Interviews by Armindo Neves
The three-day “2nd Coloane Coffee Festival x One Little Day Handicraft Market” concluded successfully last night, with organisers expressing hopes that the event would help reshape Macau’s casino-dominated image and showcase its diverse cultural and creative lifestyle.
This event was held in Largo Eduardo Marques in Coloane Village.
“We want to inject new energy into Macau’s local coffee culture,” William Koi (瞿偉剛), the main organiser of the event, told the Post on Friday, the festival’s opening day, that with the vision of showcasing Coloane’s rustic village charm and challenging Macau’s “casino city” stereotype, the festival brought together 16 specialty coffee brands from across China, including Beijing, Nanjing, Shunde, Wenzhou, Taiwan and Hong Kong carefully selected from over 40 applicants for their unique regional interpretations of coffee culture, he said.
Koi pointed out a strong willingness by baristas to participate in the festival, prompting plans to expand future editions. Leveraging Macau’s East-meets-West heritage, the festival aims to grow into an internationally recognised coffee brand – offering visitors both artisanal brews and immersive experiences in Coloane’s diverse F&B scene, Koi said.
“ Ding Zi, founder of Beijing’s “Hidden Coffee” (隱), told the Post her objective was to “build on tradition while innovating.” She introduced her brand specialising in Japanese-style dark roast coffee using flannel filters for enhanced smoothness during her debut at the Macau Coffee Festival, where she aimed to explore new markets while experiencing local culture.
Ding’s kiosk offered over 20 flavour profiles including classic dark roast blends like Yemen Mocha and Blue Mountain, along with innovative specialties such as the “Amber Queen” and “Godfather”. Ding praised Macau’s thriving coffee scene and said she regarded such cross-regional events as valuable opportunities for creative exchange and inspiration.
“Coffee is part of life,” said Julia, founder of Nanjing’s “La Vie” (“The Life”) café, who also made her debut at the festival with unique blends integrating urban culture. True to her life-inspired philosophy, she creatively names drinks after Nanjing landmarks and intangible cultural heritage such as “Rehe Road” and “Rain Flower”, blending local identity with specialty coffee craftsmanship.
Brand founder Ah Yuan of “Coffee & Backpackers” (咖啡旅人) from Guizhou shared his mission to fuse the leisurely spirit of travel with coffee culture. Making his first appearance at the festival, he said his aim was to introduce the festivalgoers to southwest China’s distinctive terroir. The brand innovatively incorporates Maotai liquor and mountain peppercorns into specialty brews, creating geographically inspired drinks that tell a regional story.
The owner of “Fe Lou” (啡佬 – “coffee guy”) café from Hong Kong shared his entrepreneurial journey with the Post: after 10 years of hand-brewing expertise, he transitioned to small-batch roasting and joined the Macau Coffee Festival specifically to expand his market. Specialising in 12 premium single-origin beans with unique profiles such as tea-infused, whiskey-barrel-aged, the owner – who preferred to remain anonymous – said that he maintains a strict fresh-roast philosophy while keeping prices accessible.
Representing eight decades of plantation heritage, Taiwan-based “Ming Jian Coffee” (鳴澗咖啡) also made its local debut at the Macau Coffee Festival, showcasing premium coffee beans cultivated using techniques dating back to the Chinese island’s Japanese colonial occupation. The founder, whose family roots can be traced to Zhangzhou in Fujian and who also asked not to be named, said that Macau’s charm felt nostalgically familiar to him.
Fish, her nickname, founder of Shunde’s “Manse Coffee” (漫笙舍 – “Free Spirit Lodge”), brought her signature water-buffalo milk coffee to the Macau Coffee Festival. Her brand creatively blends Shunde’s local culinary heritage into coffee. Fish noted the slow-paced lifestyle shared by Macau and Shunde, with both radiating a relaxed charm. She expressed hope that the festival can become a platform to celebrate this unhurried philosophy through coffee culture.
Coffee aficionados flock to the Coloane Coffee Festival on its opening day in Largo Eduardo Marques, Coloane Village, on Friday. – Photos by Armindo Neves
Manse Coffee (漫笙舍 – Free Spirit Lodge) owner nicknamed Fish poses at her booth on Friday.
Hidden Coffee (隱) owner Ding Zi poses at her booth on Friday.
The owner of Fe Lou (啡佬 – “coffee guy”) poses at his booth on Friday.
