The opening ceremony of the 2025 Hongqiao International Coffee Culture Festival is held on May 16. [Photo/WeChat ID: minhangnews]
The 2025 Hongqiao International Coffee Culture Festival kicked off on May 16, spotlighting Shanghai's ambition to become a global coffee hub.
The festival, held at Hongqiao 365, unveiled the 2025 China Urban Coffee Development Report, highlighting Shanghai's pivotal role in China's coffee industry, with 9,115 cafes.
According to the report, China's coffee scene is booming, with the output value of the industry reaching 313.3 billion yuan ($43.48 billion) in 2024, an 18.1-percent increase from the previous year. For the first time, the average annual coffee consumption per person in China exceeded 20 cups, reflecting a growing national enthusiasm for the beverage.
A key development at the festival was the formation of the Hongqiao International Coffee Industry Alliance by eight enterprises from the Yangtze River Delta region. This alliance aims to position Shanghai as a global coffee hub, leveraging the Hongqiao International Coffee Harbor, which supplies nearly half of the city's coffee beans and fosters a comprehensive "seed to cup" ecosystem.
The festival, a central element of the Shanghai International Coffee Culture Festival, has drawn over 300 industry leaders and representatives from more than 40 renowned coffee companies. At the festival's industry forum, they discussed the globalization of Chinese coffee brands and emerging retail trends.
Lasting until May 31, the festival will feature 16 themed activities, including the Baoshan Coffee and Tourism Promotion Fair, designed to enhance cultural and commercial exchanges.
At the opening ceremony, the second "Taste of China" Global Specialty Coffee Series Competition (TOC) was inaugurated, featuring an expanded auction segment.
The event also introduced the 2025 Shanghai-Yunnan Coffee Tasting Journey, a collaboration aimed at creating unique coffee-themed tourism routes, fostering regional cooperation and cultural exchange.
As Shanghai leads the national coffee scene, the Hongqiao International Coffee Culture Festival remains a focal point for industry and cultural development. Local officials expressed hope that the festival will attract more coffee entrepreneurs to Minhang district, intertwining a thriving business environment with a distinctive cultural atmosphere.
