Introduction:A post-90s woman in Beijing turned leftover afternoon tea ingredients from the office into DIY coffee, which received praise from her colleagues. This success eventually led to the opening of a small coffee corner. The story trended on Weibo. This article explores the origins of office coffee corners, online reactions, analyzes the advantages of the office coffee consumer demographic and operational challenges, and shares practical knowledge about specialty coffee to help readers understand this emerging trend.
In the workplace, coffee has become many employees' "lifeline." It not only helps boost alertness but also aids in reducing swelling, keeping people sharp during busy workdays. Nowadays, more and more offices are equipped with coffee machines, making them a standard fixture. However, a post-90s woman in Beijing’s Chaoyang District took coffee culture a step further by bringing it into the office and creating a unique office coffee corner.
Initially, the woman simply used leftover ingredients from the company's afternoon tea to try making coffee herself. Unexpectedly, these homemade coffees received unanimous praise from her colleagues, with the response far exceeding her expectations. Encouraged by this, she then applied to her boss and officially set up a small coffee shop within the office. This initiative not only allowed colleagues to enjoy freshly made coffee during breaks but also unexpectedly became a social talking point, with related content even trending on Weibo.
Netizens expressed envy, saying that such a work environment is simply ideal—not only can you enjoy fresh coffee, but you can even earn money while working.It is understood that the office coffee corner uses low-cost ingredients, not only saving expenses but also encouraging colleagues to join in the DIY process. They have successfully developed several “internet-famous” coffee drinks.
For many office workers, ordering takeout coffee every day is a significant expense. A regular takeout coffee can easily cost thirty to forty yuan, whereas homemade office coffee is not only more affordable but can also be customized to individual taste preferences, giving drinkers a greater sense of accomplishment. In addition, the office coffee corner provides a brief space for relaxation, allowing employees to find a moment of peace amid a busy workday, thereby improving overall work efficiency.
However, whether setting up a coffee corner in the office affects work has become a focus of concern for many. In reality, the operating hours of this coffee corner are flexible, mainly used during employee break times, and it does not interfere with normal work processes. On the contrary, through this relaxed approach, it enhances relationships among colleagues and boosts team cohesion.
In recent years, office buildings have become important venues for coffee consumption. More and more coffee shops are choosing to open stores within office buildings. For example, Kudi Coffee’s first store was located in an office building, and Starbucks also has multiple outlets in commercial buildings with glass curtain wall designs. These locations not only have stable foot traffic but also a clearly defined target demographic—business professionals who are accustomed to drinking coffee.
The advantage of office building coffee shops lies in having a fixed weekday customer flow, especially during the daytime from Monday to Friday. These office workers have a high demand for coffee and a high frequency of consumption. Additionally, although weekend traffic may decrease, online marketing can still attract some leisure customers. For entrepreneurs looking to open a coffee shop, office buildings are a location worth considering.
However, office coffee corners or office building coffee shops also face operational challenges. For example, how to balance work and coffee business hours, and how to provide high-quality coffee services within limited space. For small coffee corners, although the customer base is stable, if they want to further increase profitability, they still need to focus on product diversity, service processes, and marketing strategies.
Overall, the case of this post-90s woman in Beijing opening a coffee corner in the office reflects the strong demand for coffee among modern office workers and reveals new trends in office building coffee consumption. Whether as an employee benefit or a business model, the office coffee corner shows great potential and may become a focus for more enterprises and entrepreneurs in the future.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
