How Aini Coffee Built China’s First Rainforest Coffee Chain

If you’ve ever wondered how China grows specialty coffee in rainforests—or why most global buyers overlook Yunnan beans—this is the story of Aini Group, the domestic roaster that quietly built a vertically integrated coffee empire across 10,000 acres of rainforest farms, six industrial plants, and a Starbucks-backed research hub.

In short: Aini Group manages 10,000 acres of certified organic, rainforest-grown coffee farms, operates 2 wet-processing mills (10 tons of fresh cherries/hour), 2 dry mills (30,000 tons of parchment/year), and a 1,000-ton roastery—plus a 650-hectare test plot for 33 imported coffee varieties. Its farms and 10,000-acre ranch also integrate organic fertilizer systems to boost bean quality.

What Is Aini Coffee?

Aini Coffee is a full-spectrum Chinese coffee brand under Yunnan’s Aini Group, covering everything from seed-to-cup: farming, wet/dry processing, R&D, trade, and branded retail. Unlike fragmented local producers, Aini controls its entire supply chain—from volcanic soil farms to branded roast profiles—and has become a key bridge between Yunnan growers and global buyers like Starbucks.

The Infrastructure Behind Aini’s Scale

Aini Group’s physical operations redefine Yunnan’s coffee infrastructure. Key facilities include:

• 2 coffee (demonstration farms) totaling 10,000 acres, all rainforest-planted and organically certified.
• 2 (pulping/wet mills) processing 10 tons of fresh coffee cherries per hour.
• 2 (dry mills) handling 30,000 tons of parchment coffee annually, producing 23,000 tons of green beans.
• 1 (1,000-ton roastery) for roasted beans/grounds, ending Yunnan’s historical reliance on raw bean exports.

All outputs— (green beans) and (roasted beans/grounds)—hold organic certification, ensuring traceability and sustainability.

Rainforest Farming & Organic Integration

Aini’s farms merge coffee cultivation with livestock: 10,000 acres of coffee groves and a matching ranch work together, using abundant (organic fertilizer) to fatten coffee cherries. This synergy boosts fruit plumpness and soil health, critical for high-scoring specialty lots.

Seed-to-Cup Innovation: Varieties & Global Partnerships

To combat Yunnan’s historically narrow coffee gene pool, Aini imported 33 experimental coffee varieties two years ago, planting them across 8 estates. Currently, 4 varieties cover 650+ hectares (6.5 million square meters), with success potentially leading to province-wide adoption—making Aini a de facto “rainforest coffee gene bank” for China. The group also facilitated Starbucks’ 2012 launch of its first Asia-based (Coffee Growers Support Center) in Pu’er, leveraging Starbucks’ tech to promote eco-friendly farming and processing methods that elevate Yunnan bean quality and yield.

From Local Startup to National Coffee Leader

Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Pu’er (China’s “Coffee Capital”) since 2006, Aini Group is a national agricultural leader: recognized as a (national key agri-enterprise), (Yunnan agri-tech demo park), and more. Its low-profile but persistent work over 20 years—building farms, mills, R&D, and even café experiences—has completed a true “seed-to-cup” coffee chain for Yunnan. This not only accelerates Pu’er’s goal of becoming China’s coffee capital but also acts as a critical bridge for Starbucks and other global players to refine Yunnan’s varieties, processing, and output quality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are Aini Coffee’s farms located?

Aini’s 10,000-acre rainforest coffee farms and demonstration plots are in Yunnan Province, primarily supplying coffee from Pu’er, Simao (now part of Pu’er), and surrounding areas known for high-altitude growing conditions. The farms are certified organic and use integrated livestock fertilization.

How many coffee varieties has Aini tested?

Aini has experimented with 33 imported coffee varieties over the past two years, with four varieties now planted across 650 hectares (8 estates). Successful ones may be scaled province-wide, positioning Aini as a potential coffee gene bank for China.

What processing facilities does Aini operate?

Aini runs 2 wet mills (10 tons of fresh cherries/hour), 2 dry mills (30,000 tons of parchment/year, 23,000 tons of green beans), and a 1,000-ton roastery—the first in Yunnan to handle large-scale roasting, ending the region’s reliance on raw bean exports.

Did Aini work with Starbucks?

Yes. In 2012, Aini helped establish Starbucks’ first Asia Coffee Growers Support Center in Pu’er, providing local resources and expertise to improve Yunnan’s coffee farming and processing methods with Starbucks’ technical support.

Is Aini’s coffee organic certified?

All of Aini’s green and roasted coffee products are certified organic. The farms and ranches use integrated organic fertilizer systems to enhance coffee cherry development and soil health.

Recommended Aini-Style Single Origins from FrontStreet

Explore Yunnan’s terroir with FrontStreet’s Yunnan Huila (notes of dark chocolate, dried fig, and a hint of citrus) or Yunnan Gesha (bright acidity with tropical fruit and floral tones). For a broader rainforest-style experience, try FrontStreet’s Ethiopia Sidama (juicy blueberry, sweet cane, and a silky body). These beans share Aini’s focus on high-altitude, carefully processed single origins. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.