China’s specialty-coffee scene is in the middle of a breakout year — one that’s drawing global attention to Chinese talent, craftsmanship, and flavor innovation.

On November 5 this year in Geneva, Chen Zhuohao, representing China, was crowned the 2025 World Latte Art Champion and his routine was celebrated for its balanced precision, clarity, and visual storytelling.

Image: Chen Zhuohao of China is crowned the 2025 World Latte Art Champion in Geneva — topping a global top six that included Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Australia. Source: World Coffee Championships (WCC).

And just weeks prior In Jakarta, Peng Jinyang won the 2025 World Brewers Cup — one of the most prestigious global coffee competitions — becoming only the second barista from mainland China ever to claim that title.

Image: George Jinyang Peng, winner of the 2025 World Brewers Cup, prepares a pour-over at Captain George Coffee Roasters. Source: Barista Magazine

Video: Watch George Jinyang Peng’s poetic finals performance at the 2025 World Brewers Cup in Jakarta.

These historic victories signal a new era: China is no longer just participating in specialty coffee — it’s helping lead it.

China's Coffee Wave

Across China, cafés are embracing a wave of signature drinks that mix specialty beans with regionally expressive flavors.

Oolong cream lattes, coconut milk latte, pomelo and yuzu cold brews, and apricot blossom lattes are becoming staples — reflecting a uniquely Chinese creativity that’s setting trends across Asia.

And no company has amplified this creativity more than Luckin Coffee. With over 22,000 stores in China — more than double Starbucks’ roughly 7,700 — Luckin has officially overtaken Starbucks as the country’s No. 1 coffee chain.

Its rapid menu innovation and nationwide seasonal launches have helped push regional flavors into the mainstream.

Tingly Coffee: An Example of Innovation

And now, one of the most exciting expressions of this creativity is here: tingly coffee — espresso infused with green Sichuan pepper.

Bright, citrus-aromatic, gently numbing.

A flavor that feels deeply Sichuan yet completely new to the global coffee world.

It’s now appearing nationwide, but the idea didn’t start in a corporate lab. It began inside China’s specialty-coffee community — and we were fortunate to play a small part in helping bring the first version of this drink to life.

How the Sichuan Pepper Coffee Actually Happened (Straight From Chengdu)

Image: Image: From idea to cup — GRID Coffee in Chengdu, where the green Sichuan pepper drink finally came to life.

A few months ago, the head of R&D at GRID Coffee — a well-known premium specialty chain in China — reached out to 50Hertz founder Yao with a wild, brilliant question:

“Could we make a coffee with green Sichuan pepper (qīng huājiāo)?”

She wanted to explore using fresh green Sichuan pepper in a drink, and she asked which variety would work best.

Yao recommended the Jinyang Green Sichuan Pepper from Yunnan — a variety that’s super bright, citrusy like grapefruit, highly aromatic, and clean and floral without any harsh edges. 

Image: The Jinyang green Sichuan pepper we connected GRID Coffee with — bright, floral, and cleanly tingly, perfect for lifting espresso and milk.

We also connected GRID directly with our Jinyang supplier so they could source the freshest harvest possible.

And now the drink is out in the world — available in GRID cafés across China. 

So when Yao landed in Chengdu, he went straight to GRID Coffee to try it for himself. 

Image: Yao stopped by GRID Coffee in Chengdu to try their new green Sichuan pepper mocha — made with our Jinyang qīng huājiāo. Citrus aroma, soft tingle, super balanced. 50Hertz Approved!

e ordered the Huājiāo Mocha Latte, and here’s what he found: the aroma hits first with that immediate citrus-pepper fragrance; the tingle is gentle but unmistakably huājiāo; the flavor leans comforting, balanced, and chocolatey with a creative twist. 

His verdict:

“It’s good! 50Hertz Approved.” ✅

A proud moment for Sichuan pepper — and for 50Hertz.

Why Sichuan Pepper Works Shockingly Well in Coffee

Even though it sounds unusual, the flavor chemistry works beautifully.

1. Both are incredibly aromatic

Coffee brings roasted, fruity, caramelized notes. Green Sichuan pepper adds bright citrus oils, pine, and floral aromatics. Together, they create a layered, perfumed aroma.

2. The tingle adds a new sensation

Huājiāo doesn’t burn — it vibrates at about 50 hertz. In a latte, this creates a gentle buzz that cuts through sweetness and lifts richness.

3. It loves chocolate

Citrus + chocolate = classic pairing. Mocha + green Sichuan pepper = extra depth, freshness, and lift.

4. It taps into regional flavor memory

For many in Sichuan and Yunnan (and hopefully soon America and the rest of the world), the fragrance of green Sichuan pepper (qīng huājiāo) is instantly nostalgic — yet totally new in the context of coffee.

Image: Yao trying Shan Cheng Coffee’s own fresh green huājiāo latte — theirs uses vine-picked pepper, but you can recreate a similar bright, citrusy vibe at home with our 50Hertz green Sichuan pepper and tingly oil

Try Tingly Coffee at Home (50Hertz Style) ☕️⚡️

You can recreate a tingly latte at home in five minutes using 50Hertz spices.

Tingly Sichuan Pepper Latte

Ingredients

• 1 shot espresso (or 2 oz strong coffee)

• 6–8 oz milk or oat milk

• ½–1 tsp 50Hertz Tingly Green Sichuan Pepper Oil

• Optional: pinch of 50Hertz Green Sichuan Pepper, lightly crushed

• Sweetener (optional)

Instructions

1. Brew your espresso.
   

2. Add ½–1 tsp tingly oil directly into the hot espresso and stir.
   

3. Steam or heat milk, then pour over the espresso.
   

4. Optional: finish with a micro pinch of crushed green pepper.
   

5. Sip slowly — notice how the tingle builds across sips.

Flavor profile: creamy, aromatic, bright, gently numbing, and deeply comforting.

A New Era for Chinese Coffee

With championship titles, a wave of inventive signature drinks, and the rise of regionally rooted flavors, China is redefining what coffee can be.

Tingly coffee captures this moment perfectly: bold, innovative, sensory, and proudly Chinese.

And you don’t have to travel to Sichuan to taste it — you can make it right at home!