As the China–CELAC Forum celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2025, a remarkable story of cross-continental cooperation is unfolding—one brewed in Brazil and served in over 20,000 Luckin Coffee stores across China.
A cornerstone of this deepening relationship is coffee, a product that has evolved into both an economic and cultural bridge between China and Latin America. Leading the charge is Luckin Coffee, which has transformed “coffee as a catalyst” into a real-time model of economic diplomacy and supply chain innovation.
The partnership between China and Brazil, already a pillar of global South-South cooperation, reached new heights in November 2024 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Luckin Coffee and Apex-Brasil, Brazil’s trade and investment promotion agency. Witnessed by Brazilian Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin, the agreement commits Luckin to purchase 240,000 metric tons of Brazilian coffee beans over five years—an investment worth 10 billion yuan.
The symbolism of coffee in this partnership is steeped in history. On August 15, 1974, when China and Brazil first established diplomatic relations, representatives toasted not with wine but with Brazilian coffee. Now, over five decades later, that symbolic cup has become a core commodity in a thriving bilateral trade valued in the billions.
Beyond economics, this agreement underscores how platforms like the China–CELAC Forum are reshaping global cooperation. From blueberries and cherries to coffee and culture, Latin America’s presence in Chinese supermarkets and cafés has never been more prominent.
As Brazil’s coffee travels more than 16,000 kilometers to reach Chinese consumers, it does more than just fuel mornings—it powers a golden partnership built on trust, trade, and shared prosperity.
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