Hainan's Coffee Culture and What Makes It Unique

Ever wondered where China’s first coffee plantations took root—and what kind of beans grow there? Hainan Island, long more famous for beaches than brews, has quietly nurtured a distinctive coffee culture since the 1930s—one centred in the northern town of Fushan.

In short: Fushan, Hainan, is the birthplace of Chinese coffee cultivation. Since 1935, when overseas Chinese introduced coffee from Indonesia, the region has grown large, hard, evenly sized beans known for a rich, smooth, full-bodied cup with a distinctly local—almost Sumatran—flavour profile.

The Origins of Coffee in Fushan

Coffee came to Hainan in 1935, planted successfully by overseas Chinese who brought seeds from Indonesia. Fushan, a small town in the north of Hainan Island, was the first place in China to cultivate coffee. Over time, the crop spread across the province, but Fushan remained the heartland of production and local coffee culture.

What Makes Fushan Coffee Different

Fushan-grown coffee beans are notable for being firm, large, and uniform in size. They produce a cup that is rich, aromatic, smooth, and full-bodied—qualities that have drawn comparisons to the celebrated coffees of Sumatra. This distinct regional taste, shaped by local terroir, gives Fushan coffee a unique place in China’s specialty coffee landscape.

From Local Shops to Wider Markets

For decades, Fushan coffee was almost exclusively available in local cafés and “dad cafes” (father-style teahouses)—you couldn’t buy it in markets, making it a well-kept secret. Enthusiasts often drove from across Hainan just to visit Fushan’s coffee shops. That changed when Haikou-based Meishangmei Coffee began promoting Hainan-origin green beans and building a brand around Fushan’s heritage.

The Fushan Laozong Brand and Its Legacy

The Fushan Laozong brand pays homage to a 1957 visit by Zhu De, then a prominent Chinese leader, to the Hongguang Farm coffee plantation in Fushan. After tasting the farm’s coffee, he praised it highly and wrote an inscription—launching the local brew into wider recognition. Locals began calling that specific flavour profile “Laozong coffee,” a term still associated with Fushan’s signature taste today.

How Fushan Coffee Is Roasted Today

The modern Fushan Laozong brand uses locally sourced beans and employs advanced roasting technology. The company imported high-end roasting equipment and hired a Taiwanese master roaster with 20 years of experience at Japan’s UCC (now Ippodo) Coffee. Under his guidance, the quality of Fushan coffee has significantly improved. The beans are roasted using a one-way valve packaging system to enhance freshness. The company’s roasting capabilities are considered among the most advanced in China and the leading ones in Hainan Province.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where did coffee first start growing in China?

Coffee was first planted in China in 1935 in Fushan, a town in northern Hainan Island. Overseas Chinese introduced the crop from Indonesia, making Fushan the birthplace of coffee cultivation in the country.

What makes Fushan coffee beans unique?

Fushan coffee beans are known for being solid, large, and uniformly sized. They produce a cup that is rich, aromatic, smooth, and full-bodied, often compared to the coffee profile of Sumatra due to shared terroir-like qualities.

Why was Fushan coffee hard to find until recently?

For many years, Fushan coffee was only sold in local cafés and dad-style tea houses. It wasn’t available in markets, so most people had to travel to Fushan to try it, limiting its exposure beyond the immediate area.

Who is the Fushan Laozong coffee brand named after?

The Fushan Laozong brand refers to a 1957 visit by Zhu De, a respected Chinese leader, who tasted coffee at Hongguang Farm in Fushan and praised it. The term “Laozong coffee” has since been used to describe that distinctive local flavour.

How is Fushan coffee roasted today?

Fushan Laozong coffee is roasted using imported advanced equipment. A Taiwanese roasting master with 20 years at Japan’s UCC (Ippodo) Coffee oversees the process. The beans are packaged with one-way valves to preserve freshness, placing the company’s roasting standards among the best in China and the top in Hainan.

Can you buy Fushan coffee outside of Hainan?

Yes, thanks to efforts by companies like Haikou Meishangmei Coffee, Fushan coffee is now being promoted and distributed more widely across China, making it easier for coffee drinkers outside Hainan to access these unique beans.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans with Fushan-like Profiles

For fans of Fushan’s bold, full-bodied profile, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe for its bright yet rich cup, or the Kenya Little Tomato for intense fruit and winey depth. Both share the heavy body and complexity reminiscent of Fushan’s Sumatra-like qualities. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.