World leading coffee house chain Starbucks kicked off construction for its China Coffee Innovation Park on Monday in Kunshan, as part of its efforts to enhance its supply chain efficiency and build a greener coffee industry in the country.
When operational in summer 2022, the 80,000 square meter innovation park -- an investment of $156 million -- will feature one of the first sustainable roasting plants in Starbucks global network, with smart supply chain operations.
Four keywords to demonstrate the shining points of Starbucks’ China Coffee Innovation Park.
Coffee roasting
Located in the city of Kunshan, an hour from Shanghai, the park will source coffees from China and around the world directly from origin for processing, roasting, packaging and distribution, for the first time in the market.
Environmental protection
When completed, the park will be one of the most sustainable manufacturing facilities for Starbucks globally, with its design based on guidelines from the US Green Building Council's LEED standards, as well as China's Three Star Green Building standards for carbon emissions, energy use and waste.
Energy-efficient roasting technology at the park will reduce carbon emissions by over 30 percent compared to Starbucks conventional roasting technology.
Intelligent production and delivery
The park also will feature cutting-edge technologies that maximize manufacturing productivity, including smart manufacturing technologies that will enable advanced data collection and analysis, including predictive maintenance.
Its integrated distribution center will incorporate a fully-automated storage and retrieval system, which is designed to take up four times less space compared to conventional storage systems.
Opening to public
An immersive experience center will showcase sustainable practices across the "Bean to Cup" coffee journey to visitors when open to the public.
