Luckin Coffee is a famous local brand of Xiamen. [Photo/Luckin Coffee]

In Xiamen, discarded coffee grounds are being given a new lease of life. The Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Commerce has integrated ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles into the industry's growth, actively attracting and supporting companies that turn coffee grounds into high-value products.

Qibei General Purification Technology (Xiamen) Co Ltd is expanding production of its coffee ground activated carbon. The technology adsorbs PFAS, an emerging water contaminant, at more than twice the rate of traditional activated carbon. Related products are used in water filter cartridges, air purifiers, and textile fabrics, and have entered the supply chain of KFC and other major food and beverage companies.

In 2025, China's coffee roasting capacity continued to expand. The Luckin Coffee Xiamen Innovation Industrial Park is expected to have an annual roasting capacity of 55,000 metric tons. Once completed, Luckin's total national capacity will reach 155,000 tons.

A closed-loop chain of "coffee roasting-coffee ground collection-high-value utilization – end products" has been established, turning waste into resources and resources into value.

The Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Commerce has kept a green, low-carbon focus while promoting the coffee industry's high-quality development. Local brands like Xiamen Airlines' "Low Probability Coffee" use degradable materials in their stores. At events such as the Gebi Island Coffee Festival, exhibitors have practiced coffee ground recycling.