Korean Coffee Chains Gaining Popularity in China

China has traditionally been a tea-drinking country but recently many young people are quickly adopting coffee as their drink of choice, creating a rapidly rising coffee-culture.

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[Interview : Swi-hoong, Beijing Resident] "Since the taste of coffee is good, tea seems more bitter so I like coffee".

The Chinese coffee market last year grew an impressive 20 percent with an outstanding 92 percent increase over the past five years.

[Interview : Park Geun-tae, CJ Representative] "In the future, it seems China's tea culture is on track to change into a coffee culture. That's why we're seeing an endless market for growth".

Korean coffee shops in China are gaining popularity among young people with their unique desert menus and sophisticated cafe atmosphere.

[Interview : Wang Semao, Beijing Resident] "For Starbucks coffee shops in China, we just go and buy coffee but I feel more inclined to drink at Korean coffee shops since they are now here".

In Korea, Starbucks still holds onto the number one spot in the coffee industry with plans to double the number of coffee shops to 700 by 2016. Not wanting to be left behind, Korean coffee rivals such as Angel-in-us and Caffe Bene plan to continue investing heavily in China.

[Interview : Kim Sun-kwon, Caffe Bene Representative] "In order to establish ourselves as a global brand we need to be able to expand stores and capture the Asian market. Therefore we've decided to start in China".

Despite a host of international competitors, including US coffee giant Dunkin' Donuts and Britain's Costa Coffee, analysts predict that the Chinese market will continue to grow for both foreign and domestic brands.

The taste of coffee seems to have open the eyes of Chinese consumers and coffee chains are eagar to take advantage of this fast approaching billion dollar industry in the previously impenetrable "country of tea".

Paul Yi, Arirang News

MAY 02, 2012
Reporter : arirangpaulyi@gmail.com