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Thread: Coffee?

  1. #91
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    Moutai coffee & chocolate

    China's Moutai launches boozy chocolates with Dove in diversification drive
    By Casey Hall
    September 13, 20239:40 PM PDTUpdated 22 days ago


    [1/2]An advertisement promoting a Kweichow Moutai liquor latte is seen at a Luckin Coffee store in Beijing, China, September 4, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights

    SHANGHAI, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Chinese luxury liquor-maker Kweichow Moutai (600519.SS) is again looking to diversify from its fiery baijiu spirit core business to attract a new generation of consumers via a sweet collaboration with Mars, Inc.-owned Dove.

    The companies jointly announced on Thursday they would release limited edition alcohol-infused chocolates, available from Saturday.

    Within an hour, a hashtag about the collaboration had leapt to the top of the trending topics list on China's Weibo social media platform.

    This announcement comes only 10 days after the launch of a baijiu-infused latte from Moutai and domestic Starbucks rival, Luckin Coffee (LC0Ay.MU), which generated enormous interest online and sold out in cities around China.

    "This demonstrates Moutai's desire to broaden their appeal more to younger consumers," said Jason Yu, greater China managing director of market research firm Kantar Worldpanel. "They fear their current base is too concentrated on older consumers and that makes them worry about the future of the brand."

    Moutai, known as the national liquor of China, is a potent, colourless spirit that is usually served at banquets.

    The company, based in China's southwestern Guizhou province, began its run of collaborations last year with domestic dairy Mengniu. The resulting series of alcohol-infused ice-creams also caused a stir among Chinese consumers.

    In part, the attraction for younger Chinese of these quirky product tie ups lies in the novelty of buying into the Moutai brand for a small fraction of the cost of buying a bottle of its liquor, which has an average market price of 1,499 yuan ($206) for 500 mls.

    Though details of the price of the upcoming liquor-infused chocolates Moutai is releasing with Dove haven't been released yet, the Moutai-infused Luckin lattes were made available for as little as 19 yuan with coupons and a small tub of the alcoholic ice-cream was priced at 60 yuan.

    Shares in the company were little changed on Thursday, having gained 5% this year.

    ($1 = 7.2735 Chinese yuan renminbi)

    Reporting by Casey Hall

    Casey Hall
    Thomson Reuters
    Casey has reported on China's consumer culture from her base in Shanghai for more than a decade, covering what Chinese consumers are buying, and the broader social and economic trends driving those consumption trends. The Australian-born journalist has lived in China since 2007.
    Bai-Jiu-(Moutai)
    Coffee
    Gene Ching
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  2. #92
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    Pork flavoered coffee for Chinese New Year

    Pork flavored coffee is Starbucks’ newest China pitch

    By Jessie Yeung and Hassan Tayier, CNN
    3 minute read
    Published 2:38 AM EST, Tue February 20, 2024
    Hong Kong
    CNN

    Who doesn’t like a little braised pork with their coffee?

    Starbucks (SBUX) is betting on that unusual combination with a new drink released in China to mark the Lunar New Year. Dubbed the “Abundant Year Savory Latte,” the brand describes it as having an “interesting” flavor.

    The drink combines Dongpo Braised Pork Flavor Sauce with espresso and steamed milk, with extra pork sauce and pork breast meat for garnish, according to the Starbucks delivery app.

    The drink is priced at 68 yuan ($9.45), according to the app.

    Photos of the drink, posted on Chinese social media platform Weibo by the Shanghai Starbucks Reserve Roastery, show a drizzle of dark red sauce atop the latte foam — with a square slice of pork on a skewer resting on the mug rim.

    “Eating meat means prosperity in the coming year,” the roastery wrote on Weibo on February 5, days before the Lunar New Year began.

    It added that the drink brings “traditional New Year customs into coffee,” and creates “unexpected savory and sweet flavors.” The latte is available at Starbucks Reserve stores across the country.


    The drinks cost about $9.45. Courtesy Starbucks

    Lunar New Year is one of the biggest annual holidays in Asia. People across China travel back home during this period to celebrate with their families. Government data shows a total of 474 million trips were made within the mainland during this year’s travel season.

    And while the foods served at New Year feasts vary by region, braised pork makes a frequent appearance. Named after the ancient poet, painter and statesman Su Dongpo, Dongpo rou is a dish made from braised pork belly, rock sugar, soy sauce, yellow wine and other seasonings.

    The result is richly flavored and extremely tender cuts of pork that can easily be pried apart with chopsticks.

    China is the biggest branded coffee shop market in the world, according to a report released in December by World Coffee Portal, having overtaken the United States last year.

    Starbucks opened 785 outlets in the country in 2023, it said. China has long been one of the most important growth drivers for Starbucks, serving as its second biggest market worldwide and top overseas market.

    But it’s got stiff competition, including from Luckin Coffee. The Chinese startup is the country’s biggest coffee chain with over 13,000 outlets, and offers drinks at a much lower price point than its American competitor.

    The Starbucks pork latte has quickly gained traction on Chinese social media, with the topic viewed more than 476,000 times on Weibo by the time of publishing. Some users expressed curiosity, but others were skeptical, pointing to the high price point and questioning why they would drink the latte instead of eating real braised pork.

    “For 67 yuan, I could eat a plate of braised pork then go to Luckin and drink two lattes,” one Weibo user wrote.

    Another user quipped: “I would allow both (pork and coffee) to exist in my stomach at the same time, but not in my mouth at the same time.”

    Jiupai News, a site affiliated with the state-run Changjiang Daily, reported that the drink had already sold out at one store in Wuhan, with customers saying the flavor was “unique” with a dense, smooth mouthfeel.

    Starbucks also released other new flavors across China with a holiday theme in February, according to the Shanghai Reserve Roastery’s Weibo account, including a jujube macchiato inspired by new year’s rice cakes and an almond tofu macchiato.
    2024-Year-of-the-Dragon
    Bacon!!!!!!
    Coffee
    Gene Ching
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  3. #93
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    Cotti Coffee

    Cotti Coffee — Famed Chinese coffee brand lands in SG, has limited-time $3.50 americanos
    Isabelle Ang

    February 26, 2024

    From specialty cafes to coffee chains like classic Ya Kun and beloved Korean chain Compose Coffee, there certainly is no shortage of places to get your daily dose of caffeine. Here’s one more to add to your rotation – famed Chinese coffee brand Cotti Coffee has landed on our shores!


    Credit – Cotti Coffee SG

    Cotti Coffee opened its 1st Singapore outlet at One Raffles Link in late Dec 2023. It has since opened 2 more outlets, one in Tekka Place and another at Changi City Point.

    Hailing from China, Cotti Coffee is something of a powerhouse, with 7,000 outlets worldwide and counting. To celebrate this remarkable milestone, there is an ongoing limited-time promotion at all Singapore outlets. From 26 Feb to 31 May 2024, its Americanos are going for S$3.50 (U.P. $4.90) while all other drinks are priced at S$4.50.


    Credit – Cotti Coffee SG

    Unsure of what to get? Cotti Coffee boasts a wide selection of Signature Milk Coffees, with crowd favourites such as Vanilla Latte (U.P. S$7.50) and Caramel Macchiato (U.P. S$7.50).

    It also has a range of interesting Flavoured Lattes like the bright green-coloured Pandan Coco Latte (U.P. S$7.50) and light blue Pampas Blue Coco Latte (U.P. S$7.50).

    If you’re not much of a coffee drinker, perhaps go for their Matcha Latte (U.P. S$7.50) or Iced Shaken Grapefruit Tea (U.P. S$6.90). You can also beat the heat with their series of ice-blended Frappés, which includes a Matcha Jasmine Frappé (U.P. S$7.50) and Chocolate Frappé (U.P. S$7.50).


    Credit – Cotti Coffee SG

    You might notice that Cotti Coffee bears some resemblance to fellow China-based brand Luckin Coffee. Well, you’re not wrong; The former was founded by 2 ex-Luckin Coffee executives.

    The 2 coffee chains are said to be rivalrous, adopting similar sale strategies such as aggressive marketing and expansion, on top of keeping their beverage prices incredibly low with regular discounts.

    Who knows, perhaps Cotti will soon match up to Luckin’s already-strong foothold in Singapore. For now, though, do head down to any of their outlets for a quick and affordable coffee fix!
    Anyone tried Cotti yet?
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
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  4. #94
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    Slightly OT

    Coffee Mate and Dr. Pepper Team Up for a ‘Dirty Soda’ Creamer — Yes, Really!
    A dirty soda typically consists of a cola mixed with creamer or half and half, flavored syrups and lime juice

    By Sabrina Weiss Published on March 4, 2024 05:10PM EST


    Coffee Mate and Dr. Pepper team up to make a dirty soda creamer. PHOTO: COFFEE MATE

    At-home dirty sodas just became even easier.

    Coffee Mate is partnering up with Dr. Pepper to create a coconut lime creamer specifically made for crafting a dirty soda. Though the creamer company normally caters to coffee, as the name suggests, this limited-time creamer is meant to be added to soda (ideally Dr. Pepper) instead.

    Starting March, the fruity creamer will be available at grocery stores nationwide while supplies last for a suggested retail price of $3.29.

    Dirty soda popped up all across social media back in 2022 but has been popular in Utah since the 2010s. The drink typically consists of soda mixed with creamer or half and half, flavored syrups and lime juice.

    Dirty soda became a mocktail-esque mainstay in the state likely because Utah has a large Mormon population who don't typically drink alcohol because of their religion.


    Coffee Mate's limited-edition dirty soda creamer. COFFEE MATE

    Celebrities helped popularize the dirty soda trend, too. In December 2021, pop star Olivia Rodrigo posted an Instagram photo to her feed holding a cup from Swig, a soda shop that specializes in making dirty sodas. Lindsay Lohan also starred in a Pepsi commercial focused on dirty soda.

    Coca-Cola recently announced a Dr. Pepper competitor: Coca-Cola Spiced. The new, fizzy beverage is the first permanent flavor to be introduced by the brand in three years. It hit national retail shelves starting Feb. 19. Coca-Cola Spiced Zero Sugar is also available.

    The soda blends the classic taste of Coca-Cola with a “burst of refreshing raspberry flavors and spiced notes,” per a release.
    Dirty Soda sounds wrong. And Lindsay Lohan is pushing it? So wrong.
    Gene Ching
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  5. #95
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    AI blended coffee

    A coffee roastery in Finland has launched an AI-generated blend. The results were surprising
    Updated: 2:34 PM PDT Apr 20, 2024
    By JARI TANNER Associated Press

    Privacy Notice
    An artisan roastery based in the Finnish capital has introduced a coffee blend that has been developed by artificial intelligence in a trial in which it's hoped that technology can ease the workload in a sector that traditionally prides itself on manual work.

    It is only apt that the Helsinki-based Kaffa Roastery’s “AI-conic” blend was launched this week in Finland, a Nordic nation of 5.6 million that consumes the most coffee in the world at 12 kilograms per capita annually, according to the International Coffee Organization.

    The blend — an AI-picked mixture with four types of beans dominated by Brazil’s velvety Fazenda Pinhal — is the end result of a joint project by Kaffa, Finland’s third-biggest coffee roastery, and local AI consultancy Elev.

    “Leveraging models akin to ChatGPT and Copilot, the AI was tasked with crafting a blend that would ideally suit coffee enthusiasts’ tastes, pushing the boundaries of conventional flavor combinations," Elev said.

    Kaffa Roastery’s managing director and founder Svante Hampf told The Associated Press on Saturday that the two partners wanted to trial how AI and its different tools could be of help in coffee roasting, a traditional artisan profession highly valued in Finland.

    “We basically gave descriptions of all our coffee types and their flavors to AI and instructed it to create a new exciting blend,” said Hampf, while showcasing “AI-conic” at the Helsinki Coffee Festival that annually brings together roasteries and coffee aficionados.

    In addition to coming up with its chosen mixture of beans from Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia and Guatemala, AI created the coffee package label and a detailed taste description saying “AI-conic” is “a well balanced blend of sweetness and ripe fruit.”

    Hampf acknowledged he was surprised that AI “somewhat weirdly” chose to make the blend out of four different type of coffee beans, rather than the usual two or three which allows distinction in taste between flavors from different origins.

    After the first test roasting and blind testing, Kaffa’s coffee experts agreed, however, that the tech-assisted blend was perfect, and there was no need for human adjustments.

    According to Elev’s spokesman Antti Merilehto “AI-conic is a tangible example of how AI can introduce new perspectives to seasoned professionals” while offering coffee lovers new taste experiences.

    Kaffa Roastery hopes the trial serves as an opener of dialogue between coffee professionals of things to come in the future in Finland, a nation that has both a strong coffee culture and a passion for technology with a flourishing startup scene.

    “This (trial) was the first step in seeing how AI could help us in the future,” Hampf said, adding the project brought smoothly together “the artisan skills of a roastery” and AI-provided data. “I think AI has plenty to offer us in the long run. We are particularly impressed of the coffee taste descriptions it created.”
    Coffee
    AI-Responses-to-Common-Kung-Fu-questions
    Gene Ching
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  6. #96
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    Scallion latte

    2 MINS READ
    Scallion latte: A controversial twist in China’s coffee craze
    APRIL 27, 2024BY THE ASEAN DAILY

    26-4-2024 (BEIJING) In recent years, China has witnessed a growing trend of specialty coffee, with unique combinations like beef balls and baby octopus finding their way into lattes, captivating the public’s curiosity. However, a new contender has emerged on the internet, causing heated discussions and raising eyebrows – the scallion latte. Could this mean that onions will become a mandatory ingredient in our coffee in the future? The unconventional taste has left many coffee enthusiasts and scallion lovers at a loss for words.

    The recipe for a scallion latte involves blending a large cup of chopped green onions with milk, followed by the addition of espresso. Finally, the concoction is garnished with chopped green onions for decoration, resulting in a completed cup of green onion latte. This peculiar practice has gained significant attention on mainland China’s Douyin platform, eliciting mixed responses from netizens. Some wonder if they will have to bid farewell to onions even when enjoying their morning coffee. Coffee lovers and scallion enthusiasts alike found themselves in a perplexing situation. Mainland Chinese netizen Zhang Xiansen, who dislikes cilantro, simply commented, “Scallion latte.”



    While the scallion latte may be visually striking, its taste is an acquired one. Many people have experimented with various spices to create unique lattes in recent years. Seafood, meat, and even spices have found their way into coffee creations. With the coffee market in mainland China growing increasingly competitive, small coffee shops are compelled to take unconventional routes in order to stand out against chains like Starbucks and Luckin Coffee.
    I'd try this. I love scallions and enjoy a latte now and again (although I'm more a cappucino kinda guy). I can't imagine them going together well, but I'd be open minded about it.
    Gene Ching
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  7. #97
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    Tmnt bagged coffees

    SET OF 4 *PREORDER* TMNT BAGGED COFFEES
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    Whole Bean Pre-Ground

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    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Shell-Shocked Sugar Cookie: 100% Organic Arabica, Medium Roast, Naturally & Artificially Flavored in a delicious Sugar Cookie. Delivered in Limited Run TMNT Packaging Featuring Fearless Leader Leonardo Wielding his Katanas. {SKU:659859225586}

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Half-Shell Hazelnut Creme: 100% Organic Arabica, Medium Roast, Naturally & Artificially Flavored in a smooth warm Hazelnut Creme. Delivered in Limited Run TMNT Packaging Featuring The Bo Staff Thrusting Brainiac Donatello. {SKU:659859082455}

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Cowabunga Coconut Caramel: 100% Organic Arabica, Medium Roast, Naturally & Artificially Flavored in a Bodacious Coconut Caramel. Delivered in Limited Run TMNT Packaging Featuring The Pizza Loving, Nunchuck Spinning Michelangelo. {SKU:659859008233}

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    2: Preorder Estimates can (and do) change. We do our best to offer a range of time we expect to receive these excellent preorder items, but CANNOT guarantee ALL items will meet these estimates. If you have questions about your preorder items, simply email us at Studio@Popculturecoffee.com to inquire. We generally respond within 24 hours or sooner.

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    T-M-N-T
    Coffee?
    Gene Ching
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  8. #98
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    Coffee research

    California university opens the only center in the nation to study the science of coffee
    by: Veronica Catlin
    Posted: Jun 10, 2024 / 04:44 PM PDT
    Updated: Jun 10, 2024 / 04:44 PM PDT
    SHARE
    (FOX40.COM) — The University of California, Davis is now home to the only collegiate coffee research center in America.

    UC Davis said it has a long tradition of “leveraging its academic breadth, quality and diversity in partnership with industry to make research contributions that have a significant societal impact.” Now, coffee is a part of that research. The center opened in May 2024 and has over 50 faculty members from departments spanning the university.

    “Think of this center as a hub of all things coffee,” Chancellor Gary S. May told attendees at the grand opening celebration. “Together, we bring rigorous coffee science and cutting-edge technology to the world stage.”

    The 7,000-square-foot facility provides pre and post-harvest coffee science research locations, including experimental green bean storage, brewing laboratories, sensory and cupping laboratories, a chemical and analytical laboratory, and a pilot roastery, according to UC Davis.

    Some current areas of research interest include:

    • Sustainability and re-purposing of coffee cherries
    • Agricultural outreach and extension
    • Fermentation microbiology
    • Genetics
    • Chemical and biological degradation during green bean storage
    • Chemical kinetics and reaction pathways during roasting
    • Flower synchrony
    • Energy efficiency during roasting and brewing
    • Identification and characterization of flavor molecules
    • Food safety issues, especially in cold brew
    • Sensory and consumer science
    • Plant nutrient dynamics
    • Biological effects on consumption
    • Nutritional effects on health
    •Agricultural economics and coffee law
    • Postharvest processing

    In addition to the chemical, physical, and biological sciences, UC Davis said there is growing interest in understanding the social, cultural, and psychological aspects of coffee, and will provide robust opportunities for collaboration with colleagues in the humanities and social science programs.
    I'm astounded that this is the first.
    Gene Ching
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  9. #99
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    Luckin’s chocolate-flavoured Moutai latte

    Luckin’s chocolate-flavoured Moutai latte shows what Chinese consumers want
    Ross Hindle
    February 2, 2024



    Luckin Coffee and Kweichow Moutai have released a chocolate-flavoured alcoholic “latte” with 0.5% ABV

    This is one of two collaborations announced on the same day for Luckin, showing how important “novelty” is for coffee consumers

    This shows how the chain is focused on coffee being an ingredient, rather than a beverage in its own right

    ON 22 January, Luckin Coffee and Kweichow Moutai, the producer of Maotai baijiu liquor, launched a chocolate-flavoured alcoholic latte in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year. Moutai is a spirit that contains 53% alcohol, with each serving of Luckin’s beverage containing less than 0.5% alcohol by volume.

    The Maotai-flavoured chocolate drink uses whole milk and Maotai-infused thick milk/cream, meaning Luckin can avoid adding Maotai baijiu bottles to their stores.

    This marks the second collaboration between the two brands, following the “sauce-flavoured latte”. This first product of the partnership emerged as one of Luckin’s most important revenue sources over the last year, at one point selling 5.4 million cups in a single day.

    This partnership is part of Kwiechow Moutai’s strategy to reach younger audiences. Conversely, for Luckin, this allows them to associate with a historic heritage brand which is well-known across the country.

    This is also further evidence that hard coffee could be making a comeback. Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks have both notably recently added alcoholic beverages to their menu. However, there is one definitive difference with Luckin’s latest release.

    Is coffee now just an ingredient?

    The Maotai-flavoured chocolate drink doesn’t contain any coffee – much like a matcha or chai latte.

    For some time, there has been a growing trend for developing drinks where coffee is a component or ingredient rather than the singular focus. We can see this in the growing trend of customisable coffee beverages using flavoured syrups, which are far more prominent in branded coffee shops than high-scoring single origin lots.

    There is plenty of evidence to support this shift in consumer behaviour. For example, ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee is among the fastest-growing segments in the industry – and many products are mixed with plant milks and a wide range of other ingredients to achieve certain flavours.

    Similarly, a growing demand for customisation, largely driven by Generation Z and young millennial consumers, is leading coffee shops to add more flavours and syrups to their menus.

    “Generation Z sees coffee as an ingredient – something that can be mixed with many things, rather than something standalone,” says Felipe Cabrera, general manager at Ad Astra Consulting. “Southeast Asia’s coffee sector more widely is following [customisation] trends too, as mostly their new coffee consumers are millennials and Gen Z. That’s the future for the coffee market in China.”

    Not only are the flavours being introduced becoming increasingly unconventional, but comparisons with the growing number of flavours of milk teas and a wider range of plant milks show that customisation clearly resonates with younger consumers.



    Younger consumers want novelty and customisation

    This product release demonstrates another trend for Chinese coffee shops: coffee shop chains don’t think single origin coffees are cool anymore – the focus is instead on Instagrammable, customisable beverages.

    This reflects a broader trend in the coffee industry, where the experience and novelty of the product are often just as important as the product itself. Luckin’s approach isn’t just about offering something unique that can’t be easily replicated at home or found in other traditional coffee shops – it also aims to make their customers feel like they are experiencing something new and exciting, with an air of exclusivity around the limited edition product.

    In line with this, Luckin announced two other collaborations on the same day as releasing the chocolate-alcohol beverage, including the release of Jackson Yee-related merchandise – the coffee chain’s global ambassador.

    Felipe reiterates that this is being driven by younger generations in China – but that it reflects a wider shift in the industry. Newer consumers aren’t chasing traceable, high-scoring coffees and innovative brewing methods – they want a never-ending chain of new experimental drinks mixed with a huge range of ingredients.

    “Coffee isn’t an ‘aspirational’ product in this way any more,” Felipe says. “Customers are more interested in a wider range of flavours being added to coffee; fruit syrups, a mix of milk teas and coffee, and so on.”

    But ultimately, this collaboration doesn’t just symbolise the direction that Chinese coffee culture is going in – it also reflects what we’re seeing on a global scale with the explosive growth of RTD, plant milks, and other similar categories associated with novelty and customisation.

    It does, however, indicate that consumers in China are excited by a wider range of more unconventional flavours as far as customisation is concerned. Even though the last 12 months have seen Starbucks mix coffee with olive oil and mushroom coffee gathering speed around the world, this coffee-free alcoholic “latte” is a different direction.

    Altogether, this shows that Luckin is focused on coffee as an ingredient – and that approach is clearly something which resonates with the Chinese coffee market. But this trend is becoming more present outside of China too. The real question is how long coffee can remain the star of the show – or if the rest of the world will follow suit in time.

    Coffee
    Bai-Jiu-(Moutai)
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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