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BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT
Photos courtesy of Xingang Coffee
Today, we travel 34 kilometers northwest of Menglian County to reach Fuyan Town; bordering Myanmar, Fuyan Town preserves its natural beauty and cultural heritage.
It is here that Yan Leng recognized the potential for coffee cultivation on this fertile land. His daughter Zhao Mei recalls, “My father believed that coffee would have a future market and would be suitable for this land.“ Despite initial struggles and lack of infrastructure, Yan Leng’s vision gradually took shape, and his coffee farm Xingang Coffee was born.
We sat down with Zhao Mei to learn more about her journey and the evolution of Xingang Coffee.
Zhao Mei’s Journey
As the eldest daughter, Zhao Mei became involved in the family business, though her path was not straightforward. Initially indifferent to coffee, she worked at the town health center. “Watching my parents doing heavy field work and dealing with financial pressures discouraged me,“ Zhao Mei says. Her perspective changed in 2017 when media outlet Vice invited her to participate in a coffee documentary.
During the documentary’s filming, Zhao Mei discovered a new appreciation for coffee while cupping and tasting it. “We usually add sugar and creamer to coffee at home. That day, I realized coffee is not as bitter as I imagined. It’s a bit like drinking juice. Why didn’t I know this before?“ she wondered.
This revelation ignited her passion for coffee, prompting her to leave her job at the hospital and hand over her other businesses to her cousin. She apprenticed at a city coffee shop to learn the trade before returning to Fuyan to open Zhao Mei Coffee House, serving locally grown coffee to her community for free. “Every morning and evening, the small coffee shop was filled with people enjoying the taste of coffee,“ she recalls.
Now, five years into her journey with Xingang Coffee, Zhao Mei has seen the estate’s reputation soar. “Participating in competitions and winning awards is an opportunity for publicity, allowing everyone to drink our good Yunnan beans,“ Zhao Mei shares. Her dedication to quality and ability to bridge traditional methods with modern techniques have made Xingang Coffee a standout name in the industry.
The Transformation of Xingang Coffee
Under Zhao Mei’s leadership, Xingang Coffee has transformed from merely producing coffee to cultivating high-quality beans that compete globally. “The younger generation can learn more, understand more, and care more about sustainable development,“ Zhao Mei explains.
This generation’s holistic approach includes meticulous field management, sustainable farming practices, and advanced processing techniques. “We like to learn from each other. In addition to planting and processing techniques, we often taste and communicate together. This is very important for ensuring quality,“ says Zhao Mei.
This collaborative spirit has significantly improved coffee quality, earning Xingang Coffee numerous awards, including top honors at the Yunnan Green Bean Competition. “I didn’t expect to win so much this year,“ Zhao Mei admits. “But it’s mainly because there are so many excellent estates in our production area. Everyone is very serious about coffee.“
Challenges and Future Plans
Despite their success, challenges persist, particularly in technical aspects of coffee processing and ensuring consistent quality. “There are still many areas to improve in terms of technology,“ Zhao Mei says. “Without better equipment, how can we overcome the weather and stabilize production?“
Looking ahead, Zhao Mei envisions expanding the estate, improving both quality and output, and establishing a distinct brand. “The most important thing is to carefully divide the plots: where to make high-quality products, where to do business, where to plant new varieties, where to add shade trees,“ she explains. By implementing detailed field management and embracing innovation, Zhao Mei aims to elevate Xingang Coffee to new heights.
Inspiring a Community
The impact of Xingang Coffee extends beyond the estate, uplifting the entire Fuyan Town community. Zhao Mei’s parents, who initially struggled to gain acceptance for coffee cultivation, have become local heroes. “My mother started from scratch by opening a small shop in the town. To follow my father in making coffee and inspire the common people, she closed the shop and devoted herself to coffee,“ Zhao Mei recalls.
Today, Xingang Coffee’s success has brought economic growth and improved livelihoods to Fuyan. “As people born and raised in Fuyan, this land nurtured us. In return, we started with ourselves, brought the knowledge we learned back to our hometown, and led our fellow countrymen to produce the best coffee,“ Zhao Mei says proudly.
Zhao Mei’s journey from reluctant participant to passionate advocate has transformed Xingang Coffee and inspired a new generation of coffee growers in Yunnan. “Although Yunnan coffee is already popular, we still have many years to go before becoming well-known,“ she says. “We need to learn and standardize all aspects, create our own characteristics, and wait for the market and time to evaluate.“
As Zhao Mei and her community continue to strive for excellence, the future of Xingang Coffee looks bright, promising a legacy of quality, sustainability, and community spirit.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vasileia Fanarioti (she/her) is a senior online correspondent for Barista Magazine and a freelance copywriter and editor with a primary focus on the coffee niche. She has also been a volunteer copywriter for the I’M NOT A BARISTA NPO, providing content to help educate people about baristas and their work.
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