How Never Coffee Sells Specialty Coffee for 9.9 Yuan

Ever wondered how a cup of coffee could cost less than a fast food meal—without being instant? In China, a new player just slashed the price of what used to be a $5–$7 premium product to under $1.40. That’s not a typo. The question isn’t whether it’s possible. It’s how, and what it means for the future of specialty coffee.

Yes, a Beijing-based coffee brand called Never Coffee is retailing specialty-grade canned coffee for just 9.9 yuan (about $1.40) per bottle—and yes, it’s made with quality beans. Their best-selling pack includes six 300ml glass bottles featuring Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Indonesian Mandheling, and other single origins, all sold online and through retail channels.

A Disruptor in the Specialty Coffee Market

Launched just six months ago, Never Coffee has quickly become one of China’s biggest buyers of specialty coffee beans. At its peak, the company was using 960 kilograms of specialty-grade beans per month—far beyond the typical 20-kilogram monthly usage of a standard specialty café. Founder Liu Zuofei, a former lawyer with a doctorate from the U.S., previously sold a juice brand before entering coffee. His approach? Treat the specialty coffee market like any other competitive retail category—and win on price.

The company’s signature product is a line of canned, microwave-safe specialty coffee available in six flavors including Yirgacheffe and Mandheling. Each six-pack contains 300ml glass bottles and was initially launched online. On launch night, the team sold out 100 prepared units almost instantly—then another 1,950 units (over 10,000 bottles) by the end of the first day, despite having prepared for only 100. Daily sales now hover around 5,000 bottles, generating nearly 1.5 million yuan in monthly revenue—that’s roughly equivalent to three Starbucks stores.

Why the 9.9 Yuan Price Tag?

The radical pricing wasn’t arbitrary. Co-founder Liu Zuofei and his partner Kang Jinqin, who runs two Beijing cafés and is internally dubbed “Master Kang,” debated pricing heavily before settling on 9.9 yuan. While the industry considers 50 yuan a fair price for specialty coffee, Liu argues the current model is built on inflated margins.

“A black coffee at Starbucks costs 22–28 yuan, but the actual ingredient cost is around 40 cents,” he says. “Starbucks sells 600 cups a day at an average of 30 yuan—that’s 500,000 yuan in monthly revenue before fixed costs, equating to at least 10x profit margins.” Smaller specialty cafés suffer from high rents and low volume, keeping prices elevated. Never Coffee’s strategy? Remove the café experience entirely and sell directly to price-sensitive coffee drinkers who want better than instant but can’t—or won’t—pay 30 yuan a cup.

How They Keep Costs Low Without Losing Quality

Never Coffee avoids traditional café overhead by not operating sit-down locations. The few physical stores they plan to open will be takeaway-only, further cutting costs. The real breakthrough, however, is in sourcing and production. The company buys beans in bulk—5-ton container loads from Ethiopia, Sumatra, Brazil, Honduras, and Yunnan—giving them up to 30% lower costs than independent cafés.

To produce their canned coffee at scale, Never Coffee built a custom 200-square-meter production line including a semi-automated filling system and an industrial extractor they developed in-house due to lack of suitable commercial equipment. This setup produces 5,000 bottles daily—currently near capacity—and will soon be supplemented by a Japanese industrial extractor and contract manufacturing as demand grows. Despite skepticism, early investors saw potential: the startup secured 3 million yuan in angel funding from the Hongtai Fund (founded by Minerva founder Nisa Yu and investment veteran Sheng Xitai) just three days after launch.

Is Canned Specialty Coffee Still ‘Specialty’?

The coffee industry has a widely accepted “4321” theory: 40% of a cup’s quality comes from the beans, 30% from roast, 20% from equipment, and 10% from barista skill. Critics argue that industrialized, canned coffee can’t maintain those standards. Some rivals have openly criticized the model as “predatory pricing” and “bad for the craft.”

But not everyone dismisses the model. Zheng Songmao, chairman of Tasting Room Coffee, has tracked Never Coffee since launch and finds their approach intriguing. Seesaw founder Zong Xinkuang agrees that innovation in China’s specialty market is positive—but both agree that profitability will ultimately determine success.

Liu Zuofei is prepared for skepticism. “I’m not a coffee expert, but I know markets are brutal. This might fail. Or we might lead. Either way, it’s worth trying.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Never Coffee selling exactly?

Never Coffee sells canned, ready-to-drink specialty coffee in 300ml glass bottles. Flavors include Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Indonesian Mandheling, and others. Each set includes six different single-origin options. The coffee is made using specialty-grade beans and is designed to be heated in a microwave.

How much does Never Coffee’s coffee cost?

Each six-pack of Never Coffee canned coffee sells for 9.9 yuan (approximately $1.40) per bottle, or roughly 59.4 yuan ($8.40) for a full set of six. That’s significantly cheaper than the typical $4–$7 price of specialty coffee in cafés.

Is 9.9 yuan coffee really specialty grade?

Yes. Never Coffee uses specialty-grade beans rated 80 points or higher. The company sources from regions like Ethiopia, Indonesia, Brazil, and Yunnan, and follows standard specialty coffee practices in roasting and production, though it uses industrialized methods for packaging.

How can Never Coffee sell coffee so cheaply?

Never Coffee cuts costs by avoiding cafés altogether, buying beans in bulk (5-ton container shipments), and producing its own canned coffee using a custom-built production line. Their proprietary equipment and direct-to-consumer model help reduce overhead and pricing.

What do other coffee experts think of Never Coffee?

Opinions are mixed. Some, like Zheng Songmao of Tasting Room Coffee and Seesaw’s Zong Xinkuang, appreciate the innovation but stress that long-term success depends on profitability. Others in the traditional specialty space have criticized the model as disruptive or damaging to coffee’s artisanal reputation.

Does Never Coffee have physical stores?

Currently, Never Coffee does not operate consumer-facing cafés. The company has plans to open a few takeaway-only locations to further reduce costs, but the focus remains on online and retail sales of its canned products.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee Beans for Canned & Ready-to-Drink Specialties

If you’re curious about the single-origin flavors in canned specialty coffee like Never Coffee’s, try FrontStreet’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe for bright floral and citrus notes, or PWN Golden Mandheling for a cleaner, richer Mandheling profile. For something more chocolatey and balanced, their Yunnan Arabica offers nutty, caramel-like tones. All are sourced from quality regions and suitable for exploring what makes a great single-origin base. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.