New Beijing-based chain seeks to offer customers authentic cafe experience

The history of tea in China may stretch back nearly two millennia, but when it comes to coffee it's a different story.

Coffee first poured onto the shores of China during the 19th century, when Western missionaries and merchants brought it with them to treaty ports such as Shanghai.

After a brief heyday during the 1920s and 1930s, the burgeoning coffee culture in China disappeared with the closure of cafes in 1949. The re-emergence of coffee shops since the 1980s in big cities such as Beijing has followed the development of China.

Dutch-born Feng-juan Lee is the co-founder of the contemporary artisan cafe Emily Coffee, in Chaowai SOHO. Lee, who has a background in PR and marketing, amassed valuable experience researching brands in China. Together with her business partner, she has chosen Beijing as the launch pad for their Chinese coffee chain, Emily Coffee Company.

"Chinese people are looking for good brands - a good high-quality brand they can trust," Lee said.

A reputable, high-quality brand and an unrivalled coffee experience are exactly what Lee wants to offer to those who crave caffeine in Beijing - not coffee that is persuasively packaged but tastes mediocre. Customers can also purchase high-quality coffee ware made by Bodum, as well as the coffee served in the cafe, which will provide both the tools and tastes needed to recreate the experience at home.

While Beijing is currently nurturing a blossoming cafe scene, with the 798 art zone identified as the center for this growing culture, the feature that sets Emily Coffee apart is attention to detail.

"Coffee is not only about coffee beans, water and milk. How the three ingredients are combined is also very important," she said.

Lee said Emily Coffee stocks and uses only the best of these three vital ingredients for a cup of coffee: spring water, rather than boiled tap water; fresh, quality milk; and, most importantly, freshly roasted coffee beans. Emily roasts its own coffee beans and uses them within three months. To top off the experience, a small Belgium cookie is perched on the side of the saucer. With Lee, every nuance is noted.

"It's the small details that can really make a difference to my brand," she explained. "But it's not only about a good presentation, you have to make sure that the quality is of a good standard and stays at that level."

Lee ensures her staff maintain the Emily Coffee Company standard by requiring that each member undergoes training and obtains a barista certificate from the China Barista Coffee training center in 798. Each month the team also undergoes a brief assessment, as well as customer service training, to make sure the cafe retains its high caliber.

It is not just the coffee beans or staff that receive Lee's dedicated attention, but also her customers. The last Friday of every month is Emily Day, when customers can stop by and meet Lee, get advice on living in Beijing and exchange tips with other customers over a drink.

"I see my customers as family and I like meeting friends through my business. Emily Day is for the customers. I know what it feels like when you first arrive in a foreign country."

With its stylish decor, ground coffee aroma and friendly atmosphere, Emily Coffee is a serene space for meeting friends, networking, going on your own to do some work, or simply relaxing with a good cup of coffee.

China Daily

(China Daily 09/02/2010)