ASIA – Leading manufacturer and supplier of coffee machines Rhea Vendors Group has announced that it has inaugurated its first branch in Asia.

Located in Shanghai, China, the new site joins Rhea’s existing international branch network, which currently includes 11 sites across Europe and South America.

Rhea already operates in the Chinese market through its Rhea China division.

The company however, says that the new branch will allow it to enhance its services and presence in the country.

Rhea further noted the Chinese market was also receptive to features such as personalisation and modularity; features offered across Rhea’s range of vending machines and coffee solutions

According to figures provided by Rhea, coffee consumption in China is also growing by around 20% a year, over 2% above the global growth rate.

Rhea noted that this trend was mainly driven by younger age groups who will account for over a quarter of the increase in total consumption in China by 2030.

 “China is an important country for Rhea and we have opened a branch in Shanghai in order to meet the needs of a mature market that is increasingly interested in what we have to offer,” Andrea Pozzolini, CEO Rhea Vendors Group, said.

Pozzolini further noted that China was market his company aimed to supply with highly customized products and services which embody Italian excellence in terms of their design and the quality of the beverages they produce.

“For us, it is essential to offer the best coffee possible in order to satisfy the tastes and consumption habits of Chinese coffee lovers, but without ever forgetting real Italian espresso.”

The decision by Rhea to set up shop china follows a recent announcement by American fast food company, McDonalds that it was planning to invest over US$380 million in China’s coffee industry.

McDonalds says that its investment was aimed at taking advantage of the growing consumption of the beverage in the Asia’s largest economy.

Accoriding to McDonalds, by 2023, the company expects to run more than 4,000 McCafé outlets on the Chinese mainland.

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