Jim Lee
Name: Jim Lee
Company Name: Ocean Grounds Coffee Roasters
Job Title: Founder
Presentation Title: ‘4th Wave Coffee, Creative Diversification, and China – Lessons Learned By A Master Roaster In The World’s Largest Market’
Jim is the leader of the 4th wave coffee movement in China and one of the foremost authorities in the craft coffee business today.
Jim launched Ocean Grounds in 2011, the first coffee shop opened in Beijing Chaoyang district in the Utown Shopping Mall. Half Chinese and half American by birth, Jim had always dreamed of the opportunity to bring his style of coffee to China. He has since opened a number of roasters, restaurants and cafes both in USA and China.
Jim has spoken at a large number of events over the years including Hotelex 2018 & 2019 and Taiwan Food & Bev Expo.
Keynote Description:
4th wave coffee is the next step in coffee culture, elevating 3rd wave coffees by blending in elements of mixology and molecular gastronomy. How is this relevant to the global coffee retail industry, and what should we expect around the next corner? Jim Lee has been a passionate advocate and pioneer of 4th wave for many years and will share his insights and predictions. But with rent and cost of goods going nowhere but up, Jim will also discuss how we can all generally be more diverse and creative in coffee retail to not only maximise our space and resources, but attract new customers to the coffee scene. This is something Jim learned the hard way when he set up his first craft coffee shop 10 years ago in Beijing – deep inside the traditional heartland of tea drinkers. Jim will also share his observations of the ups and downs of the China coffee market itself over the years, and where he sees it going.
