Chinese Coffee Chain to Promote Brazilian Coffee in Asia
Leaning on the esteemed reputation of Brazilian coffee, a delegation from the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) arrived in China last Friday (11/8) to forge stronger trade ties focused on coffee exports. This diplomatic mission coincided with ApexBrasil’s President, Jorge Viana, receiving the keys to the new Casa Brasil in Shanghai, China.
This innovative space will function as a hub for fostering bilateral trade, encouraging investments, and will be open to Brazilian companies seeking to expand in the region. “Casa Brasil in Shanghai is a business center designed to support Brazilian enterprises and production sectors, providing yet another strategic point for Brazil’s foreign trade growth,” Viana stated.
He further highlighted China as Brazil’s largest trade partner and a crucial investor, which underscores the importance of strengthening Brazil’s image across Asia.
The establishment of this space aligns with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between ApexBrasil and Shanghai Yangpu District People’s Government this past June, aimed at promoting Brazilian coffee throughout the Chinese market. This MOU resulted from a trade mission led by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and supported by the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services (MDIC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE).
As part of these efforts, ApexBrasil also secured a partnership with Luckin Coffee, China’s leading coffee chain, through a Protocol of Intent. This collaboration seeks to enhance the visibility of Brazilian coffee as part of ApexBrasil’s “Brazil in the Spotlight” project, which aims to showcase Brazilian products in prominent international markets.
During this weekend, the ApexBrasil team toured Luckin Coffee’s impressive headquarters, where Laudemir Muller, Apex’s agribusiness manager, remarked on social media that the facilities reflect Luckin’s status as “the world’s largest and most modern coffee company.”
“It’s an honor for Brazil that Luckin’s signature coffee features our coffee beans, which are the best in the world,” Muller commented. “Spending hours with Luckin’s CEO Guo, who oversees 21,768 stores across China, was a great privilege.”
Jorge Viana, also present at the Luckin Coffee factory and museum in Shanghai, emphasized the recognition and appreciation for Brazilian coffee, noting that this experience strengthens the mission to introduce Brazilian coffee to global markets.
In August, representatives from Luckin Coffee visited ApexBrasil to discuss strategies for marketing Brazilian coffee in China. Founded in 2017, Luckin Coffee leads the coffee market in China, with 20,000 locations, 110,000 employees, and 69 million customers. Last year, the company’s revenue hit 24.9 billion Chinese Yuan, ranking it among China’s largest companies.
“Our ambitions extend beyond China; we’re working to build a global coffee brand,” said Yan Yan Sabrina Zhao, Luckin Coffee’s Head of Sustainable Development, during her recent visit to ApexBrasil. “To achieve this, we source the finest raw materials globally, including coffee beans from Brazil. Our research teams have already explored Ethiopia, Panama, Indonesia, and are now focused on Brazil, securing top-quality coffee that meets the standards set by the World Barista Championship (WBC).”
