Our Story
Douzi (豆子, "beans") exists because China grows world-class coffee and almost nobody in America is drinking it.
Why we started
As an American having gone to university in Shanghai, I was exposed to the surprisingly deep coffee culture that China had to offer as I got to know the city. Specialty cafes on every Puxi street corner selling coffee from all over the world, including domestically produced Yunnan coffee, was something I took for granted.
When I returned to America after graduation, I realized that nobody in the US served Yunnan coffee other than a few roasters who rotated it once a year as part of the 15 other coffees they served. Little to no emphasis was put into the uniqueness of the origin, and having gotten into coffee through specialty shops serving Yunnan coffee in Shanghai, I realized there had to be a way to bring it to the US. So I took a chance, blew some savings and imported green Yunnan coffee to New York to roast and sell. I spent months shipping samples, roasting and cupping before I landed on the two you see in the store. I hope to show everyone in the west how incredible Chinese coffee is, and what people have been missing out on!
Most people don't know China grows coffee, but those who do know that Yunnan's best farms now produce coffee that competes against the highest grade coffee from legacy origins, and we want to be the place Americans try it first.
Where our coffee comes from / what the red stamps mean
The small red stamps in the bottom right hand corner of our coffee labels are the names of the farms these coffees are grown on. Both coffees come from Yunnan, southwest China, the province that grows nearly all of China's coffee.
- Dongka farm, Menglian county, Pu'er: washed, grown at 1,400 metres and up. This is our Single Origin Espresso. Although this is intended to be espresso base, the roast profile allows for flexibility in brewing methods, so if you are a filter coffee brewer who likes more traditional coffees (nutty, chocolate, caramel notes) you will have no problem brewing these beans. Just keep in mind the flavor begins to really show as the coffee cools, so keep that water temp down!
- Guiben farm, Yiwu, Xishuangbanna, one of China's oldest tea mountains: honey processed. This is our Specialty Filter Offering. This is our special offering and has less flexibility in terms of brew method, it is ideally not used as an espresso or milk drink. It has an extremely smooth and balanced (yet complex) profile that should be enjoyed without additives. Again, sip the coffee as it cools to get the best flavors.
We work with Yunnan Coffee Traders, who have direct relationships with these farms, and we cupped every lot (and more) before choosing them.
What is "Douzi"?
豆子 (dòuzi) is the everyday Chinese word for beans. Which ironically is what we sell: Chinese beans! We realized that nobody in the west was focused purely on selling specialty coffee from Yunnan, so we made that our entire focus.
Focusing on Yunnan alone lets us bring out the best in every lot, and puts our coffee among the best Yunnan coffee you can buy in America.
Roasted in Brooklyn
We work with Loveless Coffees to roast and pack in small batches in Brooklyn, so the coffee reaches you fresh rather than after months in transit. Each bag shows its roast date.
Loveless is a specialty coffee shop and roaster who's founders have been roasting coffee for 15+ years.
Questions or wholesale inquiries: get in touch.