Starbucks partners with Yunnan Agricultural University to develop the coffee industry
Kunming (ANTARA) – Yunnan Agricultural University on Wednesday (20 May) signed an industry-university cooperation agreement with Starbucks China, aimed at integrating academic research strengths with industrial resources, and to promote talent training and industrial upgrading for China’s coffee industry.
Wang Weibin, a senior official at Yunnan Agricultural University, said the institution has long focused on coffee-related research, and hoped the partnership could serve as a good example of education-industry collaboration and support the healthy development of China’s coffee industry.
Under the agreement, the two parties will launch an exclusive Starbucks-themed cooperation programme. The university will leverage its expertise in technology innovation and industrial services, while Starbucks China will offer internship opportunities and career mentorship for related departments.
Yunnan Agricultural University launched China’s first bachelor programme in Coffee Science and Engineering in 2024, which possesses strong research capabilities in coffee variety breeding and cultivation technology.
As a major base of coffee production in China, Yunnan has witnessed strong growth in the local coffee industry. Official data show that the province has about 97,533 hectares of coffee plantations with a green coffee bean output of 138,900 tonnes in 2025, the highest in the country in terms of planting area, production and industry value.
Customs statistics show that Yunnan exported 19,000 tonnes of coffee beans and finished coffee products worth 860 million yuan last year. Yunnan coffee products were sold to 43 countries and regions, including the Netherlands, Vietnam and Germany, and are growing in global popularity.
Starbucks China said the partnership marks an important step in deepening its presence in Yunnan and empowering the local coffee industry, opening a new chapter in joint talent development, bilateral growth and coffee technology innovation.
Both sides will focus on talent training and industry-university-research collaboration to help enhance the international competitiveness of Yunnan’s coffee industry.