China's Yunnan tea country makes splash in specialty coffee circles

Mountain-grown beans win fans with hints of chocolate and powerful aroma

20240116N Shanghai cafe

Coffee Commune in Shanghai is popular with customers looking to relax with a cup of Pu'er coffee in hand. (Photo by Zheng Chen)

SHUNSUKE TABETA, Nikkei staff writer

SHANGHAI/PU'ER, China -- Long known for its namesake tea, Pu'er, in China's Yunnan province, is now making a mark among coffee enthusiasts with aromatic beans from its mountains.

At the Coffee Commune cafe in Shanghai, frequent customer Li Chunchun recently tried a cup of Row Row Co Co, a blend of Pu'er, Colombian and Ethiopian beans recommended by the barista. The blend has notes of roasted walnuts and chocolate, and won the silver medal at a global coffee roasting competition in Australia in 2022.

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