Shi learned that, according to a report of Coffee Engineering Research Center of China, the national consumption of coffee beans was 250,000 metric tons in 2021, an increase of more than 25 percent over the previous year. This indicates the broad potential for hand-drip coffee in the Chinese market.

"The unexpected global pandemic has forced us to change our way of life — the way we work, play, shop and relax. With longer days living at home, some people started to learn cooking, some picked up books that had not been read for a long time, and others began to learn to make a cup of good hand-drip coffee," Shi says.