Luckin Coffee Launches State-of-the-Art Smart Roasting Center in Qingdao
On April 22, 2026, Luckin Coffee, the prominent retail coffee chain, proudly announced the operational commencement of its advanced smart roasting center situated in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China. This significant achievement comes with a substantial investment, totaling approximately RMB 3 billion, and boasts an impressive annual roasting capacity of over 55,000 tons. The facility is notably equipped with the largest single coffee roaster in the world, highlighting Luckin's commitment to improving its global supply chain and promoting both capacity and efficiency within China's coffee industry.
The launch of the Qingdao smart roasting center empowers Luckin Coffee to create a combined roasting network across four strategic locations—Qingdao, Pingnan, Kunshan, and the soon-to-be-constructed Xiamen. Together, these sites are projected to achieve a total roasting capacity exceeding 155,000 tons, setting a new industry benchmark. By capitalizing on the robust import infrastructure of Qingdao Port, renowned as a major hub for foreign trade in China, Luckin can streamline end-to-end shipments of green coffee beans sourced from leading global producers including Brazil, Colombia, and Ethiopia to their local facilities.
Qingdao’s comprehensive logistics framework, which integrates sea, land, air, and rail transportation, further enhances Luckin's efficiency, enabling seamless coverage from raw bean procurement all the way to consumer availability. Dr. Jinyi Guo, Co-Founder and CEO of Luckin Coffee, emphasizes that the intrinsic advantages offered by Qingdao—including its port logistics, bonded processing capabilities, and multi-modal transport options—are foundational to Luckin's expansive value chain strategy that encompasses port-side manufacturing, efficient processing, and access to global markets.
This inauguration marks a significant milestone in Luckin's comprehensive value chain deployment strategy. The company's commitment to technological innovation and sustainable practices drives the upgrade of China's coffee sector while enhancing premium offerings for coffee enthusiasts worldwide.
The intelligent roasting facility is outfitted with cutting-edge technology, featuring globally competitive systems, including the world's largest single coffee roaster and high-capacity in-house packaging solutions that lead the industry in Asia. The roasting center employs a fully automated production model, smart warehousing that maintains optimal temperature and humidity, and the FRTO (Flameless Regenerative Thermal Oxidation) system, which promotes low-carbon operations. Designed to adhere to China’s stringent Three-Star Green Building standards and achieve LEED Platinum certification, this facility underscores the brand's commitment to ecological sustainability and carbon-neutral production practices.
Looking forward, Luckin Coffee plans to deepen its full coffee value chain strategy, paving the way for a new era of high-quality advancements in China’s coffee landscape. The company aims to empower Chinese coffee brands, ensuring they make significant strides on the global stage, thus helping to redefine global perceptions and experiences surrounding Chinese coffee. As Luckin Coffee continues to innovate and grow, the coffee drinking experience around the world is set to become even more exciting and dynamic, promising a bright future ahead for both the company and its consumers.
In conclusion, the launch of the smart roasting center in Qingdao exemplifies Luckin Coffee's innovation trajectory and strategic vision, placing it at the forefront of the evolving coffee industry, not only in China but on a global scale.