What Coffee Beans Does Starbucks Use for Yunnan Coffee? Is Yunnan Pour-Over Coffee Delicious?

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Yunnan Coffee: China's Premier Coffee Growing Region

As China's largest coffee-producing region today, Yunnan has attracted major coffee companies like Starbucks and Nestlé, who have recognized its immense potential.

Rich Historical Heritage

The history traces back to 1892, when French missionary Father Tian Deneng planted the first coffee tree in Zhukula Village, Binchuan County, Dali City—generally regarded as the earliest record of coffee's introduction to Yunnan. For the next 100 years, coffee trees did not flourish extensively in this region until multinational corporations entered Yunnan in the late 1980s, when this foreign product was replanted and utilized for export worldwide.

Coffee Profile

• Region: Asia and Pacific growing region
• Processing Method: Washed (wet), semi-washed
• Flavor: Herbal notes
• Acidity: Low
• Body: Medium

Phoenix Dance Auspicious Clouds Coffee

The Phoenix Dance Auspicious Clouds coffee beans were first launched in 2009 to celebrate Starbucks' 10th anniversary in mainland China, making it the first blend containing coffee from mainland China. This coffee is composed of beans from the Asia/Pacific region mixed with Yunnan coffee.

The Yunnan coffee in this blend comes from the Baoshan region of Yunnan Province, grown at an altitude of approximately 1,200-1,400 meters. With annual rainfall of about 800mm, growers have implemented additional irrigation measures.

Located at the foot of the Himalayas, Yunnan features snow-capped mountains, deep canyons, and lush tropical lowlands, making it China's most diverse province in terms of plant species, birds, and mammals (including Asian elephants and tigers).

FrontStreet Coffee recommends using water at 89-90°C for three-stage extraction, though you can also try Starbucks' common high-flow brewing method.

Symbolic Design

The packaging design depicts a phoenix against a backdrop of mountains and deep canyons. In China's symbolic cultural system, the phoenix embodies perfectionism. Research reveals that the phoenix is a divine creature of "harmony," symbolizing ancient Chinese people's understanding, respect, and reverence for various creatures in nature, while representing virtue and prosperity.

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