffee shop in every community in the future. Coffee is no longer just a drink, but also carries the exchange of people, culture and culture.

Wang Huixin: look forward to a better industry, more operators know how to operate, no longer just by love to invest.

What is the greatest expectation for Henan?

Fan Xiaowei: Henan is my hometown. Of course, the greatest expectation is that my hometown is becoming more and more powerful and foreign.