Every morning Agnes Lee heads to the Starbucks, orders a HK$30-cup of tall Cafe Latte and takes it back to her office. 'It is real coffee. It tastes better,' explains the accountant.
Ten years ago no one would believe that people would spend more than HK$20 on a cup of coffee. But getting a fresh brew from a well-designed, up-scale chain like Starbucks or Pacific Coffee has become routine for many people like Lee.
The phenomenal success of Starbucks has transformed the little black beans into a trendy and stylish beverage business worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The market is so profitable that even fast- food colossus McDonald's has set foot in it to get a slice of the big pie, changing its famously rigid business model to do so.
The first McCafe opened in 1999 in Central. But it was not until the past few years that it rapidly expanded its outlets. McDonald's now has 46 located within its 200 Hong Kong branches.
Inside a McCafe, the sharp yellow and red colour scheme is softened; the bright lighting is dimmed; and the hard plastic booths are replaced with sofas and armchairs. McCafe provides a cosy, stylish, more-adult and open ambience than the standard fast-food formula.
Starting from HK$17 for a small cappuccino freshly brewed by a trained expert, McCafes provide a wide selection of coffee, sandwiches and cakes.