The video of a customer buying a cup of coffee for 10 yuan ($1.38) from a vendor in a street of Nanjing went viral. In the clip, the elderly owner can be seen opening three small packages of instant coffee and dissolving them in a cup of hot water, before serving it to the man filming her.
Ten-yuan coffee vendor in Nanjing goes viral with instant 'hand-made' coffee Screenshot from video clip
Despite its fairly mundane nature, the video clip has been trending among the top topics on Chinese social media platforms such as Sina Weibo and Xiaohongshu. With the viral topic triggering discussions among Chinese netizens, the small shop in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province, is gaining attention.
The gap between the owner's understanding of "hand-made" coffee and that of netizens for the complicated process in high-end cafes or branded products has led coffee drinkers and netizens to replay the video clip over and over again.
Many customers come over to taste the coffee from this roadside shop, with some even taking the high-speed railway to check out the place. The shop's sales have suddenly increased to 300 to 400 cups a day, causing the owner to run out of boiling water on occasion.
Han, the shop owner, is 74 years old. She has been running this shop for more than three decades. Her business is focused on selling sugarcane juice, with sales of about 500 kilograms a day. She started to sell coffee around 20 years ago and at the time the price for coffee was 6 yuan a cup and it consisted in two packages of Nestle instant coffee dissolved in water. Two years ago, Han got complaints from her customers, saying the coffee was not strong enough, so she changed her "recipe" to three bags of instant coffee per cup and the price was raised to 10 yuan a cup.
The key question is why such an ordinary story from daily life went viral. Many netizens are skeptical, questioning how this could even be considered hand-made coffee, while others are still baffled by how an everyday figure could gain such popularity.
At first glance, it seems perplexing that someone or something could achieve internet fame from just one or a few video clips.
However, upon closer reflection, it begins to make sense. What netizens are drawn to is the integrity and sincerity of the shop owner, who has consistently served her customers with the same dedication for decades. In stark contrast, many marketing strategies rely on creating buzz and often deceive consumers, placing profit above customer satisfaction. It is Han's honesty and genuine service that resonate most with customers.
Even though her service is just a cup of instant coffee, what Han believes in is that she only serves her customers with the best she has. What Han offers is transparency.
One could argue that netizens often exhibit herd behavior, indiscriminately chasing after the latest trends. This might partly explain why this topic has gained popularity. However, many consumers genuinely find Auntie Han sincere and endearing, and they truly wish for her success. From this perspective, they are purchasing more than just a cup of coffee; they are endorsing Han's sincerity and integrity.
Some media commented that Han's coffee takes us back to simplicity and her service gives people a sense of security. Consumers know clearly what they are buying, and this kind of transparency should be at the core of any business transaction.
Attention on internet, however, is a double-edged sword and while her sudden popularity may have gained her the attention, the spotlight on Han's shop has also brought her some challenges, such as an increased workload and mean online comments. Han now barely has the time to eat her lunch and netizens are coming to her defense, urging internet trolls to retrain from hurting Auntie Han in any way.
This, like many other stories of sudden success, may also fade away as time goes by and Han's business may go back to her usual rhythm sooner or later.
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