Manner Coffee's Brand Maners Coffee to Open Stores in Hong Kong

Manner Coffee Reported to Be Expanding to Hong Kong

Yesterday, media reports indicated that Manner Coffee will open stores in Hong Kong. The information came from social media users who posted photos of a "Maners Coffee" hoarding at the World Trade Center in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.

From the photos, the store appears to be under renovation, but the hoarding reads "Maners coffee originated from Manner." Apart from the slight change in the name, its logo is identical to Manner's.

Below the hoarding it also says "Hong Kong, we're coming," and the coffee cup pattern on the curtain is the same cup used on Manner's mainland China store posters.

It remains unclear why Manner would use the name "Maners Coffee" instead of "Manner Coffee" when entering Hong Kong. As of now, Maners has not disclosed any information about opening stores in Hong Kong. Contacted by Jiemian News, it has not yet responded. If the move succeeds, Manner will become the first mainland coffee brand to open in Hong Kong.

About Manner Coffee

Manner Coffee is a direct-operated coffee chain established in 2015, belonging to Shanghai Yinhe Industrial Co., Ltd. Its founders are the couple Han Yulong and Lu Jianxia. It represents the emerging Chinese coffee brands, positioning itself as specialty coffee with prices from 15-20 yuan, roughly 50% lower than Starbucks. Stores are mainly located near office buildings and primarily serve coffee, tea, juice, and desserts.

On the coffee side, beyond standard menu basics such as espresso and Americano and products such as latte, flat white, cappuccino, and pour-over, Manner offers secret menu items, a Uji matcha series, selected pour-over coffee, and roasted coffee beans.

Manner also has MANNER LIFE brand products, including pour-over kettles, travel coffee cups, portable coffee packs, premium green beans, and oat milk, forming a complete industrial chain. Environmental protection has consistently been treated as part of its social responsibility. The chain has a distinctive promotion: "each customer who brings a non-disposable cup to enjoy coffee in-store can receive a 5 yuan discount," aiming to contribute to the environment together with customers.

Manner Coffee grew from a small 2-square-meter window shop on Nanyang Road in Shanghai to today's scale. It has witnessed the vigorous development of China's coffee culture, consistently entering the market with small-footprint, light-investment stores. According to data from Zhaimen Catering, Manner Coffee has now opened 538 stores nationwide, in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Suzhou, Chongqing, Hangzhou, and other cities, with Shanghai the most concentrated.

Coffee Industry Growth and Competition

In the past two years domestic coffee brands have emerged rapidly, with names such as Manner, Seesaw, and Saturnbird appearing. Competition across the industry has grown fiercer. Against the backdrop of a booming domestic market, specialty coffee brand Manner Coffee has long been a target for capital, backed by major institutions such as Capital Today, Temasek, Meituan Longzhu, and ByteDance.

This year, with a push from capital, Manner pressed the fast-forward button on expansion. In March, it published a post on its official account titled "Ten Cities Nationwide, 200+ New Stores Open Simultaneously, Three Days of Free Coffee." Before the new stores opened, consumers could bring their own cups to get a free coffee. That itself is nothing surprising, since it has been Manner's consistent opening strategy, but the scale of this opening certainly made waves across the coffee industry.

Looking at today's coffee market by brand store count, the top three are Starbucks, Luckin Coffee, and then Manner. Now Manner needs to keep accelerating, since there is still a considerable gap to close with Starbucks and Luckin Coffee, both of which currently have over 6,000 stores.

Challenges in the Hong Kong Market

From the British colonial period to the influence of Japan's specialty coffee wave, Hong Kong has always been a city rich in coffee culture. As Manner Coffee, which has thrived in the Chinese market, expands to Hong Kong, it will face new environments and new players, and it may need to adjust its approach. Whether it can achieve the same success as in mainland China remains to be seen.

Image source: Internet

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

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For a low-acid, mellow cup, FrontStreet's Cerrado Red Bourbon from Brazil brings cream, peanut, and cocoa flavors at an everyday price.