‘Gourmet coffee prince’ Liu Minghui aims high
April 22, 2013 Leave a comment
‘Gourmet coffee prince’ Liu Minghui aims high
Staff Reporter
2013-04-22
An ad for Aini Coffee. (Photo/CFP)
Liu Minghui, founder of high-end Chinese coffee company Aini Coffee, is continuing his pursuit to promote beans grown in southwestern Yunnan province and raise the company’s profile overseas. Aini Coffee opened its first store last year at the Pu’er Simao Airport, selling coffee machines and coffee beans grown in the Yunnan city of Pu’er. Liu is now seeking to create his own brand in the competitive market of coffee shop chains and instant coffee, focusing on a niche market selling high-end beans to independent coffee shops, offices and families. Opting to avoid direct competition with established brands, the company no longer supplies to Walmart and Carrefour. Liu instead advertises his products online through Taobao and Amazon.One of the biggest challenges for the company, however, is a lack of public confidence in domestic products, said Liu. The situation has got worse in recent years after a series of food scandals, he addedm most notably the infant formula scandal in 2008, in which six babies died and many thousands were poisoned.
“Every time news of a food scandal breaks, it’s like rubbing salt in the wound,” he said.
Problems processing coffee beans and a preference among local farmers to grow beans for instant coffee are also stumbling blocks that hinder Yunnan’s coffee sellers. It is also difficult to attract talent and experienced individuals to the remote province, said Liu.
Liu’s biggest coup, however, was setting up a joint venture with global chain Starbucks last year. The joint venture is estimated to be capable of producing 20,000 tonnes of coffee beans a year.
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