Kunshan sees boom in 'sweet economy'

A one-day sensory-driven tour of China's richest county-level city didn't just delight the palates of seven international visitors — it opened their eyes to how an economy can march with efficiency, timing, and cohesion.

Their trip, organized by China Daily, coincided with the inauguration of Swire Coca-Cola's new plant in Kunshan, East China's Jiangsu province on May 26. This gave the guests a firsthand look at the 2-billion-yuan project, where the plant's first four production lines are now capable of producing up to one million bottles a day.

"I live in Suzhou and I drink Coke Zero every day. It's amazing to know that they are being bottled here in Kunshan," said Sharma Mehak, a senior product designer at Microsoft, from India.

The speed of the plant's construction was equally impressive — it took less than three years to complete. Swire decided to settle in Kunshan mainly due to its superior business environment, comprehensive industrial support facilities, and innovation dynamic, according to Guy Bradley, chairman of Swire Pacific, at the opening ceremony.

Over 90 percent of the factory's core packaging materials, such as PET bottles, caps, and labels, are sourced locally within the city. Once all 13 production lines become operational, its annual production capacity is expected to reach 1.6 million tons for over 100 beverage varieties.

But while Coke enjoys a promising future, it is the coffee industry that is prevailing for now. Official figures show that Kunshan quietly powers 60 percent of China's roasted coffee bean market — despite not growing a single coffee bean itself. Over 100 coffee brands — from Starbucks to Luckin — have clustered here.

Beneath these staggering figures are professionals like Lyu Chenyin, an international award-winning coffee master from Taiwan who now works at a boutique café named VollKaffe tucked away inside a garden in Kunshan.

Lyu gave a hands-on coffee class that turned his guests into home baristas, explaining how he roasts globally sourced beans and makes pour-overs.

"I've traveled the world — from coffee farms in Ethiopia to roasting studios in Europe — but I chose Kunshan because this is where the action is," Lyu said. "The government understands the industry. They've built the infrastructure: bonded warehouses, temperature-controlled logistics, and a complete supply chain. And yes, there's a large community of people from Taiwan here. It feels like home."

Indeed, Kunshan has long been a magnet for businesses from Taiwan. The first Taiwan-invested factory arrived in 1990. Today, about 6,200 Taiwan-invested projects have put over $70 billion into the city. Some 100,000 Taiwan entrepreneurs and their families now call Kunshan home. This deep-rooted partnership helped build Kunshan's electronics empire — and it's now fueling its sweet economy.

One great example is Daiffy Food, which hosted the international delegation that day. Expanding into Kunshan in 2016, Daiffy is a premium B2B chocolate provider for China's baking industry, holding a staggering 80 percent of the national market. Its clients include Dairy Queen, 85°C Bakery Cafe and Holiland.

The visitors were given a tour of the Daiffy factory, getting a close look at its global sourcing methods and its complete automated "bean-to-bar" production line. They also got to customize their own chocolates with expert instruction.

"I'm from Ecuador and we have the best cocoa beans in the world. And I found them here today!" said Andrea Baca, an Ecuadorian social media influencer.

The last stop of the sweet tour was Supin Foods, a classic B2B hidden champion dedicated to producing tea and coffee with constant innovation and strict quality control. Founded in 2007, Supin provides raw materials solutions to over 90 percent of China's top tea beverage brands.

"I like how they distinguish themselves from other tea producers," said Dueno Douglas, a US content creator. "I've tasted their innovative tea technique — it has a beer-like flavor, which suits me perfectly."

From bean to bar, from leaf to latte, Kunshan is rewriting its identity. The city was once known for laptops and electronics. Now it tastes different.