How Mars Drinks Brought Office Coffee Culture to China

Ever found yourself leaving your desk for a coffee run—only to lose 15 minutes of work time and come back still unsatisfied with what you got? Whether it’s slow service at the local café or just the hassle of leaving the office, many professionals face this dilemma daily. For companies, it’s more than convenience: it’s about keeping employees engaged and efficient without them having to step out.

Mars Drinks solves that with a filtered single-serve system offering over 100 drink varieties—including coffee, tea, and chocolate—right in the office. Their machines brew a cup in 40 seconds, with zero flavor carryover between drinks, and support up to 50–70 people per unit.

The Origins: From Vending Machines to Office Kitchens

Mars Drinks began in 1984 when family member and Mars founder John Mars noticed a pattern: people buying chocolate from vending machines in the UK often wanted a drink to go with it. That insight led to the creation of a hot beverage system that could deliver different flavors on demand. Originally designed for vending, the concept evolved into a dedicated filtered single-serve system used in offices around the world.

The system made its way to China officially in March 2014. At launch, Mars Drinks President Xavier Unkovic emphasized China’s fast-growing high-end office hot drink market—projected to exceed 5 billion RMB (about $700 million) by 2018, growing over 20% annually. With over 100,000 office locations globally already using the system, Mars aimed to replicate that success in Chinese workplaces.

Why Offices? The Productivity Angle

Unlike traditional coffee brands that focus on retail, Mars Drinks targets businesses directly. Their strategy? Make the office a more appealing place to stay—with better beverage access. “People are a company’s most valuable asset,” Unkovic said. By offering free, instant access to a wide range of drinks, employers can boost productivity: no more 20-minute coffee runs that cost companies hours of lost work time each year.

A 2014 workplace study cited by Unkovic revealed that 22% of employees spend around 14 minutes daily buying drinks outside. For a 3,000-person company, that’s thousands of hours lost yearly. Mars Drinks turns that around by providing those options at the office—making employees happier and employers more efficient. Their global CMO Bobby Chacko called it a win-win: employees get variety, companies see productivity gains, and even competing retailers benefit from the push for better office beverage experiences.

The Technology: How the Single-Serve System Works

The secret lies in Mars Drinks’ patented single-cup filtered system. Each beverage pod is sealed in darkness and vacuum, with a built-in filter. When inserted into the machine, the unique design ensures that each cup is brewed directly from its own pod—eliminating cross-contamination. That means no leftover chocolate flavor mixing into your next coffee.

The machines, about 432 mm tall—carefully tested as the optimal height for office kitchens—can produce a cup every 40 seconds and hold up to 24 used pods at once. One unit typically serves 50–70 people, so multiple machines are installed across different floors. The “razor-and-blades” model applies here: the machines are often provided free to large clients, with ongoing revenue coming from high-volume consumable beverage pods. Mars even customizes offerings based on regional taste data—from lighter East Coast U.S. coffee profiles to deeper West Coast roasts, and from matcha in Japan to black tea in London.

What Flavors Are Available in China?

In China, Mars Drinks currently offers 18 products across its own brands: Alterra roasted coffee, Mount Hagen pure leaf teas, and Dove hot chocolate. These combine to create over 100 flavor options. The coffee selection includes four roast levels, which can be mixed with milk or tea for even more variety. Globally, matcha is especially popular in Japan, black tea dominates in London, and Americans prefer everything from light East Coast roasts to bold West Coast profiles. In China, Mars found that Dove hot chocolate quickly became the top seller—a preference aligned with global trends.

Mars tailors offerings based on feedback and regional insights, observing not just taste preferences but also how employees interact with their office tea points, what flavors they test well, and what administrative staff need to keep things running smoothly. “We even learn from the people who manage office supplies,” noted Bobby Chacko. “They know what makes daily life easier—and our system provides that.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mars Drinks?

Mars Drinks is a workplace beverage system created by the Mars company, offering filtered single-serve hot drinks like coffee, tea, and chocolate. Launched in 1984, it’s now installed in over 100,000 offices worldwide.

How many drink options does Mars Drinks provide?

Mars Drinks offers over 100 flavor combinations in total. In China, 18 products (including coffee, tea, and chocolate) from its own brands allow for that variety, with four coffee roast levels alone that can be mixed with other ingredients.

How does the Mars single-serve system avoid flavor contamination?

Each drink pod is sealed in a dark, vacuumed package with its own filter. The machine brews directly from the pod into your cup, preventing leftover flavors—like chocolate—from affecting the next drink, such as coffee.

Why did Mars Drinks enter the Chinese market in 2014?

Mars Drinks entered China in March 2014 targeting the country’s fast-growing office hot drink market, which was projected to surpass 5 billion RMB by 2018. The brand saw strong potential in improving workplace efficiency and employee satisfaction through better in-office beverage access.

How long does it take to brew a cup with Mars Drinks machines?

Each cup is brewed in 40 seconds. The machines can serve approximately 50–70 people per unit and are typically placed across multiple office floors for easy access.

What’s the most popular Mars Drinks flavor in China?

Dove hot chocolate is currently the most popular flavor in China, consistent with its global popularity. Other region-specific favorites include matcha in Japan and black tea in London.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Office Coffee

For office settings where consistency and ease matter, FrontStreet Coffee’s Classic Blend offers great crema and a smooth, rounded profile ideal for milk drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. Its rich body and approachable taste make it perfect for everyday brewing. For a more cost-effective option that still delivers a full-bodied cup, the Black Cocoa Blend provides a deep, robust flavor at an accessible price—ideal for high-volume offices. Both blends are optimized for office brewers and deliver reliable results. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.