What is the Future of China's Coffee Industry? How is the Barista Profession Faring in 2023?

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Should I Enter the Coffee Industry?

2022 has passed in the blink of an eye. During this year, many people have seen the booming coffee industry, so at the end of the year, we received many questions about whether one should switch to the coffee industry. Here, we have compiled several frequently asked questions for everyone to explore together.

Should I become a coffee apprentice?

There are two types of coffee apprentices: those hired by coffee shops and those who pay to attend training courses.

Generally, the former cannot learn professional coffee knowledge or acquire many coffee skills, after all, employers won't pay people to come and learn. Such positions are typically all-purpose roles where you need to learn how to handle various trivial tasks in the shop.

Of course, you might encounter good bosses who are willing to lead their employees forward. However, things are mutually beneficial - only when you yourself are humble and sincere, diligent and motivated, and willing to endure hardships will you get more learning opportunities.

The latter, on the other hand, is an excellent entry point into the coffee industry. However, there are currently numerous training institutions on the market with significant price differences, so if there are no recommendations, we suggest looking for larger training institutions.

At the same time, regardless of the course or training level, it only provides a scope of learning and doesn't mean you truly understand coffee. Because what teachers say is not the entirety of coffee knowledge, so after completing the course, you still need to continue improving your coffee professionalism, learn more coffee knowledge, and acquire more coffee skills. As for technical and hands-on operations, you need constant practice to form muscle memory.

Should I get certified before entering the coffee industry?

Not necessarily. This can be chosen based on your personal situation, as not all coffee brands/companies require baristas to have certification. After all, the fees for these certificates are not low, and many certificates cannot be taken at advanced levels - a complete set costs over 10,000 to 20,000 RMB... which is quite expensive. Moreover, having certification doesn't necessarily mean your salary will be higher than regular baristas; it mainly depends on the coffee shop owner's considerations for the future.

Generally, positions that require applicants to have coffee-related certificates are in training institutions/coffee trading companies. These often require applicants to have relevant coffee trainer qualifications/Q-grader certifications, as well as sufficient professional coffee knowledge reserves that can be flexibly applied.

Should I give up my current profession to enter the coffee industry?

We don't advocate for this - impulse is the devil! I know that those with this idea are tired of the nine-to-five lifestyle and hope to join the coffee industry. Whether you're switching to become a barista or opening a coffee shop, besides needing professional knowledge reserves, more importantly, you absolutely must carefully and seriously understand the coffee industry!

Although the coffee track seems very popular, it's not as beautiful as it appears on the surface. Many people think that as long as they have sufficient knowledge and skills, everything will be easy. However, if you want to develop in this field, you must move in different directions!

If you genuinely want to excel as a barista, you can't just focus on technical skills behind the bar. Being a barista is a profession with many development directions and strong versatility. It can be technical, media-related, agricultural, or technological... These development directions are not out of reach - it's just a matter of whether you're willing to put in the effort and hard work, after all, all successful people start from zero.

Coffee shops are not limited to specialty coffee. Many people's blindly optimistic view of the coffee industry is: the current per capita coffee consumption in China lags far behind many countries with rich coffee culture history, so there's room for growth. However, this view often overlooks the dietary consumption habits of Chinese people.

The specialty coffee understood by general consumers is actually a different concept from the specialty coffee understood by consumers already deeply involved in the coffee circle. Profitable coffee shops are often those that do business with general consumers. For coffee shops, using high-quality raw materials is the most basic thing; how to attract general consumers through products and style is what everyone should think about most.

This not only requires knowing how to make coffee but also learning marketing, store operations, team management, and much more. Choosing to switch to the coffee industry requires bearing high opportunity costs. If you currently have a good, stable profession, you must carefully consider and weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.

Image source: Internet

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