Starbucks Reserve Launches in Mainland China

If you've been waiting for Starbucks to bring its highest-tier coffee to mainland China, the wait is over—but access remains extremely limited. The brand’s exclusive line, Starbucks Reserve, has officially entered the Chinese market, but only in select locations for now. These beans aren’t just another addition to the menu—they represent the top 3% of global Arabica, selected through a meticulous global search.

Starbucks Reserve is now available in seven stores across four Chinese cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. In Shanghai, it’s offered solely at the Wukang Road and World Financial Center locations. That’s just seven stores in total for a product line that highlights the rarest 3% of the world’s Arabica coffee.

What Is Starbucks Reserve?

Starbucks Reserve is the company’s premium coffee tier, designed to showcase the finest coffees the world has to offer. These are not your average beans. Each Reserve coffee comes from the top 3% of global Arabica, chosen annually by Starbucks buyers who travel to coffee-growing regions worldwide. The selection process is rigorous, focusing on tiny lots, award-winning farms, or coffees that benefit from near-perfect growing conditions.

Why Only Seven Stores?

The limited availability reflects the exclusivity of the beans themselves. Every Reserve coffee is considered rare and often comes from a unique micro-lot or a celebrated farm. To preserve the integrity of the experience, Starbucks has chosen to roll out Reserve gradually, starting with just seven carefully selected locations in China. These stores feature specialized designs and baristas trained to highlight the distinct qualities of each coffee.

How Are the Beans Selected?

Starbucks buyers scout coffee-growing regions every year, evaluating thousands of coffee lots. Out of those, only a tiny fraction—around 3% of global Arabica—meet the Reserve standard. Some are from remote regions producing just a few bags, others are award-winning beans from well-known farms, and some result from ideal combinations of weather, soil, and timing. These are the coffees that make it into the Reserve lineup.

"Starbucks has poured the highest passion into coffee for 43 years," said Xie Guanhong, General Manager of Shanghai Unified Starbucks Coffee Co., Ltd. "We source, roast, and serve top-quality beans globally, committed to delivering the brand’s classic quality cup by cup through our ‘pouring heart into every cup’ handcrafted coffee."

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy Starbucks Reserve in China?

Starbucks Reserve is available in seven stores across four cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. In Shanghai, it is sold only at the Wukang Road and World Financial Center locations.

What makes Starbucks Reserve different from regular Starbucks coffee?

Starbucks Reserve features the top 3% of global Arabica coffee beans, selected for exceptional quality. The beans come from rare micro-lots or award-winning farms, and the experience includes specially designed stores and skilled baristas.

Why is Starbucks Reserve only available in certain stores?

The limited release is due to the rarity of the beans and the desire to maintain a high-quality, exclusive customer experience. Only seven locations have been chosen to launch the line in China.

How are Reserve beans selected each year?

Starbucks coffee buyers travel the world to evaluate thousands of lots. They select only those that represent the top 3% of Arabica—often from unique small lots, award-winning farms, or those grown under ideal conditions.

What does Starbucks mean by 'pouring heart into every cup'?

This phrase reflects Starbucks’ commitment to crafting each cup of coffee with care, skill, and quality, especially for its Reserve line, ensuring a premium experience for customers.

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