How NeverCoffee Sells Specialty Coffee for 9.9 Yuan

Ever wondered how a cup of specialty coffee could cost just 9.9 yuan—less than most fast-food sodas? In a market where premium coffee routinely sells for 30 to 50 yuan, a Beijing-based startup called NeverCoffee is selling six 300ml cans of specialty-brewed coffee for under 10 yuan each. That’s not instant. That’s not commercial grade. That’s actual specialty coffee, sourced from regions like Ethiopia and Brazil, packaged in shelf-stable cans, and meant to be heated in your microwave. The big question isn’t whether it tastes good—it’s how they’re doing it, and whether this changes everything.

Yes, it’s possible: NeverCoffee sells specialty coffee for 9.9 yuan per can by using bulk-purchased green beans, industrial-scale equipment, and a direct-to-consumer model that skips the café entirely. Their production costs are 30% lower than typical specialty cafés, and they move serious volume—around 5,000 cans daily, generating nearly 1.5 million yuan monthly.

A New Player Shakes Up the Market

NeverCoffee launched just six months ago but has already become the biggest buyer of specialty coffee beans among Chinese suppliers. At its peak, the company uses up to 960 kilograms of specialty-grade beans in a single month—that’s over 40 times more than the average independent café, which typically goes through less than 20 kilograms. Founded by Liu Zuofei, a former lawyer with a U.S. doctorate who previously sold a juice brand, NeverCoffee operates less like a traditional café and more like a disruptive tech startup. Their first move? Slash the price of a specialty coffee from the standard 50 yuan down to 9.9 yuan.

The product is simple but carefully made: each set of six cans includes single-origin options like Yirgacheffe and Mandheling, all brewed from 80-point-and-above specialty beans using an in-house-developed semi-automated canning line. The coffee is designed to be microwavable, making it practical for home or office use. On launch night, the team sold 1950 sets—over 10,000 cans—despite only preparing 100. Daily sales now hover around 5,000 cans, equating roughly to the revenue of three Starbucks stores.

Targeting Price-Sensitive Coffee Drinkers

The 9.9 yuan price point wasn’t arbitrary. It came after intense debate between Liu and his co-founder Kang Jin, a veteran café operator known in the industry as “Master Kang.” While Kang believed the fair value for specialty coffee was around 50 yuan, Liu argued that the entire sector suffers from a profit-driven pricing bubble. He pointed out that a single shot of espresso costs mere pennies to produce but retails for 22 to 28 yuan, and that Starbucks locations with 600 daily customers can generate monthly revenues exceeding 500,000 yuan—with profit margins upwards of 10x. Smaller, pricier specialty shops often struggle to reduce prices due to high fixed costs and low turnover.

NeverCoffee’s strategy targets a niche but growing segment: consumers who are already dependent on coffee but unwilling or unable to pay café prices, and who prefer something better than instant. “There’s a group of people who rely on coffee daily,” Liu said. “They don’t care about ambiance, but 30 yuan is too much. They don’t want instant either. That’s who we’re serving.”

How They Keep Costs So Low

To hit that 9.9 yuan price and still turn a profit, NeverCoffee avoids traditional retail overhead. The company doesn’t operate consumer-facing cafés—its only physical location is used for R&D. Future stores will be minimalistic, offering only takeout to cut down on rent. More importantly, they buy beans in massive quantities—typically 5-ton container loads sourced directly from Ethiopia, Sumatra, Brazil, Honduras, and Yunnan. These bulk purchases give them leverage to secure beans roughly 30% cheaper than what small cafés pay.

Their production model is equally lean. Instead of outsourcing or using retail-style brewers, NeverCoffee built its own industrial extraction machine and semi-automatic canning line from scratch, occupying a 200-square-meter facility. This proprietary setup, though visually basic, ensures consistency in every batch. Currently producing 5,000 cans per day, the system is nearing capacity—but the plan is to import a professional Japanese brewer and outsource bottling as demand grows.

Is Industrialized Specialty Coffee Still ‘Specialty’?

The coffee industry follows a “4321 rule”: 40% of a cup’s quality comes from the bean, 30% from roast, 20% from equipment, and 10% from the barista. Critics argue that canned, mechanically produced coffee can’t possibly meet specialty standards. Some rivals have openly condemned the model as “predatory pricing” or “a gimmick.” One competitor even confronted the team, citing their own championship-level roasting credentials.

But not everyone is skeptical. Zheng Songmao, chairman of Tasting Room Coffee, has been following NeverCoffee since launch and calls their approach “intriguing.” Seesaw founder Zong Xinkuang acknowledges that innovation is valuable at this stage in China’s specialty market. Both, however, agree that profitability—not just volume—will ultimately determine success.

Liu Zuofei is prepared for any outcome. “I’m not a coffee expert, but I know markets are brutal. This might fail—or it might lead the pack. Either way, trying is worth it.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NeverCoffee and why is it notable?

NeverCoffee is a Beijing-based startup that sells specialty coffee in canned format for 9.9 yuan per can. It's notable for drastically undercutting the normal 30–50 yuan price of specialty coffee in China while using 80-point-and-higher grade beans sourced from places like Ethiopia and Brazil.

How can NeverCoffee sell specialty coffee so cheaply?

NeverCoffee reduces costs through bulk bean purchases (often 5-ton container loads), in-house-developed industrial extraction and canning equipment, a minimal physical footprint, and no café overhead. Their production costs are about 30% lower than typical specialty cafés.

What kinds of coffee does NeverCoffee offer?

NeverCoffee’s canned line includes six different single-origin options such as Yirgacheffe and Mandheling. All are made from specialty-grade beans scored 80 or above, and the product is designed to be heated in a microwave for home or office convenience.

Is canned specialty coffee still considered 'specialty'?

The specialty coffee industry debates this. Some roasters insist that true specialty coffee requires manual brewing skill and fresh service, while others acknowledge that quality can be maintained with controlled industrial processes, depending on equipment and bean quality.

Has NeverCoffee received any investment?

Yes, NeverCoffee secured 3 million yuan in angel funding from the Hongtai Fund—founded by Min Yinghua and Sheng Xitai—just three days after launching its product, validating early market interest.

What do other coffee experts think of NeverCoffee?

Opinions are mixed. Some, like Zheng Songmao of Tasting Room Coffee, are curious and positive. Others, including competitors, criticize the model as disruptive or unsustainable. Seesaw’s founder sees potential in business model innovation, but all agree that long-term success depends on profit.

FrontStreet Coffee Beans Suited for Canned Specialty

For fans of NeverCoffee’s approach, try FrontStreet’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, known for its bright citrus, floral, and berry notes, or PWN Golden Mandheling, which offers a clean, smooth profile with hints of caramel and spice. Both are single-origin specialty beans that highlight what high-quality sourced coffee can deliver, whether brewed at home or canned for convenience. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.