Introduction to Yunnan Baoshan Small Bean Coffee Growing Regions_Why Yunlu Coffee is Affordable_Development Status of Baoshan Coffee

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About Baoshan Coffee

The geographical location of Lujiang and Mangkuan in Baoshan is exceptionally advantageous. Bordering the Gaoligong Mountains to the west and adjacent to the Nujiang River to the east, with high terrain in the west and low terrain in the east, nature's masterful craftsmanship has created what has become the world's second-largest canyon. The natural barrier has formed a dry-hot valley climate zone here. The small-grain coffee produced in this grand canyon is of superior quality, characterized by being "rich but not bitter, fragrant but not strong, with a hint of fruitiness." At the 42nd Eureka Expo in Brussels in 1993, Baoshan small-grain coffee conquered the palates of nearly demanding coffee tasters, winning the Eureka Gold Award and since then, its fragrance has spread across five continents.

Although coffee is an imported product in China, it has already occupied a considerable consumer market among many young and middle-aged people. Like its intimate companion, another giant among the world's three major beverages—tea—it has become a regular item in many Chinese people's cups. Whether it's Starbucks or Nestlé, whether you're drinking "American" or "3-in-1 instant," most people don't associate this rich aroma with China. The first coffee origins that come to mind might be Indonesia, Cuba, or perhaps Jamaica, Colombia, or even India. It wasn't until visiting Baoshan, Yunnan, that this impression was completely overturned.

Through the author's in-depth research in Baoshan, a relatively deep understanding of the local coffee cultivation and processing industry has been gained. This time, the author will gradually unveil the mysterious veil of China's largest small-grain coffee cultivation area from multiple product dimensions for readers.

Yunnan Baoshan small-grain coffee is a Chinese geographical indication product. The exact era when Baoshan began cultivating small-grain coffee has no detailed historical records. From the recollections and experiences of business figures from the 20th century, it can be roughly known that coffee was introduced to Baoshan around 1886 in the early 20th century, when large numbers of British, French, American, Italian, and German missionaries entered western Yunnan to preach, bringing coffee to their missionary sites for cultivation. In Yunnan, coffee trees that have survived for over a hundred years can still be found today, which serves as evidence.

If it were only based on such background, it would not be enough for Baoshan small-grain coffee to capture so many loyal followers. What truly attracts many coffee drinkers is its excellent flavor. Many factors affect coffee quality, among which altitude conditions are particularly important. Baoshan's unique geographical location possesses characteristics such as high altitude, dry-hot valleys, and sloped land. Coffee grows vigorously here, with full fruits, rich internal substances, mellow aroma, balanced taste, and lower caffeine content. Places with such environments also include: Brazilian Santos, Sumatran Mandheling, Yemen Mocha, and Jamaican Blue Mountain. With such comparison, everyone should understand that the so-called exceptional advantages are not self-praise.

Baoshan small-grain coffee's main variety is Catimor, occupying over 70% of the local planting area. The remaining varieties are mainly concentrated in Typica variants, Bourbon variants, and others. The city's normal annual coffee production is around 13 million kilograms, with the main industrial model being cultivation combined with processing. Among them, large-scale enterprises in the cultivation industry include Baoshan Yunda Coffee, Baoshan Yunlu Coffee, Gao Laozhuang Coffee, Shennong Coffee, etc.; in terms of deep processing, those that have achieved scale include Yunlu Coffee, Jinglan Coffee, etc. It can be said that the coffee industry in Baoshan has formed an industrial cluster and possesses considerable brand value.

As the author gained a deeper understanding of the Baoshan small-grain coffee industry, in addition to discovering its quality and highlights, one cannot avoid the problems and drawbacks of the local industry. After all, only by analyzing and exploring the coffee industry can the industry and enterprises as a whole improve, driving the local economy and the income of related practitioners. In the author's view, Baoshan small-grain coffee also faces impacts at different levels—market, product quality, consumer groups—that have either already erupted or are hidden but not yet apparent.

I. Coffee Bean Cultivation Mainly by Smallholder Farmers, Difficult to Unify Product Standards

Baoshan began implementing the "Baoshan Effective Coffee Geographical Indication Protection Product Quality Standard" (i.e., DB 53/T 371-2012) in 2012. However, most local growers are currently smallholder farmers, creating a situation where standards exist but are difficult to effectively implement. Only a few cooperatives or enterprises, due to productization and export requirements, strictly control the input and use of agricultural materials according to corresponding standards. This situation directly affects the stability of local enterprises' procurement sources and indirectly affects the market reputation of Baoshan small-grain coffee as a "local business card."

II. Weak Systematic Management in Coffee Processing Enterprises, Fragile Industry Chain

The taste of Baoshan small-grain coffee needs no further explanation. With such excellent raw materials, naturally there are no shortage of coffee beverage processing enterprises. In the author's visits to local enterprises, it was found that local enterprises have relatively weak awareness of systematic management. Most enterprises have not completed systematic certification, a situation closely related to the current development stage of the industry. Currently, most enterprises are in an emerging stage, with sales channels focusing on online internet and supermarkets, and have not firmly implemented the "second-party audit" requirements proposed by buyers as planting enterprises do. This has also caused enterprise development to focus on the market rather than on product quality control and risk control. In the research, most enterprise managers have realized the seriousness of the problem, and some enterprises have begun to carry out systematic construction such as ISO9000 and HACCP, but establishing systems is by no means an overnight task. These sparks that harm the industry must be extinguished before problems arise.

III. The Process of Coffee Branding Has a Long Way to Go

Baoshan small-grain coffee, this geographical indication product, is not without fame, but many people recognize this brand because of a suffix explanation: a supplier to Starbucks.

Currently in the market, the competitors facing Yunnan small-grain coffee should not be underestimated. In terms of coffee beans, suppliers from Southeast Asia and South America continuously impact the market. In terms of finished coffee and instant coffee, just one company, Nestlé, has captured the "greater part" of online distribution. To "break through" from among the many foreign brands dominating the coffee industry requires not only telling the story of small-grain coffee well but more importantly, proving one's quality through objective testing and certification. How to transform from "Starbucks' supplier" to "Starbucks uses Baoshan small-grain coffee" is an important issue that Baoshan coffee practitioners must face squarely!

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