Baoshan Small-Bean Coffee: Grown in the Mountains, Yet Unknown
This is China’s only coffee to ever win the Eureka Gold Award, hailed by international baristas as a “gem of quality.” Yet, the journey of this coffee bean—from the field to the cup—has long faced the challenge of being “hidden in remote mountains, unnoticed by the world.” On one hand, new coffee estates are springing up rapidly; on the other, Baoshan Small-Bean Coffee’s market share remains stubbornly low. To explore solutions for the industry, visits were made to local estates and companies, seeking to understand the tension between “premium genetics” and “market difficulties.” Challenges for New Estates: Avoiding Photo-Op Backdrops and Overcoming Homogeneity At the recently opened Gongjiang Coffee Estate, the lush surrounding mountains and meticulously designed landscapes create a welcoming impression—every snapshot looks like a perfect photo. But walking through the estate, visitors are few, and lively scenes exist only in pictures. “The environment and coffee taste are go...