Lujiazui Coffee Festival – 11th Edition Overview
On October 19, 2026, the 11th Lujiazui Coffee Festival opened at Lujiazui Central Green in Shanghai, marking a seven‑day celebration that runs daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The event brings together more than 390 coffee brands representing 20 countries across five continents and over 100 cities, creating a "living map" of global coffee cultures.
Visitors can explore more than 70 newly launched products, limited‑edition specialty drinks, and coffee‑themed merchandise, while the "Coffee by Day, Drinks by Night" concept ensures continuous activity throughout the day and night. The festival also introduced its first official brand character, "i‑Dou," a coffee‑bean‑inspired figure whose name echoes the Chinese word for "idol."
Cultural programming includes the "Art Space" segment of the China Shanghai International Arts Festival, which presents live performances at the venue. Competitive and educational components feature the national finals of a barista skills competition and 16 masterclasses covering various aspects of coffee preparation and innovation.
According to the Report on the International Influence of the Lujiazui Coffee Festival (2016–2025) released by the Fudan University Consumer Market Big Data Laboratory, festival attendance has expanded from 12,000 attendees in its early years to more than 150,000 per edition, while the number of participating brands has increased from 24 to over 390 over the past decade. Over the last ten years, more than 1,700 domestic and international coffee organisations have taken part.
This year’s lineup includes more than 50 international coffee brands, among them over 30 led by world or national coffee‑competition champions. Notable participants are Calico Coffee (United Kingdom), Standout Coffee (Sweden), Monogram (Canada) and SHAN‑KAY (Peru). Founder Nawar Adra of Sydney‑based STITCH COFFEE highlighted that the festival opened a pathway to the Chinese market, eventually leading to the opening of a local store. Similarly, Peru’s Carlos Raffo leveraged his participation to register Bilu Coffee (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., illustrating how festival exposure can translate into concrete market entry.
The festival also facilitates outbound promotion of Chinese coffee brands. In 2025, a delegation of 15 Chinese coffee brands visited London, and a further delegation is scheduled for Paris in 2026, underscoring the event’s role as a two‑way bridge between Chinese and global coffee markets.
Overall, the Lujiazui Coffee Festival has become a key gateway for international coffee brands seeking to understand Chinese consumer preferences, forge local partnerships, and explore long‑term business opportunities, while simultaneously showcasing Chinese coffee innovations to the world.