The Viral Edible Coffee Cup Trend Taking Over China’s Cafés

 A new “edible coffee cup” has quietly gone viral across social platforms, becoming a must-try item for young consumers. On Xiaohongshu alone, over 38,000 users have posted about it, and total views have reached nearly 10 million—and the number keeps climbing.

So, what exactly is an edible coffee cup? It’s an innovative concept emerging from the specialty-coffee scene: a cookie-like cup made from oat flour and other grains, baked into shape and coated with a layer of chocolate on the inside to prevent leakage. The cup can hold coffee for more than 30 minutes, making it fully functional while also fun and delicious. With both novelty and practicality, it perfectly hits consumers’ curiosity and has sparked a trend across multiple cities in China.

ACOC Specialty Coffee in Chongqing is one of the first to ride this wave, and its signature drink, the Black Sesame Vienna, has become a viral sensation. Served in a crispy oat-cookie cup and topped with fluffy black-sesame cream, the drink delivers both rich coffee flavor and satisfying crunch. On its small-program menu, the drink is priced at 38 RMB—far from cheap—but customer enthusiasm remains sky-high. Many who tried it shared: “Queued for over an hour,” “The shop is packed during the day—go in the evening instead,” showing just how hot the product has become.

Hugh Cafe, a neighborhood coffee shop in Chengdu, quickly followed the trend and released three limited-edition edible-cup drinks: Christmas Wreath Latte, Pistachio Matcha Christmas Fantasy Cup, and Burning Cloud Cocoa. Unlike standard edible cups, these versions feature extra candy, pistachio crumbles, or marshmallow garnish on the rim, creating an even stronger visual impact. Prices range from 39 to 45 RMB. At one point, the Christmas Wreath Latte sold out completely—not due to a shortage of coffee, but because the edible cups themselves ran out, forcing the brand to rush new batches overnight.

As the trend spreads, more cafés are adopting edible cups as their new traffic boosters. According to incomplete stats, cafés in Wuxi (Youshi Coffee), Hefei (FUMU Manor Cafe), and Baoji (Liangguozi Coffee) have all launched similar products with impressive sales results. Wuxi Youshi Coffee even stated, “We can’t keep up with the orders.” The Hefei shop sold out on the same day it launched. Liangguozi Coffee announced online: “Edible cups are sold out—the next batch is in production.”

However, it’s worth noting that edible-cup drinks are currently offered only for dine-in or in-store pickup, with no delivery option. Hugh Cafe and ACOC both explained: “Delivery would ruin the presentation,” and “There is no suitable delivery packaging—it must be consumed on the spot.” Industry insiders believe this limitation may prevent edible cups from being scaled across large coffee chains.

Still, it’s undeniable that the “drink it, then eat it” experience—combined with high visual appeal and social-media value—perfectly aligns with young consumers’ demand for upgraded, experience-driven spending. This creative fusion of dessert and beverage may well become the next major trend in the specialty-coffee industry.

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