Australian roasted coffee in demand in China – Austrade






By Peter Roberts

Austrade’s trade and investment commissioner in China Lauren Gilbert has flagged another manufacturing opportunity in the middle kingdom driven by Australians’ obsession with a morning coffee.

Gilbert took to social media to say: “As a coffee addict, one of the first things I did when Shanghai’s lockdown started to lift was grab a latte.

“I would sit on the side of the road and watch the city return to life.”

Part of that return is increasing consumption of Australian roasted coffee (Lauren Gilbert’s morning coffee spot, main photo).

Gilbert said China’s coffee scene has flourished in recent years with coffee imports increasing 144 per cent in 2021 to $1.12 billion, with the country now boasting more than 110,000 coffee shops.

She said: “Australian grown and roasted coffee is renowned for quality.

“I get a thrill (really!) every time I see an “Ao Bai” 澳白 (an Australian Flat White) on the menu and a bag of Australian beans behind the coffee machine in China.”

Her post sparked numerous stories from Aussie expats who get a similar thrill on finding Australian owned cafes and our products on the shelves in Shanghai and elsewhere in China.

Lauren herself was reminded: “You remind me of the basement coffee shop we frequented as exchange students at Peking University/Beida in 2008.

“Was one of the only, somewhat affordable coffee joints that actually had a latte!!”

Lauren does love her exclamation marks.

Austrade says that although Australia is a relatively small exporter of coffee to China: “Australian grown and roasted coffee is renowned for quality, and it has a loyal and niche clientele in China.”

More information on coffee export to China here.

Pictures: Austrade/the view from Gilbert’s morning coffee spot, Shanghai/Lauren Gilbert

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