Taking a sip of new coffee culture in nation's northwest

URUMQI — From desert cafes to mountain-view lattes, China's northwest is driving a coffee transformation, blending local flavors with scenic charm to fuel a thriving "coffee+" economy.

Perched on a mountainside in a rural area of Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, a cafe has become a hot spot since opening earlier this year.

At this venue, visitors linger for hours sipping lattes while gazing at snow-capped peaks. "It's perfect for families," said Aynigar Arkin, a local who was celebrating her child's birthday at the cafe.

Amandol Pulat, manager of the cafe, said despite its rural location, the cafe attracts many customers thanks to its unique scenery and affordable prices. "Weekends are always packed," he said, while also outlining expansion plans including an outdoor dining area, a horse-riding field and a camping site, aimed at expanding the business scope.

Industry data show that China has nearly 400 million coffee drinkers, with annual consumption reaching 280,000 metric tons in 2023. Per capita coffee intake was 16.74 cups in the country in 2023 — nearly double the level recorded in 2016.

Notably, savoring a cup of coffee blending local flavors, such as yak butter coffee in Qinghai province, goji berry coffee in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region and coffee in cup-shaped naan, a traditional staple food in Xinjiang, has become an essential recommended part of Northwest China travel guides on social media platform Xiaohongshu, or RedNote.

"The goji berry coffee is so creative and tasty," said a tourist surnamed Zhao, who ordered her brew at the cafe in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Museum in Yinchuan, the regional capital.

Unlike the fast-paced coffee chain culture of first-tier cities, the vast northwest fosters intimate cafes that welcome guests from all walks of life — integrating diverse cultures while driving economic growth and creating new spaces for face-to-face connection.

Tucked between residential buildings, a humble cafe serves as a community hub for the local people in the city of Korla in Xinjiang. Its decor — ranging from poplar wood stools to intangible cultural heritage print blocks serving as decorations on tables — displays local culture.

"As a native of Korla, I want this cafe to be a living footnote in our city's cultural memory," said owner Yang Dunmin. "What we brew here isn't just coffee — it's human connections."

Wang Ran, an associate professor at Yili Normal University in Xinjiang, said that Northwest China's coffee industry will leverage its rich cultural tourism resources to enhance consumer experiences using distinctive cultural elements to fuel growth — thereby generating new consumption vitality.

Xinhua