Second Aini Coffee Experience Store Opens in Pu'er

Pu’er, known as China’s coffee capital and home to the country’s largest coffee-growing area, now has another destination for coffee lovers. The second Aini Coffee Experience Store has officially launched inside the city’s biggest commercial complex, Chongji Shangcheng. This follows the opening of the very first Aini experience store just six months earlier—a rapid rollout reflecting the group’s push to bring its coffee story directly to consumers.

Aini Group has opened two coffee experience stores in Pu’er within six months, both located in the city’s largest commercial complex, Chongji Shangcheng. These locations combine freshly brewed coffee, ready-to-drink beverages, and retail coffee products under one roof.

What Is an Aini Coffee Experience Store?

An Aini Coffee Experience Store isn’t just a place to buy beans—it’s a space designed to showcase the full journey of coffee, from seed to cup. The model includes a coffee bar serving freshly brewed drinks, a retail section with coffee products, and cultural displays explaining coffee production. The goal is to educate customers while offering a premium yet approachable coffee experience.

Aini’s Expansion Strategy in China

Aini Group, a joint venture partner with Starbucks in China, has spent years exporting high-quality Yunnan coffee globally. But over the past two years, it has significantly increased efforts to grow its domestic market. The company has built an e-commerce presence in five major cities—Kunming, Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Wuhan—supported by modern logistics warehouses to ensure fast delivery across southwest, north, east, and south China.

From High-End to Mass Market

The new store in Pu’er represents a shift in strategy. While maintaining its focus on the mid-to-high-end market, Aini is also targeting the mass market. By situating stores in malls, commercial centers, and supermarkets, Aini combines a coffee bar, product displays, and cultural exhibits. This “cafe within a store” model sells drinks, promotes coffee culture, and encourages everyday coffee drinking. After a successful trial in Chongji Shangcheng, Aini plans to replicate the format across Yunnan and then nationally.

Coffee Meets Food at Aini

Aini is also integrating dining with coffee. Building on the success of its self-service hotpot chain, the company has introduced Aini Coffee Bars inside its buffet restaurants. This allows diners enjoying Aini beef to pair their meals with Aini coffee, creating a seamless food-and-beverage experience.

Why Pu’er Is Central to Aini’s Vision

Pu’er is more than just a location—it’s the heart of China’s coffee industry. As the country’s largest coffee-growing region and trade hub, it offers visitors and locals alike a chance to experience the scale and quality of domestic coffee production. At the Aini Coffee Experience Store, customers can learn about Aini’s “from planting to roasting, from seed to cup” philosophy while exploring one of the most important coffee regions in the country.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the new Aini Coffee Experience Store located?

The new store is located in Chongji Shangcheng, the largest urban complex in Pu’er, China. This is the second Aini Coffee Experience Store in Pu’er, following the first which opened just six months prior.

What does an Aini Coffee Experience Store offer?

Aini Coffee Experience Stores offer freshly brewed coffee and ready-to-drink beverages, a selection of retail coffee products, and educational displays about coffee cultivation and production. The stores aim to provide a complete coffee experience from education to consumption.

Is Aini Coffee only available in Pu’er?

No. While the new stores are in Pu’er, Aini has a broader strategy that includes major e-commerce markets like Kunming, Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Wuhan. The company also plans to expand the experience store model across Yunnan and other regions in China.

Does Aini sell coffee beans at its experience stores?

Yes. The experience stores include a retail section where customers can purchase Aini coffee products, including freshly roasted beans and other coffee-related items, alongside drinks.

How is Aini expanding its presence in China?

Aini is growing through a combination of e-commerce platforms, logistics investments in key cities, and physical stores. It operates in major urban centers online and is now rolling out experience stores in malls and commercial hubs to build brand presence offline.

What makes Pu’er important for coffee in China?

Pu’er is China’s largest coffee-producing region and its main coffee trade hub. It has the highest coffee planting area and yield in the country, making it central to the domestic coffee industry and a key focus for companies like Aini.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Exploring Yunnan Coffee

To explore the flavors central to Aini’s offerings, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Yunnan Arabica, a washed Yunnan Typica with notes of soft almond, chocolate, and mild plum acidity. For something more nuanced, the 2013 Typica is sun-dried with balanced sweetness, deep berry tones, and a tea-like finish. Both are great introductions to Yunnan’s terroir. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.