Introduction:Yijie Coffee (Beijing) Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sinopec’s convenience store chain Yijie, has been listed on the Beijing Changping District Market Supervision Administration’s business abnormality register for failing to submit its annual report on time. As a key platform for Sinopec to promote coffee services within gas stations, Yijie Coffee has gone through various phases since its launch in 2019 — including partnerships with Luckin Coffee, independent operations, and collaboration with Tim Hortons. Its development journey highlights both the potential and challenges of the gas station coffee market. This article traces the evolution of Yijie Coffee and explores the opportunities and hurdles of coffee ventures within non-fuel services at gas stations.
According to corporate credit information, Yijie Coffee (Beijing) Co., Ltd. has been placed on the business abnormality register by the Beijing Changping District Market Supervision Administration for failing to disclose its annual report within the stipulated timeframe. The company is fully owned by Sinopec Yijie Sales Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Sinopec, with a registered capital of 60 million RMB. It was originally seen as a strategic move by Sinopec to expand its coffee market presence within the non-fuel sector of gas stations.
Public records indicate that Yijie Coffee (Beijing) Co., Ltd. was established in February 2021, with Liu Yan as its legal representative. Its business scope includes catering services, food sales, and even extends to fields such as basic AI software development and the manufacturing of specialized equipment for commerce, food, and services. The shareholder structure reveals that the company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sinopec Yijie Sales Co., Ltd., demonstrating Sinopec’s high level of commitment to the project.
Sinopec’s ‘Yijie’ brand, as the core platform for its non-fuel business, has built over 28,000 convenience stores and nearly 10,000 Yijie Auto Care outlets across China. It is not only the country’s largest direct-operated convenience store chain but also one of the largest self-operated car wash service platforms. Against this backdrop, ‘Yijie Coffee’ serves as an extended offering, aiming to provide customers at gas stations with a richer array of consumption options.
On September 3, 2019, Sinopec Yijie partnered with the then well-known internet coffee brand ‘Luckin Coffee’ to officially launch the ‘Yijie Coffee’ brand, marking the first appearance of the coffee market within Chinese gas stations. The first stores were located in Suzhou and opened simultaneously at nine Sinopec gas stations in the area, along with the unveiling ceremony of a flagship store at Xinghu Street in Suzhou.
It is understood that ‘Yijie Coffee’ was designed based on new retail concepts, tailored to the fast-paced and highly mobile nature of gas station consumers, resulting in coffee products suited for in-car consumption scenarios. The brand innovatively launched three product lines named after gasoline grades: 92# representing classic black and white coffee, 95# for trendy specialty drinks, and 98# positioned as a premium series, successfully attracting the attention of many motorists.
By December 2020, Sinopec Yijie further announced the establishment of a joint venture with Luckin Coffee to expand the presence of ‘Yijie Coffee’ within gas station channels and gradually open dedicated stores within Yijie convenience shops. In February 2021, Yijie Coffee was officially registered, with a registered capital of 60 million RMB. In the initial equity structure, Lianxiang Business held 10% of the shares, while Sinopec Yijie owned 90%.
However, the development of Yijie Coffee did not go as smoothly as expected. In June 2024, corporate information platforms showed that the original shareholder, Shanghai Lianxiang Business Consulting Co., Ltd., had exited, leaving the company fully controlled by Sinopec Yijie Sales Co., Ltd. This signals Sinopec’s decision to take full charge of the project independently. Previously, Sinopec stated that the launch of Yijie Coffee achieved a breakthrough in scenarios, innovating a new retail model of ‘delivery + in-store consumption,’ allowing consumers to conveniently purchase coffee products whether during their commute, in the car, or in commercial areas around gas stations.
Notably, in July 2022, the internationally renowned coffee brand Tim Hortons also announced a strategic partnership with Yijie Coffee. According to the agreement, the two parties planned to set up small Tim Hortons outlets within some Yijie Coffee locations and jointly develop co-branded ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee products, further expanding their product offerings and brand influence. This move was seen as an important attempt by Sinopec to pursue premiumization and differentiation in the gas station coffee market.
As of now, Sinopec has not made any public statement regarding Yijie Coffee (Beijing) Co., Ltd. being listed on the business abnormality register. The industry generally believes that this incident reflects the multiple challenges faced by the gas station coffee model in its expansion, including management, operations, and market acceptance. Whether it can establish a solid foothold in the fiercely competitive coffee market remains to be seen.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
