Who is Drinking 35 Yuan County Coffee? Netizens: That Expert from a Few Days Ago!

Who Is Drinking 35 Yuan County Coffee?

Last night, the topic "Who is drinking 35 yuan county coffee" once again became a trending topic on Weibo.

Some netizens expressed confusion about what the focus should be, criticizing every keyword in the topic - "35 yuan," "county," and "coffee" - separately.

Many other netizens commented, "Definitely not me," "That's my daily food expenses," and "In the county, except for my low salary, everything else is expensive."

One netizen cleverly replied, "Who else could it be? It's obviously that expert from a few days ago - he drinks two cups a day."

Coffee Market Expansion in Lower-Tier Cities

Clicking into the topic, the top-ranked article was published by DT Finance, titled "35 Yuan County Coffee, I Can Hardly Afford It."

The article mentions Meituan's publicly released "2022 China Fresh Coffee Category Development Report," which shows that compared to the previous year, the number of coffee delivery orders in fourth and fifth-tier cities in 2021 increased by 257% and 253% respectively, far higher than in first and second-tier cities.

Many well-known coffee chain brands from major cities have chosen to "sink down," flooding into fourth and fifth-tier cities to capture the county market. Among them, the most widely recognized are the affordable representative Luckin Coffee, the mid-to-high-end representative Starbucks, and the later contender Luckier Coffee. According to DT Finance statistics, from 2019 to 2022, the number of Luckin and Starbucks stores in fourth and fifth-tier cities showed significant growth.

Independent Coffee Shops in County Towns

Besides these recognizable chain brands, the main group of county coffee shops consists of independent cafés run by locals. These establishments are similar to specialty coffee shops in big cities - most are beautifully decorated, emphasize "pour-over," "freshly ground," and "visual appeal," and are not inexpensive.

Friends returning to their hometowns during the Chinese New Year should have noticed that at the busiest intersection in their hometown county or town, there seems to be a Luckin or Starbucks, or perhaps a community coffee shop opened near their home. Coffee enthusiasts exclaimed that now they no longer have to worry about having no coffee to drink in their hometown.

Price Divergence and Consumer Demand

Coffee prices have begun to diverge dramatically, with low-price discounted coffee selling for as little as a few yuan per cup, while others cost tens or even hundreds of yuan. However, regardless of the price point, there are consumers in lower-tier cities and counties, just corresponding to different consumer needs. As one netizen summarized, "Rich people are everywhere, and so are poor people."

Those who consume high-priced coffee in fourth and fifth-tier cities don't need this "lifesaver drink" to stay alert, but rather want "a place to chat," seeking the social space and comfortable environment of coffee shops.

Cultural Factors and Future Potential

What drives county residents to actively enter coffee shops includes the emerging "check-in culture" in counties today, combined with the influence of social media influencers. Cafés with an inherent stylish atmosphere naturally become the preferred choice for young people. Additionally, some innovative coffee entrepreneurs have brought trendy elements from first and second-tier cities to counties, thus gaining popularity among local youth.

Therefore, the下沉市场 (sinking market) for coffee is still worth paying attention to, as the consumption potential of this market has not yet been fully tapped. However, specifically for county coffee, it may require more patience and time for gradual cultivation.

For more professional coffee knowledge exchange and coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee on private WeChat (ID: qjcoffeex).

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