How the Korean Coffee Trend Is Shaping China’s Market

As young, style-conscious consumers grow up, more Chinese are traveling abroad and returning home with new tastes—including a growing taste for coffee. Once limited to a drink for the elite or foreigners, coffee has become a staple in urban social life. But despite rapid growth, per capita coffee consumption in China still lags far behind global leaders like Japan and South Korea.

China’s coffee consumption is rising 10–15% per year, and café numbers have doubled in the last five years. But with less than 5 cups per person annually compared to over 300 in Japan and Korea, there’s massive room for growth—and international businesses are taking notice.

The 2014 Beijing Coffee Expo: A Microcosm of Global Interest

Held over three days at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing, the 2014 China International Coffee Exhibition—jointly organized by China’s CIEC and Korea’s EXPORUM—drew 45,872 attendees and featured 120+ exhibitors from 15 countries and regions. The event highlighted the full coffee supply chain: from green beans and roasting to franchising, training, and café accessories like tea, desserts, and ice cream.

American exhibitors emphasized their focus on sourcing high-quality beans from Central and South America, noting that while many Chinese still prefer milk-based drinks like lattes and mochas, interest in specialty beans is growing. “Fresh specialty coffee beans aren’t as expensive as people think,” said one U.S. seller. “Chain store coffee is often overpriced and low quality.”

Korean Café Brands Lead the Franchise Charge

Among the international exhibitors, Korean companies made a particularly strong impression. The Coffee Bene booth drew crowds with its flexible franchise model. At the time, Coffee Bene had over 500 stores in China, including 60 company-owned locations. Their promotional materials advertised a “entrusted joint operation model—recoup investment in two years” and “own a café for ¥500,000, or a self-serve kiosk for ¥178,000,” with K-pop star Kim Soo-hyun as the new face of the brand.

Other Korean entries included juice brands and coffee training schools. Juice and equipment maker Sangha F&B, newly entered in Shanghai, supplies premium juices, purees, and machines to major chains like Starbucks and Coffee Bene in Korea, and expressed strong optimism about China’s market. DSBEAN, a coffee training institute launched jointly by South Korea’s Sungkyul University and Tianjin Foreign Studies University, planned to offer certifications from both institutions starting October of that year.

China’s Coffee Market: Fast Growth, but Still Early Days

Despite the excitement, some voices urged perspective. Beijing roaster Dou Shu , founder of FrontStreet Coffee’s sister roastery Bean Uncle, acknowledged the “unstoppable” Korean wave but pointed out that Korea’s café culture is far more mature. “In Seoul, you’ll find coffee shops everywhere—three steps one way, five the other,” he said. With a saturated domestic market, Korean firms are actively seeking expansion, backed by government policy.

Dou also noted that while China’s coffee scene has boomed in Tier 1 and 2 cities—with rising numbers of cafés, baristas, and retailers—true coffee aficionados remain a minority. “China is still very much a tea-drinking country,” he said. Nonetheless, international coffee exhibition attendance and attendee expertise are both on the rise.

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast is China’s coffee market growing?

China’s coffee consumption is growing at an annual rate of 10–15%, and the number of cafés has doubled over the past five years.

How much coffee does the average person in China drink?

The average person in China drinks less than 5 cups of coffee per year, compared to over 300 cups in Japan and South Korea.

What international coffee brands are entering China?

Korean brands like Coffee Bene are aggressively expanding in China, along with American coffee bean importers and juice and equipment suppliers. Over 120 companies from 15 countries exhibited at the 2014 Beijing Coffee Expo.

Why are Korean café chains expanding into China?

Korea’s domestic coffee market is nearing saturation, so companies are looking abroad. The Korean government also encourages businesses to expand internationally, and China offers a large, developing coffee market.

Are Chinese consumers interested in specialty coffee?

While many still prefer milk-based drinks like lattes and mochas, there is a growing segment of Chinese consumers showing interest in fresh, high-quality specialty coffee beans.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Coffee Explorers

Try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera for bright floral and citrus notes, a great entry into single-origin appreciation. For something more chocolatey and bold, their Black Cocoa Blend offers rich crema and a heavy body—perfect for those transitioning from milk drinks. Both highlight the quality behind specialty coffee without the high price tag of chain offerings. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.