Shanghai leads the nation's coffee culture

Ti Gong

Shanghai has solidified its status as the coffee capital of China, with its coffee consumption surpassing all other cities nationwide.

The city's transaction volume, order quantity, merchant count and user count in coffee consumption ranks first across the nation, according to a survey released during the ongoing 2024 Shanghai International Coffee Culture Festival.

An award ceremony took place at the Sinar Mas Plaza in Hongkou District on Saturday.

Various accolades, including Best Coffee Shop, Outstanding Contribution, Best Partner, Coffee Industry Leader were presented. The festival, which began on May 1, will continue to unfold with coffee-themed creative activities throughout the city, according to the organizers.

Shanghai Daily was honored with the New Media Influence Award, highlighting its role in promoting coffee culture through international media channels.

The aroma of coffee has permeated the city over the past month, becoming one of Shanghai's most distinctive features.

As a flagship event of the broader Double Five Shopping Festival, the coffee culture festival energized the city with nearly 50 coffee-themed activities across various districts. The festival has been drawing both citizens and tourists into the coffee culture experience, the organizers said.

Ti Gong

One of the highlights was the largest coffee carnival held at the West Bund in Xuhui. The event integrated diverse consumption scenarios and provided an artistic coffee culture atmosphere.

The Hongkou's coffee culture festival focused on coffee blending art, fashion, history and modernity to craft a unique and influential coffee carnival, the district government said.

The Shanghai Publishing Industry Association launched the "Taste the World, Read Good Books in Shanghai" series, creating a strong coffee and reading culture atmosphere.

Other notable events included the coffee carnival by the Shanghai History Museum, the Spring Market by the Shanghai World Expo Museum, the Spring Coffee Festival by Meituan and Dianping and Ele.me's "First Cup of Coffee in Shanghai."

The festival also introduced the Best Coffee Shop selection. Sixty-one coffee shops were honored, and the organizers will create a "treasure map" of Shanghai coffee shops through this selection.

At the award ceremony, global partners were invited to join the 2025 Shanghai International Coffee Culture Festival. More companies and platforms are invited to participate in making "coffee culture" an influential Shanghai festival brand, the organizers said.

Ti Gong