Introduction:Seesaw Coffee has opened its first dedicated pour over-themed store in Shanghai’s Huashan Road and simultaneously launched a nationwide interactive pour over activity. In addition to exploring the unique features of this new store, this article will also share practical tips and parameter recommendations for five common home coffee brewing methods—including pour over, French press, and moka pot—to help coffee enthusiasts brew professional-level coffee at home.
China’s domestic coffee consumption market continues to heat up, with specialty coffee brands constantly innovating. As one of the earlier chain brands to enter the specialty coffee segment, Seesaw Coffee recently launched its first pour over-themed store on Shanghai’s Huashan Road and simultaneously initiated an online “National Pour Over” campaign, inviting coffee lovers to share their brewing creations using various methods including pour over, French press, moka pot, AeroPress, and drip bags.
Looking back at Seesaw’s development journey—from opening its first store on Shanghai’s Yuyuan Road in 2012, to accelerating expansion after securing hundreds of millions in funding, to experimenting with Mini stores and urban creative specialty drinks—the brand has always focused on experience and innovation. This new store and campaign also reflect the growth potential and fierce competition within China’s coffee market.
Seesaw is one of the earlier domestic brands to enter the specialty coffee field. Its first store was established on Shanghai’s Yuyuan Road in 2012, co-founded by Zong Xinkuang and Wu Xiaomei, focusing on specialty coffee and pour over experiences, with a target demographic of young consumers. In recent years, the brand has frequently launched products and events with creative elements, bringing considerable freshness to the market.
Recently, Seesaw officially announced through its channels that its first pour over-themed store has officially opened on Shanghai’s Huashan Road. Centered around this store, the brand has organized the “National Pour Over” campaign: participants simply need to upload photos or videos of themselves brewing coffee on social media—regardless of format, including pour over, French press, moka pot, AeroPress, or even drip bags—as long as the content involves hands-on brewing, along with a designated hashtag and tagging the official account, they can participate. Entries will be ranked based on quality, and winners may receive corresponding rewards.
In terms of store layout, Seesaw is mainly divided into three categories: standard stores, which focus on the integration of product and experience; themed stores, which combine scenes with innovative product experiences; and the newly introduced Mini stores launched in 2023. In January this year, to meet the quick consumption needs of specific scenarios and explore the quick pickup and online business of specialty coffee, Seesaw opened its first Mini store in China on the 5th floor lobby of Nanjing IFC (Sun Hung Kai IFC).
The Seesaw Mini store is positioned for convenient takeout. Though small in size, it is strategically located and features no seating but is fully equipped. Customers can place orders digitally via the mini-program and choose to pick up in-store or get delivery. This model serves office workers conveniently and aligns better with the demands of a fast-paced lifestyle.
Beyond store innovation, Seesaw is also skilled at building emotional connections with consumers through peripheral products. For example, when opening two stores in Chengdu in April this year, the brand launched eco-friendly bags, coffee cups, and trendy socks featuring elements such as teapots, rattan chairs, and hotpot—part of the “Dual City Creative Specialty Drinks” and limited-edition peripherals—successfully sparking conversation.
Public data shows that China currently has approximately 300 million coffee consumers, but overall consumption volume and per capita consumption are still significantly lower than those in mature markets such as Europe, America, Japan, and South Korea, indicating that the domestic coffee market has the potential to reach a scale of hundreds of billions and is expected to maintain rapid growth. According to Frost & Sullivan, the Chinese coffee market is projected to expand at a compound growth rate of nearly 26%, with the market size expected to reach 180.6 billion yuan in 2023.
For home brewing enthusiasts, in addition to participating in brand campaigns, mastering the basic parameters of several common brewing methods is also important. For example, pour over coffee generally recommends a coffee-to-water ratio between 1:15 and 1:18, with water temperature maintained at 90–94°C. Brewing can be done using a center spiral or pulsed pouring technique to ensure even extraction. The French press is recommended to use coarse grind, with an immersion time of about 4 minutes, followed by slow pressing to avoid over-extraction. The moka pot is suitable for users who prefer espresso-style flavors, with attention to not heating too high to prevent excessive bitterness.
Currently, China’s coffee market is still in a period of rapid growth, and the competition for “creative coffee” is far from over. Relying solely on product or store design is no longer enough to create a differentiated advantage; brands also need to continuously iterate in marketing, user experience, and product innovation. Facing the continuous influx of emerging specialty coffee brands, how Seesaw finds a unique path of differentiation in brand, product, and marketing strategy will be key to its future development.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
