On the podcast this week we are turning the spotlight to China and exploring how the traditionally tea-drinking country is rapidly growing into one of the most dynamic and opportune coffee markets in the world. From billion-dollar valuations for start-up coffee companies to a breathtaking number of new café openings, the Chinese coffee market is a machine you cannot ignore.
In this episode, we’ll be speaking with the COO of international coffee shop chain Costa Coffee, a two-time Chinese Barista Champion, and a local coffee machine distributor to better understand this burgeoning market and explore the breadth and scale of opportunities for coffee brands in China.
Shakir Moin, Chief Operating Officer of Costa Coffee, outlines the astounding speed at which the Chinese coffee market is developing and why he estimates China will soon be among Costa Coffee’s top three coffee markets globally.
Jeremy Zhang, a two-time Chinese barista champion and founder of a café and roastery M2M Coffee Roasters and UNiUNi Coffee, shares how the growth and innovation in China extend to even the most bespoke end of the specialty coffee market.
Gordon Chang, General Manager, La Marzocco China, provides an insight into China’s tea-drinking culture and the continued growth he sees for artisan coffee across the country.
Credits music: "Music Is There" by Daisy Chute, winner of the 2018 Coffee Music Project
Guests
Shakir Moin
Chief Operating Officer, Costa Coffee
Shakir Moin is the Chief Operating Officer of Costa Coffee since 2019, responsible for international expansion and growth of Costa Coffee. Prior to this, Moin served as Head of Global Growth Operations for The Coca-Cola Company and Chief Marketing Officer for Coca-Cola Greater China and South Korea.
Shakir Moin
Chief Operating Officer, Costa Coffee
Shakir Moin is the Chief Operating Officer of Costa Coffee since 2019, responsible for international expansion and growth of Costa Coffee. Prior to this, Moin served as Head of Global Growth Operations for The Coca-Cola Company and Chief Marketing Officer for Coca-Cola Greater China and South Korea.
Gordon Chang
General Manager, La Marzocco China
Gordon Chang heads up La Marzocco’s business in China and is an expert on the coffee market in China having started his career in the industry almost 30 years ago. Chang helped build the illy brand in his home country Taiwan before joining as its distributor for the nascent China in the early 2000s.
