A cup of coffee brews a story of BRICS cooperation
Brazilian coffee and Chinese retail cooperation took centre stage at CIFIT in Xiamen, where Luckin Coffee and ApexBrasil presented coffee as a bridge between trade, culture and broader BRICS ties.
The 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) began on September 8 in Xiamen, a city on the southeast coast of China's Fujian Province. This year's event took place in a new venue with an expanded exhibition space, welcoming over 1,200 delegations from 129 countries and international organizations. The exhibition space grew to 200,000 square meters, an increase from 120,000 square meters the previous year.
For the first time, Finland and Saudi Arabia were honored as dual guest countries, while Guangdong and Qinghai were recognized as dual guest provinces. This year, coffee emerged as a new means of cooperation at the fair, reflecting the strengthening ties within BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa).
The fair coincided with the 52nd anniversary of China-Brazil diplomatic relations and the China-Brazil Culture Year, emphasizing the importance of BRICS cooperation. As economic and trade relations between BRICS countries continue to deepen, the coffee trade has become a tangible example of this partnership. In 2025, China imported 1.12 million bags of Brazilian coffee (60 kilograms per bag), marking a 19.5% increase year on year. This surge made China one of Brazil's top 10 coffee export destinations.
To celebrate and promote this partnership, Chinese coffee chain Luckin Coffee and Brazil's Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) jointly launched a China-Brazil pavilion at CIFIT on the inaugural day. This pavilion was themed around BRICS cooperation and showcased the latest outcomes of China-Brazil collaboration in coffee and cultural exchange under the BRICS framework.
Brazilian coffee beans are now reaching Chinese consumers, bringing a taste of Brazil's culture with them. Victor Queiroz, the chief representative for the Asia-Pacific Region of ApexBrasil, noted that Brazil-themed coffee shops have already opened in Shenzhen and Shanghai, with more planned.
Guo Jinyi, co-founder and CEO of Luckin Coffee, explained that the company sources its coffee directly from coffee-producing countries, including Brazil, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. The beans will find their way into Chinese consumers' hands through Luckin's stores, a strategy that Guo framed as deepening cooperation among BRICS nations.
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