Puer Coffee

Pu’er Coffee (普洱咖啡) is a specialty coffee produced in Pu’er City (普洱市), Yunnan Province, China. It is recognized as a National Agricultural Product Geographical Indication. Pu’er is located in the subtropical mountain humid monsoon climate zone, making it an ideal region for coffee cultivation. The coffee produced here is known for its excellent color, high quality, and distinctive flavor profile.

In 2013, the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China approved the national geographical indication registration protection for “Pu’er Coffee.” In December 2021, Pu’er Coffee was granted geographical indication product protection, and in 2023, it received a national standard for both the Chinese and English versions.

The official Geographical Indication Product Quality Requirements for Pu’er Coffee will be officially implemented starting September 1, 2025, following the publication by the State Administration for Market Regulation.

Key Information

Product Name: Pu’er Coffee (普洱咖啡)

Origin: Pu’er City, Yunnan Province (云南省普洱市)

Flavor Profile: Rich, long-lasting aroma with a slight fruity acidity

Geographical Indication: National Agricultural Product Geographical Indication

Approval Date: December 30, 2013

Product Characteristics

External Sensory Characteristics

The coffee plant grows upright with nodes along the stems. Each node has one pair of green leaves. The flowers are white and bisexual, blooming from March to April. The ripe fruits are round, red (or yellow), and typically contain two seeds. The fruit maturation period is from October to February of the following year. The processed coffee beans appear light blue or light green.

Internal Quality Characteristics

Pu’er coffee is known for its distinctive features:

Color: Excellent color and quality

Taste: It has a rich, long-lasting aroma and a slight fruity acidity, balanced with a good level of bitterness and a strong coffee flavor.

Key physical and chemical properties:

Moisture: ≤12.5%

Ash Content: ≤4.2%

Water Soluble Content: ≥20.0%

Caffeine Content: ≤1.2%

Total Sugars: ≥8.5%

Protein Content: ≥11.0%

Crude Fat: ≥5.0%

Crude Fiber: ≤35.0%

Total Acidity: ≥0.5%

Production Environment

Terrain and Soil

The Pu’er Coffee cultivation region features varied terrain, with the highest altitude reaching 3,307 meters and the lowest at 317 meters. The average altitude is 1,500 meters. The region is suitable for coffee cultivation between 700 meters and 1,600 meters above sea level (areas above 1,200 meters should be frost-free). The soil types are mostly red soil, brick-red soil, red-yellow soil, purple soil, sandy soil, and paddy soil, with optimal soil being red or brick-red soil. The pH of the soil ranges from 5.5 to 6.5. The area has a forest coverage rate of ≥64.9%, providing a rich forest resource.

Water System

The Pu’er Coffee growing region is traversed by three major river systems: Lancang River (澜沧江), Hong River (红河), and Nu River (怒江). The main tributaries include Xiaohei River, Xiayun River, Weiyuan River, Jinggu River, and Heihe River for the Lancang River system; Lixian River, Mengye River, Amo River, Talang River, Sinan River, and Tuka River for the Hong River system; and Nanka River, Nankang River, and Nanma River for the Nu River system. The abundant and clean water resources are ideal for coffee cultivation and processing.

Climate Conditions

Pu’er Coffee is grown in a South Asian subtropical mountain humid monsoon climate, featuring low latitudes, monsoonal winds, and highland climate characteristics. The region experiences a large diurnal temperature variation, with warm winters and cool summers. Rainfall exceeds evaporation, and the annual rainfall ranges from 1,208.3 mm to 1,811.7 mm, with relative humidity between 76% to 85%. The average annual temperature is between 17.8°C to 20.1°C, with a maximum temperature range from 24.7°C to 27.6°C and a minimum temperature range from 12.8°C to 15.3°C. The region enjoys 313 to 365 frost-free days per year, which is beneficial for coffee growth.

The ample light and heat, along with abundant water resources, create an ideal environment for growing Pu’er Coffee.

Historical Background

The history of Pu’er Coffee (普洱咖啡) dates back to the 1950s and has steadily evolved over the decades.

1956: The Jiangcheng Hani and Yi Autonomous County (江城哈尼族彝族自治县) established a coffee farm in Manlao Street (曼老街), introducing small-sized coffee varieties for cultivation.

1982: Small-sized coffee was successfully introduced to the Nanping Commune (南屏公社) at Da Kaihe (大开河), covering an area of 320 acres.

1987: The Pu’er Region (思茅地区) collaborated with a company from Dongguan City, Guangdong Province (广东省东莞市) to develop coffee production, with plans to establish a 100,000-acre coffee production base by the year 2000. The agricultural supply and marketing cooperatives at both the district and county levels were tasked with overseeing and organizing the production.

1988: The County People’s Government (县人民政府) decided to develop a coffee production base and planted 606 acres of coffee at Da Kaihe Village (大开河村), Nanping Township (南屏乡).

1989: A total of 32,000 acres of high-standard intensive coffee plantations had been developed, and 3,000 acres were in production, yielding 20 tons of coffee beans.

2011: The Pu’er Municipal People’s Government (普洱市人民政府) released the “12th Five-Year Plan for Coffee Industry Development” and the “Decision to Accelerate Coffee Industry Development in Pu’er City.”

In 2025, the State Administration for Market Regulation (国家市场监督管理总局) will officially implement the “Geographical Indication Product Quality Requirements: Pu’er Coffee” (GB/T 45690-2025) on September 1.

Production Overview

The Pu’er Coffee industry has been expanding significantly in recent years:

2011: The coffee plantation area in Pu’er City reached 439,000 acres, with 190,000 acres in production, yielding 28,000 tons of coffee, generating a production value of 800 million CNY.

2012: The production area expanded to 270,000 acres, achieving 36,500 tons of coffee output and a production value of 900 million CNY.

2022: Pu’er Coffee became a key industry for local economic assistance and rural revitalization. In Menglian Dai, Lahu, and Wa Autonomous County (孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县), the coffee industry contributed an income of 150 million CNY from Winter 2021 to October 2022. The development of the industry also encouraged talent to return to their hometowns, bringing new vitality to Pu’er.

2024: In October 2024, Pu’er reported that the quality rate of raw coffee beans increased from 10% in 2021 to 30.52% and the deep processing rate increased from 8% to 29.04%. In the first half of 2024, the coffee industry’s total value reached 5.765 billion CNY.

Product Recognition

Pu’er Coffee has received numerous prestigious honors over the years:

2013: The Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (中华人民共和国农业部) officially approved the geographical indication protection for Pu’er Coffee.

2011: The DB53/T 154-2006 Pu’er Small-Bean Coffee Comprehensive Standard (思茅小粒种咖啡综合标准) received the Yunnan Province Standardization Innovation Contribution Award from the Yunnan Provincial People’s Government (云南省人民政府).

2020: Pu’er Coffee was included in the first batch of the China-EU Geographical Indication Protection List (中欧地理标志保护清单).

2023: The Pu’er Coffee received the national standard and its English version was initiated.

2025: Pu’er Coffee was listed in the Top 100 Regional Brand Value Rankings for Geographical Indication Products at the 2025 China Brand Value Release Conference (2025中国品牌价值发布大会).

Geographical Indication

The Pu’er Coffee (普洱咖啡) production area is located in Pu’er City (普洱市), Yunnan Province, covering a large region with nine counties and one district:

Districts and Counties Involved: Simao District (思茅区), Ning’er County (宁洱县), Mojian County (墨江县), Jinggu County (景谷县), Jingdong County (景东县), Zhenyuan County (镇沅县), Jiangcheng County (江城县), Lancang County (澜沧县), Menglian County (孟连县), and Ximeng County (西盟县).

The geographical coordinates are between 22°02′N and 24°50′N latitude, and 99°09′E and 102°19′E longitude. The north-south span is 208.5 kilometers, and the east-west distance is 55 kilometers in the central-northern part, extending to 299 kilometers in the southern part, with a total planting area of 67,000 hectares.

Quality and Technical Requirements

The production of Pu’er Coffee is governed by specific quality and safety regulations to ensure high standards.

Quality Control Standards

Standard Number: AGI2013-03-1347

Safety Regulations

During the production and processing of Pu’er Coffee, all fertilizers and agricultural management practices are conducted according to the “Agricultural Product Quality Safety Control Technology Specifications” and the Yunnan Provincial Local Standard “Simao Small-Bean Coffee Comprehensive Standard” (思茅小粒种咖啡综合标准), DB53/T154.1–10-2006.

Specific Production Methods

Site Selection:
The coffee grows best in a humid climate, with an ideal planting elevation between 700 meters and 1600 meters (elevations above 1200 meters must be frost-free). Below 1200 meters, north-facing slopes are preferred, while above 1200 meters, south-facing slopes are optimal. The soils in the area are primarily red soils, brick red soils, and red clay soils, with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. The region experiences an annual average temperature of 17.8°C to 20.1°C, with 2,065.9 hours of sunlight per year, and annual rainfall between 1,208.3 mm and 1,811.7 mm. The relative humidity ranges from 76% to 85%.

Variety Selection:

  • In the 1950s, the Bourbon and Typica varieties were introduced.

  • In the 1980s, the S.288 variety was introduced.

  • In the 1990s, the Caturra series and CCCCA25 varieties were brought in. These varieties, after adaptive cultivation trials and natural domestication, are well-suited for local planting.

Production Management:
The coffee plantations are carefully selected to ensure high yields, stability, and top-quality coffee beans, free from pests and diseases. Only ripe red or yellow coffee cherries are picked. The seeds are propagated through sexual reproduction, using sand beds for germination and nutrient bags for planting. Transplantation occurs when seedlings reach 6 months of age.

Harvesting:
Coffee harvesting typically occurs from October to February of the following year. Only mature, ripe cherries are picked, in multiple stages. Cherries are harvested without their stems, and the fresh fruit should be stored in cool, shaded areas until ready for processing.

Processing:
The coffee beans undergo two methods of processing: wet processing and dry processing. The wet processing method ensures the best quality beans.

Packaging and Labeling

According to DB53/T154.5-2006 (Small-Bean Coffee – Coffee Beans), Pu’er Coffee beans are graded into Special Grade 1, Special Grade 2, and Grade 1.

Packaging must be in sturdy, clean, non-toxic, and odor-free burlap bags, with each bag containing coffee beans of the same grade and harvested in the same season.

Each bag must contain 60 kg ± 0.2 kg or 70 kg ± 0.2 kg of coffee beans, sewn with either a machine or by hand.

Strict adherence to the “Geographical Indication Product Usage Standards” ensures the combination of public labels with the regional product names.