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What is the quality of Yunnan coffee beans? 2018 Yunnan coffee bean prices_Yunnan coffee bean brand recommendations

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange For more coffee bean information Please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account cafe_style) Near the equator, the three major coffee-producing regions of Latin America, Africa, and Asia-Pacific are distributed with the world's finest coffee. So, does China have any? Yes! From the map, you can see that there are not many places in China suitable for coffee cultivation, and Yunnan Pu'er is one of them ●Yunnan Pu'er Average

Professional coffee knowledge exchange, more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

China's Premium Coffee Region: Yunnan Pu'er

In the three coffee-growing regions near the equator—Latin America, Africa, and Asia-Pacific—the world's highest quality coffee is distributed. But does China have such regions?

Yes! Looking at the map, there aren't many places in China suitable for coffee cultivation, but Yunnan Pu'er is definitely one of them.

Yunnan Pu'er

With an average altitude of 1,200 meters and a subtropical monsoon climate, combined with Yunnan's unique geography, this region imparts easily recognizable flavors to its coffee. The Tropic of Cancer connects Yunnan with other famous origins like Colombia and Jamaica.

Coffee cultivation is like Yunnan's slow-paced life—it cannot be rushed. From sowing to seedling to bearing attractive berries, it takes about 4-5 years.

From the first day of sowing, coffee farmers must watch anxiously as they break through the soil and sprout. When they grow 4 pairs of stem leaves, farmers carry them up the mountains to truly receive the nourishment of natural rain and soil. Although primitive and laborious, carrying them in bamboo baskets is the most suitable method.

During harvest season, coffee demonstrates its "delicate" nature to the extreme—it can only be hand-picked to ensure selecting perfectly ripe berries. This means that harvesting from a single tree requires several trips back and forth. The index finger and thumb are the best harvesting tools.

A statistic that surprised me greatly: by the end of last year, there were over 1,200 certified coffee farms, with a total cultivation area exceeding 11,000 hectares—equivalent to 15,406 football fields!

However, the purchase price of coffee in our country is suppressed to very low levels. The current international coffee price is 18.3 yuan/kg, while Yunnan coffee beans are priced at 14.3 yuan/kg.

Given such low prices and such arduous cultivation and production processes, why do so many coffee farmers still persist on their coffee land?

Because of Faith

He shared his experience in Yunnan with me. When he went to Yunnan Pu'er, he asked coffee farmers the same question. When the farmers heard the word "coffee," their eyes lit up because they have been cultivating coffee beans for generations, holding the highest respect and love for coffee.

According to Frank, there's also an area in Pu'er inhabited by descendants of French missionaries from years past. This culture and inheritance influences future generations and those around them. This spirit, whose value cannot be measured by money, is precisely the craftsmanship spirit greatly lacking in modern times. It is the power of faith that enables these coffee farmers to overcome natural and market difficulties, to persist on their deeply beloved land, to ensure coffee production in China, and to embody the most valuable meaning in life.

Yunnan Coffee Bean Varieties

The main coffee varieties in Yunnan are Typica, Bourbon, and Catimor, all within the Arabica species. Among them, the best quality beans are basically exported to Europe. Companies like Nestlé, Starbucks, UCC, Maxwell... all source their coffee beans from Yunnan, specifically from Simao. Baoshan rejected Starbucks, though the reason remains unknown. Yunnan's coffee won a London gold medal in the 1950s and a Belgian Eureka gold medal in 1993. This represents international influence, though these achievements are relatively distant in time. Typica has the smallest production volume in Yunnan and is also the most expensive. Internationally, it's considered among the finest of Arabica varieties. Both Jamaican Blue Mountain and Hawaiian Kona can be considered Typica varieties. Due to changes in terroir and growing conditions, Yunnan's Typica is somewhat milder, with less pronounced acidity than Blue Mountain. Overall, Typica has a relatively light flavor (very light, in fact) but a long aftertaste.

Bourbon is second only to Typica, with relatively higher production and a more intense flavor, making it less commonly available on the market. Catimor is a later introduction with stable yields and stronger disease resistance, widely cultivated in Yunnan. The Catimor variety is easily available on the market today, and Catimor AA beans are also exported varieties. Generally speaking, they're not bad. Not just in China, but throughout Asia, Yunnan's varieties are considered excellent. As for Kopi Luwak, Mandheling, etc., purely from a coffee variety perspective, they cannot compare with Typica. These are the basic varieties in Yunnan, all belonging to the Typica branch of Arabica and subsequent variants, unlike Hainan's Robusta. As for quality, I'd suggest trying them before judging. Overall, except for Typica being slightly more expensive, varieties like Catimor are quite affordable. Try medium-roasted Typica as single-origin coffee and trust your own evaluation. If you like Blue Mountain flavor, I think you'll like Yunnan's Typica. Light flavor with a long aftertaste and noticeable fruity notes. However, the first sip might disappoint you because it lacks strong coffee flavor. Bourbon: fragrant, mellow, and smooth.

Recommended Yunnan Coffee Bean Brands

FrontStreet Coffee's roasted Yunnan coffee beans—Old Variety Typica Coffee Beans from Baoshan producing area [Yunnan Flower and Fruit Mountain]—offer full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they offer extremely high value for money. A half-pound (227g) package costs only around 50-60 yuan. Calculating at 15g per cup of pour-over coffee, one package can make 15 cups, with each Americano costing only about 4 yuan. Compared to café prices that often reach tens of yuan per cup, this represents exceptional value.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. They also provide online store services at https://shop104210103.taobao.com