Michelle Tang, director of Dolci (Hong Kong), the franchisee of Segafredo Zanetti Espresso Caffe Bar, said: 'The big names in coffee chains have helped in developing a coffee trend. Pacific Coffee and Starbucks are undoubtedly the pioneers of the coffee shop business in Hong Kong. Both have contributed significantly in bringing American-style coffee shops to Hong Kong and in educating Hong Kong consumers in the culture and taste of coffee drinking.'

The popularity of these coffee chains has increased the demand for coffee in Hong Kong. Many new shops have sprung up in the past few years, from the small independent upstairs coffee shops in Mong Kok and Causeway Bay, to chains from Italy, Japan and Southeast Asia. These places survive simply on the growing demand for coffee and the ability of the small coffee houses to differentiate themselves from the international household names.

Barry Yuen Chi-tak, a coffee enthusiast who spent a few years in Italy learning the art of being a professional barista, said: 'Hong Kong people enjoy trying out new trends. The large franchises have been useful in encouraging the coffee culture through their marketing.

'Big chains have promoted consumption of coffee, but they charge five-star prices for a cheap cup of coffee,' said Mr Yuen.

With more people realising that a cup of good coffee involves not only coffee beans but also the skills of waiters behind the machine, there is growing demand for well-trained baristas who know how to make a good cup according to the different tastes of individual customers.

Ms Tang said: 'Barista is a respectable lifetime profession in Italy. But in most of Hong Kong this position is still being treated as that of a waiter with some training in coffee making.

'Anyone who is interested in becoming a barista should first learn about coffee, develop a taste for good coffee, and then attend the right school or apply to the right company for the correct and proper training in coffee making.'

Mr Yuen agreed that proper training was essential to help baristas gain their professional status.

'The mindset of Hong Kong people is changing. In Hong Kong, a waiter's job used to include making coffee. But now people appreciate a good cup of coffee made by an expert.

'A barista's job is complicated and proper training is necessary,' said Mr Yuen, who started The Coffee and Tea Academy of Hong Kong and China in 2004, offering proper training to help people become baristas. He has trained more than 500 students in the art of preparing a good cup of coffee.

'My students clearly realise the difference after taking my course,' he said.

Coping with high rents aside, coffee shop operators in Hong Kong have a task to educate the average consumer about their products, introduce genuine coffee tastes and build a clientele base.

Ms Tang said: 'The major chains have made traditional Italian coffee drinks popular. Drinks like cappuccino and latte have now become household names. However, the local taste is still leaning towards flavoured coffee drinks or those with lots of milk. This may change with the introduction of good espresso, the base of any Italian coffee drink.'

Not satisfied with the quality of coffee and seeing the growing demand of a number of local coffee lovers, some coffee gourmets have started their own small-scale coffee shops to serve a specific clientele.

Yvonne Cheu Yuk-yi, owner of Cafe Little, employs four staff who are all trained baristas.

'I was backpacking in Europe and had the most memorable cup of coffee in Italy. I tried to find a place in Hong Kong that served such coffee but it was surprisingly impossible. I decided to start my own coffee shop to offer a really good cup of coffee,' said Ms Cheu, who runs her corner coffee shop in Sheung Wan.

'I have my own house blend of coffees and mix coffee beans from different countries to find the best flavour. My clients, especially the tourists from Europe, appreciate that,' she said.

Jargon

Coffea arabica

A species of coffee indigenous to Ethiopia and Yemen, is low in caffeine with a good aroma. It is also known as the 'coffee shrub of Arabia'

Robusta

A species of coffee that has about twice the amount of caffeine as the coffea arabica

Barista

An expert operator of an espresso machine. It means 'bartender' in Italian

Espresso

High-density concentrated coffee used in coffee drinks

Cappuccino

The kind of coffee made of one part espresso, one part milk and one part milk foam

Key Players

Coffee shop manager

Barista

Waiter